Thursday, April 16, 2009
Remembering Angel Santos
Remembering Angel Santos
Thursday, 16 April 2009 03:16 by Zita Y. Taitano | Variety News Staff
THERE may be no official ceremony to mark the 50th birthday of the late senator Angel Santos, but those who remember his contributions to Guam lit candles to honor the man who fought for the Chamorro people’s rights.The late stone park in Hagatna was named in honor of the late senator Angel Santos, who was known as an advocate of Chamorro rights and credited for the creation of the Chamorro Land Trust Commission.photos by Zita Y. Taitano
Surviving family members, relatives, friends, supporters and activists gathered at the Angel Santos Latte Stone Park in Hagatna on Tuesday night to pay tribute to the late senator, who passed away in July 2003 at the age of 44.
Among the coordinators of the ceremony was Jonathan Diaz, of Nasion Chamorro, who said that the main people responsible for the event were the Santos family.
Diaz said the family traditionally held a ceremony to commemorate Diaz’s death, but this year they decided to pay homage to him on his birthday, April 14.
Tuesday night’s vigil attracted more than 200 people, most of whom knew Santos not only as a leader, but as a friend.
“People are still mourning their leader’s death. When we look back, we realize that he was radical in a sense,” said Diaz.
Paraphrasing a speech that Santos delivered years ago, Diaz said the community “cannot be passive nor silent and that the government should stand in defense of its people.”
“Let’s help our people. Please stand and make it work. Nobody’s Angel Santos. I think he would stand for the plight of our people,” Diaz said.
Santos was credited for the creation of the Chamorro Land Trust Commission, which is currently facing challenges.
Activist Debbie Quinata said if “Anghet were alive, the situation with Chamorro land trust would not have taken place.”Family members light candles at the Angel Santos Latte Stone Park in Hagatna on Tuesday night to pay tribute to the late senator.photos by Zita Y. Taitano
“He would’ve watched it closely and would’ve been in compliance with the law,” said Quinata. “I think that when we lost Angel we lost a man of compassion and a man of integrity and its’ a very big loss for the Chamorro people of Guam.”
She recalled that Santos was not easily intimated and that he questioned authority in the proper manner.
“We lost a great leader and its’ sad for the upcoming generation,” Quinata said. “But I think his contributions will never be forgotten. He taught the responsibility of standing for what’s right.”
She said Santos stood out from the rest because of his honesty and integrity.
Thursday, 16 April 2009 03:16 by Zita Y. Taitano | Variety News Staff
THERE may be no official ceremony to mark the 50th birthday of the late senator Angel Santos, but those who remember his contributions to Guam lit candles to honor the man who fought for the Chamorro people’s rights.The late stone park in Hagatna was named in honor of the late senator Angel Santos, who was known as an advocate of Chamorro rights and credited for the creation of the Chamorro Land Trust Commission.photos by Zita Y. Taitano
Surviving family members, relatives, friends, supporters and activists gathered at the Angel Santos Latte Stone Park in Hagatna on Tuesday night to pay tribute to the late senator, who passed away in July 2003 at the age of 44.
Among the coordinators of the ceremony was Jonathan Diaz, of Nasion Chamorro, who said that the main people responsible for the event were the Santos family.
Diaz said the family traditionally held a ceremony to commemorate Diaz’s death, but this year they decided to pay homage to him on his birthday, April 14.
Tuesday night’s vigil attracted more than 200 people, most of whom knew Santos not only as a leader, but as a friend.
“People are still mourning their leader’s death. When we look back, we realize that he was radical in a sense,” said Diaz.
Paraphrasing a speech that Santos delivered years ago, Diaz said the community “cannot be passive nor silent and that the government should stand in defense of its people.”
“Let’s help our people. Please stand and make it work. Nobody’s Angel Santos. I think he would stand for the plight of our people,” Diaz said.
Santos was credited for the creation of the Chamorro Land Trust Commission, which is currently facing challenges.
Activist Debbie Quinata said if “Anghet were alive, the situation with Chamorro land trust would not have taken place.”Family members light candles at the Angel Santos Latte Stone Park in Hagatna on Tuesday night to pay tribute to the late senator.photos by Zita Y. Taitano
“He would’ve watched it closely and would’ve been in compliance with the law,” said Quinata. “I think that when we lost Angel we lost a man of compassion and a man of integrity and its’ a very big loss for the Chamorro people of Guam.”
She recalled that Santos was not easily intimated and that he questioned authority in the proper manner.
“We lost a great leader and its’ sad for the upcoming generation,” Quinata said. “But I think his contributions will never be forgotten. He taught the responsibility of standing for what’s right.”
She said Santos stood out from the rest because of his honesty and integrity.
Replies
Uploaded by famoksaiyan on Jun 27, 2009
A candlelight vigil was held on Tuesday, April 14, 2009 at 6:00pm at the Angel L.G. Santos Latte Stone Park in Hagatna, Guam. The day marked Angel Santos 50th birthday and members of Nasion Chamoru and the Guam community gathered together to honor his life, through a celebration of his deeds and words.
The late Senator Angel L.G. Santos sparked a movement of Chamoru consciousness that has lasted since his untimely passing in 2003. He has been credited with taking the risk of defying both local and federal government authorities and altering the thinking of the Chamoru people. He fought for the implementation of the Chamoru Land Trust Act, the return of excess federal lands, uncovered toxic wastes on private property kept quite by military authorities, wrote and lectured on the social injustices of the Chamoru people, and championed human rights especially for Indigenous Peoples from around the globe.
Santos died soon after spending half a year in a Federal Prison for a misdemeanor that of clearing the land his grandfather once owned but taken away by the Federal Government. His lasting legacy continues on through his words reminding us that
"We cannot be passive or silent when human beings endure suffering or humiliation. We must step forward and take sides."
"We must assist immediately. At times, we may fail. At times, we may make mistakes. But we must never make the mistake of failing to try. People deserve nothing less."
In watching the CD that Joan Landers prepared for Dr. Kekuni it was a happy and sad one for me. For I remember the day I met Angle Santos and how he talked about the responsibility to the land. Pono Kealoha put the CD on his monitor and we both watched it together. Pono put it on again for Tane and I watched again for the second time. For I wanted to see Angel Santos once more.
I met him at Dr. Kekuni's tribunal..preferring to listen to Angel, we went into the basement with no cameras--just us guys.
I was so taken by Angel and remembered my sisters father John Mendiola whose great grandfather came to Hawaii via Guam. My stepfather was known as Big John the Guamanian, he was a Hawaiian Homesteader from Papkolea just up the ways where we were. I listened to Angel refer to himself as a Chamorro and I later had a conversation with him about his identity as being "Chamorro." I now say Chamorro too when referring to my stepfather.
I so strongly feel that way too when I think of Gail Prejean or known as Kawaipuna.