THE MESTISO IN THE CHAMORRO COMMUNITY

The mestiso occupies an interesting place in the Chamorro community.  S/he is half-Chamorro, half-something else.  Some mestisos quite effortlessly consider themselves nothing other than Chamorro, and that everyone else feels the same way.   Other mestisos feel a burden of answering what they perceive as the silent question being asked about them : is s/he in or out?  Some work hard to make it known that they're in; that they identify with their Chamorro heritage.

This is not unique to Guam.  Many of the strongest nationalists in other countries were people of mixed blood. 


Our history is full of mestisos/mestisas who became leaders in politics, religion, business and the professions.  Here are just some.

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Congressman Antonio Borja Won Pat

Chamorro-Chinese

bisitaguam.com

Archbishop Felixberto Camacho Flores

Chamorro-Filipino

nps.gov

Baltazar Jerome Bordallo (on left)

Political, Business and Civic Leader

Chamorro-Spanish

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Ambrosio Torres Shimizu

Businessman

Chamorro-Japanese

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Ignacia Bordallo Butler

Businesswoman

Chamorro-Spanish

Sister Inez Martinez Underwood, RSM

Co-Founder of the Catholic School System on Guam

Chamorro-American*

justice.gov.gu

Hon. Alberto C. Lamorena III

Presiding Judge, Superior Court of Guam

Chamorro-Filipino

justice.gov.gu

Hon. Elizabeth Barrett-Anderson
Judge of the Superior Court of Guam
Chamorro-American*

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Antonio Carbullido Yamashita, EdD
President, College of Guam and UOG
Chamorro-Japanese

Adolfo Camacho Sgambelluri
1st FBI-trained Chamorro detective
Instrumental in police work during and after WWII
Chamorro-Italian

* Although there is no American "race," except for the Native Americans, I use the term to denote a caucasian born in the United States to simplify matters.