FOR IMMEDIATE NEWS RELEASE (July 13, 2020- Hagåtña, Guam)

The Committee on Environment  chaired by Senator Sabina Perez and Committee on Historic Preservation chaired by Senator Therese Terlaje held a joint informational briefing to discuss the significance of cultural landscapes that are being cleared at Magua for the Marine Corps Main Cantonment Area and at Litekyan for the construction of a Live Fire Training Range Complex.

During the public hearing, it was revealed by the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) that additional discoveries of human remains from the Latte Period were found at the NCTS/Marine Corps Main Cantonment area and are being analyzed by the State Archaeologist with the Navy.  SHPO stated that significant findings on the discoveries will be released at a later time. 

The chair of the Committee on Historic Preservation pressed the SHPO to release this information immediately and on an ongoing basis. “I’m glad the SHPO and governor are being briefed on these findings, but I really believe the people of Guam deserve a timely briefing and may help us to protect these sites.  Any information about our past belongs to all of us and should be shared with all of us timely,” stated Senator Therese Terlaje during the hearing.

The SHPO also shared that his office is seeking to amend the 2011 Programmatic Agreement to emphasize preserving historic properties in place, particularly in the Northwest Field area, also known as Tailalo, where the Multi Machine Gun Range, the largest firing range at the Live Fire Training Range Complex, is proposed to be built.  Senator Terlaje noted that “preservation in place” is the true premise and intent of the Programmatic Agreement and has consistently called on the government of Guam and federal government to practice “preservation in place” versus data recovery which is removal of the historic artifacts and human remains.  In January 2019, many groups joined together to ask the Governor to prevent further destruction at the site of the live firing ranges.

Also discussed during the informational briefing was the significance of Magua and Litekyan to the history and culture of CHamoru.

Archaeologist Mike Carson during the hearing noted, “Magua was a traditional village area and there are a number of interpretations of how intensive it was used, but the bigger picture is that it is an important site where we have learned information about the past that we didn’t know before. And it also relates with a number of living traditions among families today who have their own memories and traditions that they have remembered.  So, it is significant in a number of ways.”

He also shared about Litekyan that “what is important there (Litekyan) as an archeologist is the fact that we have found so much diversity of archeology and history in that area.  You can look at every time period of Guam and of the Marianas Islands in terms of natural history and cultural history and how they interrelated, and everything is there in that one place.  Not only that, but the full range and diversity of findings in terms of habitation sites, caves and rock art, water resources that changed in time, the type of food people ate, etc.  Everything that you could want to study about the past is there.”

Guam Historic Preservation Review Board member, Dave Lotz also testified on the significance of the historic sites.  He recommended that the numerous artifacts found throughout Magua and Litekyan should be looked at as a broader landscape and a larger CHamoru cultural landscape.

Senator Therese Terlaje stated, “While I commend the SHPO for finally insisting that human remains and cultural artifacts be preserved in place going forward, much more must be done by the government as we continue to lose opportunities to protect our cultural and historical sites.  Loss of these sites prevents further interpretation of the interaction of cultural practices and the environment that helped our ancestors survive 4000 years. Those future generations are relying on what our community does in the next few months as these projects continue to wipe out our cultural landscapes.”

“The clearing and degradation of Mågua is not just a cultural issue or a human rights issue. It’s also an environmental issue, as much as it is a public health issue,” Senator Perez said. “As the military is digging up these artifacts and burials of our ancestors, they’re also clearing large swaths of limestone forest which protect the integrity of our island’s main source of water, the Northern Guam Lens Aquifer. Protecting these resources in place is vital to both our heritage, and to our island community living today, and for future generations.”