THE TERRITORIAL JINGLE

 

Before there were Democrats and Republicans on Guam, there were the Popular and the Territorial Parties.

If the Popular (later Democrats) were Goliath, then the Territorials were David. Except that, in this case, David hit Goliath in the forehead only one time, and Goliath got back up.

In all the 1950s and 60s, the Territorials won only one legislative election and that was in 1964. Two years later the Territorials lost the election and by that I mean they lost every single legislative seat. In 1956, 1958, 1960, 1962, 1966 and 1968 the Popular/Democrats won ALL 21 SEATS in the Legislature.

But that didn't mean the Territorials didn't try.

In the very spirited campaigns of those olden days, when people of both parties campaigned with great passion and commitment, music played a role in boosting morale. Jingles were very common in those days, sung in rallies and meetings and even played on loud speakers mounted on pickup trucks going around the village.

In the 50s and 60s, the Chamorro language was still going strong on Guam and many of the voters spoke best in Chamorro, and were best spoken to in Chamorro. In almost all the villages, everything was conducted in Chamorro except for a few villages where there were non-Chamorro voters and some of the speeches were given in English.

Here is a Territorial Party jingle in Chamorro from the 1960s which Ruby Aquiningoc Santos remembers to this day. Just goes to show how frequently this jingle was sung for her to remember it some 60 years later.

BOTA I TERRITORIAL, CHE'LU;

(Vote for the Territorials, brother/sister;)

BOTA TERRITORIAL YA TA GÅNNA I DEMOCRATIC, CHE'LU.

(Vote Territorial and we'll beat the Democrats, brother/sister.)

TERRITORIAL PARTY CONVENTION OF 1964

The only election the Territorials ever won