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Website Updates
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- Written by: Bernard Punzalan
I have applied several major required updates to the website. I apologize for any inconveniences that may occur until we are fully functional. Please do let me know if you are experiencing anything unusual. Thanks. ~Bernard
08-2025 Marianas Festival: CHamoru Genealogy Workshop, Vancouver, WA
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- Written by: Bernard Punzalan
CHamoru Genealogy Workshop for the Marianas Festival is open for registration and is free to the public.
Click on the link below to register for the Workshop on Friday, August 22, 2025.
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/chamoru-genealogy-workshop
09-2025 CHamoru Genealogy Workshop Open Registration: Tacoma, WA
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- Written by: Bernard Punzalan
UPDATE!!! It's official! We are moving forward to conduct another FREE CHamoru Genealogy Workshop in Tacoma, WA on September 13, 2025, 9:00am - 5:00pm, at the Asia Pacific Cultural Center's new building, 4851 South Tacoma Way, Tacoma, WA 98409. September 6, 2025. Currently the time and venue is still being arranged and will be announced soon!
This Workshop is being co-sponsored by Guma' Imahe and a grant from Tacoma Creates.
This Workshop will focus on "How To" topics specific to CHamoru genealogy and free access to the CHamoru Roots Genealogy Database,
Complete the form below to Register Pre-Register.
Si Yu'os Ma'åse!
Rain Cloud from Washington State
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- Written by: Bernard Punzalan
Meet Rain Cloud - He stopped by our CHamoru Roots Genealogy booth at the CHamoru Day Festival, June 21, 2025 in Tacoma, Washington and shared with a familiar story related to what I have been recently tracking. He is a Native American with CHamoru Roots.
His mother, a CHamoru, who became an orphaned child on Saipan during the tragedy of World War II. She had siblings, but thinks they too were unfortunately killed on Saipan during the war. She was adopted by an Okinawan family that eventually migrated to the United States. He does not know his mother’s original surname, but she was born in Garapan, Saipan. She recalls being on the island of Yap, but not much else is known about that.
Some historical background that is linked to Rain Cloud’s story…After World War II many of the Japanese, Okinawan and Korean people and their families that were brought in as laborers during the Japanese administration (post-World War I/Japan mandate under the United Nations), were repatriated back to their countries or origin. Granted, some of those Japanese, Okinawan and Korean families were allowed to stay. Also, we are reminded that the Ryuku Islands, which Okinawa was a part of, and the Ogasawara Islands (where you find descendants with CHamoru Roots, but that’s another story), were retained and governed by the U.S. Those islands remained under the administration of the U.S. and were not fully restored back to the the sovereignty of Japan (1971 Okinawa Reversion Agreement) until 1972.
I present this story out here in hopes that more pieces of the puzzle will trickle in to help him find his mother’s long lost family and reconnect him to part of his heritage. Many children were orphaned throughout the entire Mariana Islands during World War II. They and their descendants feel their spirit calling them to learn more of their CHamoru heritage.
Crewman Jose Mendiola
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- Written by: Bernard Punzalan
The first instance we see the name Jose Mendiola, was by Joseph-Paul Gaimard, Surgeon Assistant for the Freycinet’s science expedition in 1819. Mendiola was one of the CHamoru people examined by Gaimard for the dynamometric experiment. Gaimard described Mendiola as a 14-year old, well built young man.
Eight years later, Gaimard is assigned to another French science expedition aboard the Astrolabe. In May 1827, as the Astrolabe was passing through the Lau Islands, south of Fiji, the ship was met by the canoe of a Tongan chief who had with him three "Spanish" castaways who part of the brig Concepcion that shipwrecked on the reefs of Vanua Levu Island, three years previously. Mendiola would have been 17 years old at the time of the shipwreck.
Gaimard immediately recognized one of the castaways as "le jeune Mediola" whom he had known on Guam. Mendiola, 21 years old, stayed on the Astrolabe as a member of the crew and interpreter for the French, for nearly a year until it reached Guam by May 2, 1828. He was honourably discharged. Gaimard settled Mendiola’s account and paid him about 30 piastres, which in those days was considered although small, still a fortune for the Mariana Islands.
Mendiola’s family was surprised and happy to see him alive. After all those years they thought him dead. Mendiola was one of the crew members that fell ill before landing on Guam. He recovered quickly and in appreciation, Mendiola brought Gaimard fruit and poultry. Gaimard only accept oranges and told him to keep the rest for himself. Gaimard was very pleased by Mendiola’s gratitude, and stated that his conduct had always been exemplary.
Bibliography:
Sylvie Brassard and John Milsom. 2025. A Scientific Voyage in the Southern Hemisphere and Around the World Executed Successively on Board the King’s Corvette Uranie and His Majesty’s Corvette La Physicienne During the Years 1817, 1818, 1819 and 1820 Narrative Journal of Joseph-Paul Gaimard Commissioned Surgeon of the Marine Royale Series III VOLUME 44. The Boydell Press. London, England
Rodrigue Levesque. 2003. History of Micronesia: History of Micronesia: Lutke Expedition and First D’Urville Expedition, Volume 22. Levesque Publications. Quebec, Canada
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