FANHASSUYAN

September 30, 2021–February 20, 2022

 

"FANHASSUYAN” is a presentation of MALI’E’, a Matao/CHamoru cultural resurgence project that takes place between Låguas (the Mariånas) & Sanlagu (Abroad). Thirteen CHamoru artists present their life stories through artworks created with the intention of personal and collective healing. They are: Roldy Aguero Ablao, DeAnn Alcantara-Thompson, Ojeya Cruz Banks, Alethea Bordallo, Dakota Camacho, Jeremy Cepeda, Joseph Certeza, Franceska De Oro, Mariquita “Micki” Davis, Monaeka Flores, Heidi Quenga, Hila’an San Nicolas, and Lourdez Puti’on Velasco.  Within this group, you will find community organizers, carvers, mothers, parents, filmmakers, ceramic artists, Fáfa’någuen bailan CHamoru siha, school teachers, painters, fashion designers, domestic violence advocates, illustrators, choreographers, fino’ CHamoru / fino’ håya language researchers/teachers, drag artists, academics, dancers, performance artists, sculptors, and musicians. 

 

For the exhibit’s guest  curator/cultural practitioner, Dakota Camacho, “one way to deepen our understanding of CHamoru knowledge is to creatively play with what we do know. I wonder if we could say the same about a group of people, each has a unique energy, gift, ancestral connection that makes the circle feel complete.”

 

Mali'e' can be translated as “it has been seen” in CHamoru. According to CHamoru language speaker & teacher Jeremy Cepeda, MALI’E’ is possibly the older word for kantan chamorrita, and refers to our practices of oral history because our history has been seen by us or those before us.