Contested Sites: Pacific Resistance in Guam to U.S. Empire

Abstract

Like their indigenous counterparts throughout the world, the Chamorros of Guam endured a legacy of colonization through successive waves of conquest (at the hands of Spaniards, Japanese, and Americans). Moreover, Chamorros possess the distinction of being the first among Pacific Island societies to be colonized who have yet to exercise their inalienable right of self-determination. As part of the spoils of the Spanish-American War, Guam remains under U.S. control. This essay highlights the historical and contemporary manifestations of Chamorro resistance within the context of an emergent Pacific culture of contestation. I offer an interpretation of the evolution of Chamorro political resistance in light of sovereignty struggles globally.