Performance Arts

Melvin Won Pat-Borja is a spoken word poet, slam poet and hip hop artist, and teacher, now serving as president of the Department of CHamoru Affairs.  Spoken word poetry is performance-based poetry that is presented as a narration, as if the poet were engaged in a conversation. Won Pat-Borja recites originally composed poetry with a rhythmic presentation, akin to hip hop style. Unlike rapping, however, spoken word poetry does not usually incorporate music.  Like many spoken word artists, the subject matter of his poetry reflects issues in social justice, education and identity.  Won Pat-Borja has been competing in poetry slams since 2003.

Francisco “Frank” Rabon (1954 – ) is the founder and director of the Taotao Tano’ Cultural Dancers, whose name is synonymous with cultural dance practices in Guam.  After founding the Taotao Tano’ Cultural Dance group in 1983, he continued to advance in the field of cultural dance, most notably to personally research Chamorro history, origins, migration, connection and reconstruction of indigenous Chamorro dances, chants and songs.

Peter R. Onedera (1953 – ) is a playwright, author and poet, a master storyteller and a Chamorro language educator.  Onedera was raised in the village of Sinajana.  He received his Master of Arts degree from the University of Guam, writing his thesis entirely in Chamorro.

Vincent J.C. Reyes, a Master of CHamoru dance, serves as Director of the Inetnon Gefpå’go Cultural Arts Program. Reyes, the son of Vicente (Ben) T. Reyes and Frances C. Sablan, was born and raised in the village of Malesso in southern Guam. He describes himself as growing up in a very CHamoru-Americanized family of the 1970s and 1980s.