| May 8, 2007 Social and Cultural Subcommittee SWOT |
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CMTF SOCIAL AND CULTURAL SUBCOMMITTEE
INPUT FROM ALL ORGANIZATIONS - SWOT May 8, 2007 STRENGTHS • Warm hospitality • Natural instinct to come together (inbred) • Close-knit families • ‘Hafa Adai’ Spirit! • Substantial growth of the arts and culture. • Diverse cultural community • Strong advocacy towards cultural resurgence • Demonstrated increase willingness to collaborate with the private and civic community • Grant programs available to the community • Willingness to create a “sense of place” for all visitors • Skilled grant writers throughout the community • Established cultural performing arts guild • Pa’a • Existing annual cultural events throughout the community • Cultural arts support from the community • Identified cultural Values (12) – get from Mrs. Castro (GPSS) / DCA • Valuable historical resources (Guam Museum, Bishop Museum, MARC, Hale'-ta Books etc.) - collections, files, documentation, records, human remains, artifacts, etc. • Knowledgeable experts in Chamorro language and culture • Books about Guam and its people • Chamorro heritage books written from the perspective of the Chamorro people • Mayors Council • Guam Museum • Many people who previously fought in Guam—from all sides—come back to visit • A Guam Museum Task Force is tasked with the building of a new museum facility • Chamorro Village • After-school, established emersion school (culturally-immersed environment) – Camp Hurao • Mandated Chamorro language program – K to 12th grades • 54 thousand books published under 11 different titles covering wide-range of subjects on the cultural, social and political histories of the Chamorro people, legends, tradition and values, and who’s who in Chamorro History, articulated from grades K-to post secondary DCA • These books have copyrights and worldwide ISBN identification numbers, and Library of Congress Catalogue Numbers; adopted by GPSS as social studies supplementary texts; UOG Public Administration and History classes. DCA • The Authentication and Standardization Committee, a broad-based working committee formed in 2000 to develop guidelines and procedures for authenticating and standardizing the Chamorro heritage. DCA • Authentication and standardization Committee guidelines, procedures, and recommendations for authenticating Chamorro Heritage, published as part of Hale'-ta books series - Chamorro Heritage: A Sense of Place. • 10-year plan to implement an integrated Chamorro Heritage Program for the People of Guam. It involves GPSS, UOG, DCA, and Community Organizations of Stakeholders. DCA • ANA Planning Grant to Assess the Status of Chamorro Language on Guam. DCA • Development of an integrated Chamorro language curriculum of the ancient core values of Inafa'maolek and Kustombren Chamorro • Authentication and Standardization Committee draft of model law for the protection of traditional Knowledge and cultural expressions. • Cultural tourism cooperative agreement with Guam Plaza Hotel, and DCA, through a GEDCA QC. Cooking demonstrations, history and Chamorro language, mini fiesta, book fair, and other cultural activities as planned. DCA WEAKNESSES • Reserved persona • Not preserving family unity through church • Being raised in and by ‘the village’ is taken literally—young children having babies is condoned because responsibility of care is taken by parents, grandparents, etc. • Limited funds to develop cultural materials • Red light district of sorts • High rates of sexual crimes • Conflicting attitudes which could be misunderstood relative to ‘touchy feelie’ experiences • Chamorros ‘act’ on emotions • Too much Chamorro pride—hard-headedness, misbehaving, etc. • Gossip is taken as truth • Leaders are political and financially influenced • Our children are not being taught ethics • Adults are not modeling appropriate behaviors, responsibility, accountability, etc. • No sense of pride in the land – lack of education regarding illegal dumping, trash, etc. • Knowledgeable elders and little written record of their experiences • Many of the island’s indigenous artifacts, cultural relics, human remains were removed as far back as during the Spanish regime (1668 to 1898) • The Guam Museum facility in Agana was destroyed during bombardment of the city by American forces prior to the invasion of Guam on July 21, 1944. • Lack of sufficient operational funding has always been a problem with the Guam Museum. During the recent past, funding for the museum declined from $450,000 to less than $300,000 in a matter of five years. • Leadership • Lack of funding • Efficient and effective staffing • Lack of Govt. Support • Limitation in Grant spending • Mediocre Support in Tourism Industry. • Lack of operating funds • Lack of Promotional Materials at the present time • Limited number of cultural practitioners that are available during working hours. • Currently, no military liaison • Limited number of Pa’a staff to nurture military community on Guam • Substantial growth of the arts and culture. • No recycling program • Willingness to create a “sense of place” for all visitors • Respect, preservation, and protection of the traditional Chamorro culture • Drinking age of 18 promotes middle school children to go to bars • Perception is everything – that’s how we operate locally • It’s who you know not what you know • Lack of definitive concepts of Chamorro and authentic culture DCA • Military restrictions and indifference DCA • Lack of interest by DODEA to coordinate educational programs DCA • Unsuccessful attempt to convince DODEA to adopt Hale'-ta Chamorro Heritage Books OPPORTUNITIES • Development of • UOG-degree Chamorro teaching program and certification • Fund more scholarships toward Chamorro language and culture • Build a resource pool of Chamorro language and culture teachers • Provide jobs for residents within the surrounding communities outside the base • Eliminate anti-cultural zoning (red light district) • Training programs for local community • Bringing arts and culture groups to the table to think act and invest in what makes Guam unique. • Increase awareness, education, and outreach arts and cultural programs and to take advantage of existing resources. • Engage our leaders to empower art advocates and ensure community support for the development of arts and culture. • Increase effective marketing to expand audiences, encourage participation in the arts and culture on Guam. • Encourage greater participation and support of the arts by our residents. • Build on Guam’s unique heritage and developing cultural tourism. • Bring the arts & culture to the military. • EIS allows development of Military community awareness of our indigenous Chamorro culture. • Pa’a Grant in the north villages can be available to military. • Families of military have opportunity to enjoy current Pa’a events – June 30 & Summer Programs • Pa’a has opportunity to give “new comer” briefing that concentrates on the culture and customs of our island and her people. • More recreational/cultural activities • Bring YMCAs or similar organizations • Think globally but operate as Chamorros (acceptance of self as world citizen but still nationalistic) • As it has done in the past, Guam Museum personnel can provide orientation to newcomers to the island. It is critical that military personnel serving in Guam know at least the basic information about the island. The Chamorro civilization is, in fact, older than the American Revolution. • It is expected that many members of Marine families will become friends of the Guam Museum and will assist as volunteers, and in other roles. • Among subjects that may be considered for future exhibit would be the history of the Marines in Guam. In addition, many young Chamorro men are veterans for the Marine Corps. Including Brig. General Ben Blaz, Colonel Danny Santos, and Lt. Colonel Adolf Sgambelluri. • More volunteers for the Guam Museum. • Establishment of a Chamorro Retreat Center for island leaders, community leaders and military commands to immerge themselves in issues facing the indigenous people, and develop strategic plans to resolve or minimize impact of significant increase in Guam’s diverse population, including military DCA • Through education, greater attention will be devoted toward interagency cooperative effort in the implementation of Chamorro cultural –heritage programs of increased social and economic importance of Guam DCA • More research should be done to determine the economic value of cultural resources on Guam. . South Pacific countries are now examining the viability of cultural resources in their region. DCA • For example, the Secretariat of Pacific Countries, commissioned an organization to provide government and planners with a tool for assessing the economic value of their cultural resources. DCA • Develop and establish a comprehensive Chamorro Guam-based curriculum in all secondary schools including DODEA. • Encourage the public to consult and use the resources of Chamorro experts, scholars, and researchers in order to understand and appreciate the language and culture of the Chamorro people from the Chamorro point of view. • Develop a Guam-based comprehensive secondary curriculum to include knowledge and understandings of Guam and the world as it relates to Guam and should include major issues facing Guam and its development, such as colonialism, nationalism, potential status, self-determination, tourism, lands, social and political problems. DCA • Promote use of materials that are culturally and linguistically accurate DCA THREATS • Lack of funding resources available. • Changing demographics may lead to reduced participation in the arts and culture. • Lack of demographics on military personnel to customize cultural information. • Priority in marketing to military personnel – tourism district, strip bars instead of wholesome family activities such as Pa’a cultural events. • Public Funding in crisis • Terrorist threats in the region will have military personnel locked down in bases. • Grant programs • Training • Advertisement • Promotions • Revolving exhibits • Teaching Chamorro Language courses • Community support • Natural disasters are a fact of life in this part of the world. Major typhoons visit Guam about every ten years, and earthquakes are quite frequent, although rarely destructive. • A government of Guam financial disaster would be a major blow to the museum. • Noise pollution • Overpopulation explosion. DCA • Deterioration of public resources and infrastructures DCA • Ethnic discontentment and discrimination DCA • Lack of recreational facilities DCA |
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Subcommittees Ports and Customs May 8, 2007 Social and Cultural Subcommittee SWOT
Subcommittees Ports and Customs May 8, 2007 Social and Cultural Subcommittee SWOT