"There is no place for the size and the scale of this society that has contributed more to the strength of the United States than Guam. If people want to look at how the cold war was won, they have to look at places like Guam, and their ongoing value. The ongoing value of Guam to the strategic posture of the United States is enormous."

Guam's Women Leaders Say No to U.S. Military Build-Up
 
By 2014, the United States plans to spend $10 billion to move 8,000 Marines and their 9,000 dependents from Okinawa to Guam, tripling its already substantial presence there. The small island of Guam, where only 172,000 people live, will be flooded with the burden of over 40,000 more people associated with the military build-up.
 
On August 13, 2007, in a meeting with U.S. Congressional representatives, a group of Guam's maga'haga raised their hands and voices against the movement of thousands of marines, sailors and airmen, and more nuclear submarines and bombers to their island home. In Ancient times, "maga'haga" were the eldest daughters of a clan, who shared the responsibilities of running the clan's affairs and governing its resources with the "maga'lahi," or the eldest sons. Today, the term refers to a strong female leader.
 
Eklectiyk Creative Media has created a short film called Maga'haga, which documents the meeting, and shows how the decision to increase the U.S. military presence on Guam is being made without the consent of Guam's people. The film also illustrates the unwavering strength and determination of the island's women. 
 
Maga'haga (the film) can be viewed on youtube in two parts. Here are the links:
 
PART ONE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW5aFuw5MDM
PART TWO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3e1jM0fKrE

More links to websites with information about Guam's culture, history, and political status:

Bisita Guam - the website of Ben Blaz, retired general officer of the Marines and a former Member of the U.S. Congress (1985-93). Full of excellent historical information about Guam.

Chamorro.com - Chamorro networking and information on Chamorro culture. (Many thanks to chamorro.com for hosting our Insular Empire trailers.)

Madeleine Z. Bordallo, U.S. Congress - Official site for Guam's nonvoting representative to Washington, DC

Minagahet Chamorro - Blog devoted to Chamorro issues and usage of the Chamorro language, by Michael Lujan Bevacqua. See also the Chamorro Zine, Minagahet, and Bevacqua's exciting new blog, Voicing Indigeneity.

Guam Humanities Council - local affiliate for the National Endowment for the Humanities

Guampedia - A project-in-progress of the Guam Humanities Council and the University of Guam

KGTF - Guam's local PBS affiliate

KUAM - Guam's local television station

The Pacific Daily News - Guam's local newspaper online

Pacific Concerns Resource Center - Pacific-wide advocate for the Nuclear Free and Independent Pacific (NFIP) Movement

The University of Guam

Virtual Guam - A great site, full of interactive panoramic views of the island and lots of good background information. Funded by the Guam Humanities Council.

War in the Pacific National Historical Park - located in Asan, Guam. Their excellent visitors center was destroyed by Typhoon Pongsona, but their rangers and staff are still there, picking up the pieces, and most of the park lands are still open to the public.