Hurao Academy Day of Service

KUAM News

Day of Service at Hurao Academy
Sabrina Salas Mantanane
May 18, 2011

Guam - Dozens of employees and managers from various island companies took the day off to give back to the community. The Lina'la Hurao Sagan Kotturan Chamoru is a dream come true for Hurao Academy founder Ann Marie Arceo, who said, "We're moving we're going to accomplish it we're moving it we're doing it, Guam. Si yuus maase."

On nine acres of Chamorro Land Trust Commission property at Ypao Point close to 80 volunteers from Chugach, Home Depot, Behr Paints, Matson Imco, Pepsi, Baldyga International Group, Isla Paint and Coating, and Frontier Plumbing Supply participated in a day of service. "We're going to be painting, scraping digging anything that we need to get this going for the summer," Arceo noted.

That's the immediate goal: getting facilities ready for the Hurao Summer Camp, where students will apprentice here at least two to three times a week. The bigger picture, according to Hurao teacher and visual artist Rafael Unpingco is, "We plan on making it a cultural immersion center through the arts we have eight buildings and we want to break down the disciplines that way. Just to kind of get apprenticeship programs going do things fro the community and also teach the community the language and other cultural practices."

From painting, landscaping, fencing, water blasting cabinet work and other tasks. It's through Hurao and Linala's corporate partners that they're able to get the project off the ground and according to Home Depot general manager Rhett Garon and Chugach's Western Pacific regional manager Ray Llaneta they're happy to help. "I think its extremely important from a cultural standpoint as far as the perseveration with the move of the troops over to Guam we want to make sure that we help to establish a center where people can come and kind of learn the ways of the older Chamorro people as far as arts and the music and the language," Garon noted.

"This is about culture and this about the people of Guam," stated Llaneta. "We live here we're part of the community; the leaders in Chugach Alaska Corporation feel that its very important for us to give back to the community and I'm very proud and honored to be part of that."

If you'd like to help Hurao, according to Arceo they're always there on the weekends. Stop by if you'd like to volunteer.

http://www.kuam.com/story/14665853/2011/05/17/day-of-service-at-hurao-academy

Chamorro Cultural Festival

Famoksaiyan will be at the Chamorro Cultural Festival, March 20th at the Market Creek Plaza in San Diego, California. More info on the flyer below, or you can check out the website for CHELU Inc. to learn more.

2010 Chamorro Lunar Calendar Festival

For those of you who want to learn more about the ways in which Chamorros used the moon to pattern their fishing and planting, you can pick up a free copy of the Chamorro Lunar Calendar as this festival.

If you come later in the afternoon and evening, you can see the organizers use a chahan or underground oven to cook a feast in celebration.

We are Guahan Hike to Pagat

The We Are Guahan Coalition is organizing a hike to Pagat Caves this Saturday, January 2nd.

Pagat Caves is a beautiful location which was once an Ancient Chamorro village. Numerous artifacts and latte can still be found there in the pristine limestone jungle.

The proposed military buildup of Guam would block off public access to this location amongst others on the Eastern coast of Guam, in order to build a live-fire training range for Marines being transferred from Okinawa.

For those interested in joining the hike, we'll be meeting first at Winchell's in Mangilao at 9 am. If you come bring lots of water, hiking shoes, mosquito repellent, sun screen and wear hiking or tennis shoes.

Saina