By Dr. Thomas W. Krise
Buenas yan Hafa Adai, todos hamyu! Welcome to the th Marianas History Conference. Our virtual format this pandemic year has actually allowed us to welcome more participants than any of our previous conferences, as people all around the world are able to take part. th anniversary of the discovery by CHamorus of westerners in their This year marks the waters. And this conference is one of the main commemorations of that event in which Guam and the rest of the Marianas became the rst inhabited Paci c islands to be known to the outside world. It’s worth remembering that the Marianas and the principal islands of the rest of Micronesia were the only Paci c islands known to the wider world for many decades. New Zealand remained unknown for years after Guam, and Hawai’i remained unknown for more than years.
As presentations at this conference make clear, the contact of years ago led to many painful changes, but also led to the islands and world we know today. Among the most remarkable inheritances of these ve centuries is the persistence and continued thriving of CHamoru culture, language and values in the face of extraordinary and powerful outside forces. All of us at the University of Guam are proud to support the Marianas History Conference, and I join many colleagues in looking forward to the rich and interesting presentations of the coming week. Thanks to the program committee and our many partner organizations for making this important event possible and sustaining it into the future. Biba Marianas!
0
0
5
fi
5
fi
0
2
1
fi
0
0
fi
5
0
5
2
Thomas W. Krise, Ph.D. th President of the University of Guam
1
1
Welcoming Remarks for the Virtual Marianas History Conference, Feb 19, 2021