ISTORIAN POLITIKA

The 8th Guam Legislature being sworn in 

January 1965

Gi 1964 na såkkan, humånao hame yan un amigu-ho para in ekkungok i campaign siha,
(In the year 1964, my friend and I went to listen to the campaigns,)

tånto i Democrat yan i Territorial na pattida.
(both the Democrat and the Territorial parties.)

Gi Democrat na rally, kahulo' un senadot ya duro de ha sångan un Territorial na kandidåto.
(At the Democratic rally, a senator got up and kept talking about a Territorial candidate.)

Ilek-ña, "Mungnga ma bota! Bulachero na taotao! Måtto bulacheru-ña na tolot dia
(He said, "Don't for (for him)! He's a drunkard! His drunkenness is such that all day long)

ti ha tungo' måno i akkague na kanai-ña yan måno i agapa' na kanai-ña!"
(he doesn't know which is his left hand and which is his right hand!"

Duro duro de taiguennao sinangångån-ña, ya mañålek i linahyan.
(He kept talking like that, and the crowd laughed.)

Pues humånao hame para i Territorial na dinanña' gi otro lugåt.
(Then we went to the Territorial gathering in another place.)

Eyi na kandidåto ni ma butlea ni Democrat na senadot,
(That candidate who was mocked by the Democratic senator,)

guiya på'go kahulo' ya duro de ha sångan ayo na Democrat.
(he now got up and kept talking about that Democrat.)

Ilek-ña, "Taimamahlao ayo na Senadot. Adotterio! Na' ma'se' asaguå-ña yan famagu'on-ña!"
(He said, "He is a shameless senator. Adulterer! How pitiable are his wife and children!")

Ya sige de ha sångan i Democrat gi taiguennao na manera.
(And he kept talking about the Democrat in that way.)

Annai todo monhåyan, humånao ham para in sena gi restaurant
(When all was done, we went to eat dinner at a restaurant)

na guaha salón pat sagan gumimen gi un bånda.
(where there was a bar or drinking area on one side.)

Ya håye mohon in sedda' gi sagan gumimen na eyi dos na kandidåto,
(And who do you think we found at the drinking place but those two candidates,)

i Democrat yan i Territorial ni umachatge siha gi meeting!
(the Democrat and the Territorial who ridiculed each other at the meeting!)

Duro i dos gumimen yan chumålek asta ke bumulåcho i dos.
(The two kept drinking and laughing till the two got drunk.)

Katna para bai ågang i ambulance para u konne' i dos tåtte gi gima'-ñiha.
(I was almost going to call an ambulance to take them back to their homes.)

The sense that I got from this story is that, in those days, political campaigns had (as they still do today) an entertainment value. Crowds appreciated humorous attacks from one party for the opposing party. At least many people found them to be humorous.

It seems to imply that some of the attacks were fabrications or at least exaggerations, meant primarily to incite laughter. Such that these two opponents could put it all aside when the rallies were over and get drunk together.

Of course, there were real attacks on each other in those days, too. Some questioned the actual mental state of an opponent. It could get quite dirty, actually, dragging in family members or talking about a candidate's private life.