marianaislands:

It has been 11 years since I left my home island Guam. Learning about the partitioning of the Mariana Islands chain left a real bad feeling in my heart. Being part of the diaspora is tricky because while I may have very strong feelings towards decolonization and potentially uniting the Marianas, the reality on the islands is vastly different. The beliefs are vastly different. I don’t live there anymore, and maybe it’s the optimism blinding me, maybe it’s me reading about the history that makes me have the highest of hopes. My opinions on an ideal country for the Marianas could be seen as far-fetched, and rightfully so, but I can’t help but feel the way I feel.

There are also Guamanian Chamorros who view themselves as Americans, there are some who see themselves as Micronesians and some who don’t. However I do think it is important to know that Chamorros, both from GU AND CNMI, are part of Micronesia. I think that idea of whether Guamanians in particular don’t see themselves as so really reflects on a political standpoint more than a geographical/cultural one and it happened to manifest itself culturally.

All that aside I do want to put political reasoning aside and say that Chamorros are Micronesian. While the term is mainly used for islanders from the FSM it’s vital to include EVERY island that is within the region. I know there is current views and past issues that may make someone try to dispute that but I can’t help but say NO and urge for more support, solidarity, and unity within the Micronesian community. We should address all the baggage that comes with us but stay true to the fact that we are Micronesians. We gotta stick together man…..

(This post is more for me to release my thoughts and feelings on the matter. It’s very sloppy I apologize lol!)

Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia: My Thoughts

These three terms are subregions used for the islands that make up Oceania. This is the picture you might have seen before:

I am always conflicted with using these terms. On one hand these words are never used by PIs in everyday conversation. When asked, “Where are you from?” Pacific Islanders don’t say, “Oh I’m Melanesian!” If anything we say the island we are from and take the subregion as another fact. 

For instance I’m Chamorro, specifically Guamanian, but I have never told someone I’m also Micronesian. 9.2/10 times the person won’t even know your home island’s existence so adding on another term will only turn into a long explanation that you’re not willing to give to someone who you just met five minutes ago.

These terms create a division between Pacific Islanders that we do not need. So much so that I see a sense of erasure happening when ~Pacific Islanders~ and ~Polynesians~ are being used synonymously. This is by no means intentional and I’m not trying to be rude, but these subregional terms have resulted in Polynesians becoming the default for what Pacific Islanders are. 

Let’s be real this was first and foremost encouraged by the media. By Hollywood not only perpetuating stereotypes of what a Pacific Islander is supposed to look and act, but by perpetuating them on Polynesians which is gross in and of itself. By artists who traveled to the South Pacific because they wanted more “substance,” the need to “escape the evils of society,” or some other crap which resulted in objectifying and sensationalizing PIs. (SIDEBAR: I just finished reading a little bit about Post-Impressionism so it’s pretty obvious as to who I’m talking about here haha. I rolled my eyes so hard after reading that tiny paragraph)

These divisions breaks my heart, but on the other hand I do see some positives with these terms. They’re starting to be used more and more, especially with us PIs living in America, and I can see how it can be empowering. These terms have colonial ties to them, a way to group and simplify, but seeing those who decide to strip it from said ties and to proclaim and wear it proudly is powerful and beautiful.

These subregional terms can be problematic, but if we all want to use them let us use them properly, respectfully, and to band together. Melanesian, Micronesian, or Polynesian, we are ALL Pacific Islanders. 

#AsianInvasion & API

If you don’t know what it is you can read the details here.

I’m very impressed with how they tackled the issue of piggybacking off the black community and the #blackout. They decided to make revisions to their plan and more power to them. What I am NOT impressed with is how they continue to ignore Pacific Islanders. 

Let’s face it the umbrella term API (Asian Pacific Islander) is BULLSHIT. It’s a term the U.S. government made to make a vast amount of countries and islands digestible. Both aspects of this term is harmed by this label, and I believe both need to be separated from the other. Now listen I do not want to come off as being bitter towards the various ethnic groups that fall under Asia not. at. all. Unfortunately what ends up happening is that Pacific Islanders are completely ignored when it comes to ~~API~~ events.

#AsianInvasion is no different. Here we have the original poster specifically pointing out that May celebrates Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. We read all these great revisions/amendments to show that this movement isn’t riding off of #blackout. It’s all so great and I’m actually excited to see all this play out! What’s not great is Pacific Islanders getting ignored. I’m sick of being ignored, sick of feeling like a loner in my own little corner shouting for attention, sick of the label API. 

I’ve had my doubts about #AsianInvasion, but nonetheless I am rooting for those who will find a personal fulfillment with this movement. BUT I WILL NOT PARTICIPATE. I won’t take part in a movement that would tell the masses it’s Asian Pacific Heritage Month and still not include us PIs in their revisions/amendments. The hashtag doesn’t even have the decency of adding Pacific Islander to its name (I mean it wouldn’t rhyme right?!).

Thanks, but no thanks.

Get It Off My Chest

beautyofguam:

I’ve decided to repost this piece I wrote on my wordpress blog because I wanted it to be shared on tumblr as well.

I’ve been making steps to getting more connected to my home culture. It’s something that’s real important for me and I decided I wanted to go on a good and cathartic ramble about something that has nagged my brain for quite a while.

It’s something that I always needed to get off my chest but never really knew exactly how to bring my thoughts to a blog post. Ever since high school, sophomore year I’d say, I always battled with the idea of not being islander~~ enough. Of course I believe every person of color has been through this feeling in their respective cultures, but, of course, every story is different. Being part of the Chamorro diaspora is difficult. Being part of the PI diaspora is difficult. Growing up in the states for most of my life has definitely separated me from my home culture. Never learned the Chamorro language, the lack of education of the history of the Marianas, and being the only Guamanian~ friend has all added up to me feeling really disconnected. I’ll admit that I have felt ashamed about this, but the better word for how I’ve felt is embarrassed.

For instance I remember the multi-cultural rallies in high school. It was a time where I felt very proud to be a Pacific Islander, and it was also a time to witness how all the other PI’s in my school seemed to know more about their cultures. I used to always see other PI’s speak their native language and to me they just seemed to have a deep knowledge of their culture. I don’t know if that’s true or not but they way they presented themselves made me feel that I wasn’t doing enough, that I wasn’t islander enough. Looking back I know it’s ridiculous but at the time it was one of the worst feelings.

Now I think the reason why we have a lot of people from many different cultures feel as if they are not ____ enough is because of the way those cultures may be presented to society as a whole. Whether that may be from stereotypes perpetuated by the media, perceptions within the specific culture itself, I think it’s a problem that results in deep insecurity and fear and reluctance for someone who wants to actively take steps to regaining that cultural pride.

Stereotypes and generalizations plays the biggest role as it tells everyone, “Hey this is how this particular ethnic group acts. This is how they all dress, look, talk, and carry themselves.” It sets an incredibly false standard and grossly clumps a group of people and packages them with a list of traits. The huge problem is that this packaging can rub off on the people within the culture itself. It can make a kid think, “Wow if I don’t look or act or talk this way then I will get ridiculed and I won’t be considered as being a part of my ethnic community.” Being biracial or multiracial certainly brings these types of feelings to the forefront as individuals get the feeling, or sometimes pressure, that they must choose a side but that is another discussion saved for a later date.

Looking back on my experience this is definitely how I felt. The general American public saw Pacific Islanders as Polynesian. Being a Micronesian from an island that’s a U.S. territory, and what’s worst is that damn near no American knows it even exists, it wasn’t right for me to act like I’m Polynesian and I never did. Yet I always found myself not islander~~ enough because I didn’t act or look like the PI stereotype that was laid before me by the media. As a kid I never realized how dumb this all is, all I saw and thought was that I wasn’t fitting the bill.

There are other components that come into play with this feeling of not being ___ enough, such as growing up in the states and the Pacific Islands having a long history of colonialism. I won’t dive into those topics as they can be saved for another post. All I can say is that I’ve finally called bullshit on not being islander~~ enough. For me that’s a really hard thing to overcome. If I can give any advice it would be to stop picturing your culture and the people in it as a monolith. Stop thinking that every single person has to fit a list of traits, and to learn and love the different stories of upbringing within your culture. You can act however the hell you wanna act and that will never make you any less islander than the person next to you. Love who you are and love your people.

I may not fit the disgusting PI stereotype that I thought I had to fit into years ago. I’m a DC comics nerd who loves mob movies, history, and high fantasy worlds. That doesn’t make me any less of an islander and that certainly does not stop me from reconnecting to my culture, trying to learn the language, and have dreams of making our pasifika voices heard and ultimately not have to tell our entire life story and island history every time we meet someone new and they ask, “Oh what is that island?”