HESLER/PLACE

T
he past few years have marked several milestones in our tourism industry. One major success: Tourists have been
venturing outside of Tumon more often than ever. These tourists are different than the tourists that we’ve grown
accustomed to, they are exploring our island on their terms; this is very encouraging. As more tourists go beyond
Tumon, their spending will reach the pockets of local artists, craftspeople, and entrepreneurs within the villages.
They will be buying cultural crafts and products unique to each village. These trends have pushed me to create legislation that
fosters community development and encourages the further development of our tourism industry outside of Tumon.
Recently, I introduced Bill 122-33, providing funds to restore and
renovate one attraction in each village. This bill will be necessary
as we showcase Guam to the world during the Festival of the
Pacific Arts. This bill comes at a pivotal moment as we see growing
interest to developing our tourism industry outside of
Tumon.
One organization that I commend for working to develop Guam
our tourism offerings further into the villages is the One Village,
One Product initiative developed at the University of Guam.
Their main goal is community development. Their work shows
that tourism can truly benefit all of us. Tourism is not just about
resorts, shops, and restaurants, it is about the people. They have
been instrumental to developing the various village festivals
such as the Agat Mango Festival and Mangilao Donne’ Festival.
These festival allow tourists to engage with locals in a new setting
other than in shops and hotels. In effect, tourists get a richer,
more authentic experience when they visit Guam, contributing
intimately in the local economy.
Locals have begun to take pride and ownership in their village
and heritage. The festivals have sparked renewed interests in the
manufacturing of products that were only made in small batches
at home. Dinanche’, Mango Bonelos, and jellies of all sorts are
being sold and distributed to a larger crowd. This is why I’m
very grateful for their work. They put the development of the
people in each village before everything else.
For this summer, I urge everyone to get out and explore each
village. Every village has some great story to tell, discovering the
stories of each village is a gateway to understanding our culture
and heritage.
The Heart
The villages of Hagåtña, Santa Rita, and Umatac are very historically
significant to the island. I call these villages the heart of our
island. Many of us are connected to these three villages. They are
our most beloved village representing our ancient culture, colonized
culture, and the destruction of our culture.
Hagåtña is my home away from home. It is not only where many
of our policymakers work, it is a village that exudes our heritage.
On every street, there is something that reminds us of Guam’s
history. The Hagåtña Heritage Trail weaves its way through ancient
latte stones, Spanish-era buildings, modernist architecture,
and many other pockets of history. Hagåtña has countless parks
and restaurants making it a great place to have picnics. The
Chamorro Village Wednesday Night Market ends the day for
many people, it is the epicenter of local products, crafts, and
artists.
Santa Rita’s historical importance lies in the old village of
Sumay. Although you may need military access to visit Sumay,
the spirit of Sumay can be found in Santa Rita. Sumay was once
known for its connection to the sea. Now, there is a budding
flower industry in that village as the village was pushed further
from the sea. Ginger lilies being some of the more popular plants
in the area. If you have time, there is the Namo Botanical Gardens.
Umatac is arguably the beginning of Guam’s culture, from Fouha
Rock to Magellan landing on our island. This is the source of
Guam’s ancient heritage and the beginning of Guam’s era of European
influence. The most notable event in Umatac is the celebration
of Magellan’s landing in March. Umatac also has some
great yams.
The Ranch
Ranching culture is an integral part of our society. It’s where we
branched out for solace during the Spanish and American times.
It is also where many people found a little bit of salvation during
the war. Many of the ranches began just outside of Hagåtña including
Agana Heights, Chalan Pago, Sinajana, and Yigo. These
villages have become residential areas of Guam. But there is still
semblance of ranching culture present in the villages today, especially
in Yigo. There’s no mentioning Yigo without mentioning
the Artero Family. At one point that land was bought by the
Winster Commercial Company to become a coconut plantation.
Now, there are many crops growing in the village including corn.
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