Contemporary Guam Era - Guampedia

Art, Architecture, Body Adornment, Music and Food, Civic Society, Contemporary Guam Era, Contemporary Music, Creative Expressions, Guamanian Era, Guamanian Era: Politics, Historic Eras of Guam, Language, Modern Guam Rises, Music, People, People and Places, Politics and Government, Women in Guam History

Lagrimas Leon Guerrero Untalan

Lagrimas Leon Guerrero Untalan (1911-1997) was an educator, political pioneer and cultural advocate. Born and raised in Guam, Untalan was at the vanguard of bilingual education and will always be remembered for translating the Guam Hymn into the Chamorro language. She was also one of the first Chamorro women to be elected to the Guam Legislature. Untalan volunteered extensively with community groups, including service as President for the Guam Women’s Club from 1957-1958. She also was involved with the various activities of her church and parish.

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Civic Society, Contemporary Guam Era, Contemporary Guam: Education, Contemporary Guam: Politics, Education, Guamanian Era: Politics, Historic Eras of Guam, People, People and Places, Politics and Government, Women in Guam History

Candelaria Taitano Rios

Candelaria Flores Taitano Rios (1932-2009) was an accomplished public servant in many sectors of the community. She was a leader in the development of educational programs, the Democratic Party of Guam, and for numerous civic organizations and public events.

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Civic Society, Contemporary Guam Era, Contemporary Guam: Education, Education, Guamanian Era, Guamanian Era: Education, Historic Eras of Guam, Modern Guam Rises, People, People and Places, Women in Guam History

Emilie Green Johnston

Emilie Green Johnston (1924-2011) is a significant figure to historians and researchers of Guam history. Along with Guam historian/professors Paul Carano and Marjorie Driver, Johnston helped found the College of Guam’s (now the University of Guam) first research center.

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Art, Art, Architecture, Body Adornment, Music and Food, Artists, Body Adornment, Contemporary Art, Contemporary Guam Era, Contemporary Music, Creative Expressions, Historic Eras of Guam, Indigenous Lenses, Music, Musicians, People, People and Places

Maria Yatar McDonald

Maria Yatar McDonald (1955 – ) is a multi-talented musician, traditional tattoo and visual artist influenced by a wide range of artists beginning with her parents. McDonald was born in 1955 in the village of Pali, Sumai before spending nearly two decades living in the village of Sånta Rita-Sumai, and then in Hågat. She graduated from George Washington High School in 1973 and received a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Guam in 1997.

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Art, Art, Architecture, Body Adornment, Music and Food, Artists, Contemporary Guam Era, Contemporary Music, Creative Expressions, Guampedia Resources, Historic Eras of Guam, Multimedia, Music, People, People and Places

Flora Baza Quan

Flora Baza Quan is a renowned CHamoru/Chamorro singer and songwriter from Guam, who has been performing and recording for more than thirty years. Known affectionately as the “Queen of Chamorro Music,” Baza Quan is a pioneer of contemporary Chamorro music, lending her signature sound and vocal talents to perpetuating Chamorro culture. Some of her recognized favorites include “Hagu,” “Puti Tai Nobiu” and “Hinasso.”

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Art, Art, Architecture, Body Adornment, Music and Food, Artists, Contemporary Guam Era, Historic Eras of Guam, People, People and Places, Performance Arts

Melvin Won Pat-Borja

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.

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Art, Art, Architecture, Body Adornment, Music and Food, Artists, Contemporary Guam Era, Contemporary Music, Creative Expressions, Guamanian Era, Historic Eras of Guam, Modern Guam Rises, Music, People, People and Places

Johnny Sablan

Johnny Sablan, (1948 – ) a pioneer Chamorro recording artist, received the “Island Icon Award for 2011” in a vote among fellow musicians and islandwide audiences at the Island Music Awards. This is the latest of a litany of accolades for Sablan who has promoted the island’s indigenous language and culture through a music career spanning more than five decades. The award is not surprising, considering Sablan’s 1968 release of “Dalai Nene,” the first commercially recorded album in Chamorro, marked the beginning of the Chamorro music industry.

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Art, Art, Architecture, Body Adornment, Music and Food, Artists, Contemporary Art, Contemporary Guam Era, Creative Expressions, Historic Eras of Guam, People, People and Places

Adriano Pangelinan

Adriano Baza Pangelinan (1940 – 2022) is considered one of Guam’s pioneers in contemporary painters who began his prolific art career in the late 1960s, when he was a student at George Washington High School in Maite. Pangelinan went on to teach art at the University of Guam for 20 years. His remarkable understanding and use of color make his works memorable and unique within the arts community.

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Art, Art, Architecture, Body Adornment, Music and Food, Artists, Contemporary Guam Era, Historic Eras of Guam, Indigenous Lenses, People, People and Places, Performance Arts

Frank Rabon

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.

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Art, Art, Architecture, Body Adornment, Music and Food, Artists, Contemporary Art, Contemporary Guam Era, Creative Expressions, Historic Eras of Guam, People, People and Places

Mark Dell’Isola

Mark Dell´Isola (1956 – ) is a local artist whose dramatic and colorful paintings have earned him numerous awards and the distinction of holding worldwide exhibitions of his art in galleries in Washington, DC, Spain, Samoa, Palau, Bali, New Caledonia and Guam. He has been actively producing paintings in the Pacific Islands for many years.

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