Chamorros from Guam were not missing at a Celebration of Cultures Mass at the Los Angeles Cathedral.
Among those representing Guam, dressed in mestisa, was my aunt Josephine Artero McKeever, mother of Sonya Artero of KUAM fame. My auntie Jo is first cousins with my mama.
I know some of you readers will wonder about the "Guamanian" versus "Chamorro." Wasn't that a tempest in a teapot some time ago with the Governor's speech? I suppose one must keep in mind the context. The huge crowd wouldn't have known what Chamorro meant. "Guam" had to stand out as the quickly identifiable marker. I suppose for next time (Chamorro) could be added to the sign to educate others about our ethnic identity, not just our geographical origin. Another question. Were people from the Northern Marianas represented? If so, they might refer to themselves as Chamorro/Carolinian, keeping in mind the second ethnic group in Saipan that has been there since the 1820s.
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