Senator Tina Rose Muña Barnes	Senator Frank Blas Aguon, Jr.	Senator Joanne M. Salas Brown

Senator F. Randall Cunliffe, Esq.	Senator Carmen Fernandez, Ph.D.	Senator Mark Forbes	Senator Lawrence F. Kasperbauer, Ph.D.
Senator Robert Klitzkie	Senator Lou A. Leon Guerrero	Senator Jesse Anderson Lujan	Senator vicente c. pangelinan
Senator John M. Quinata	Senator Rory. J. Respicio	Senator Antoinette Sanford	Senator Ray Tenorio

The third (3^rd) of three Chamorro Bible Resolutions sponsored by Senator Tina Rose Muña Barnes and adopted on October 31^st, 2003 ChST by I Mina'Bente Siete Na Liheslaturan Guåhan in full legislative session (LS). The resolution was offically presented by Senator Tina Rose Muña Barnes, I Mina'Bente Siete Na Liheslaturan Guåhan Legislative Secretary and Chairwoman of the Committee on Community, Culture, Recreation and Public Broadcasting on Wednesday, January 28^th, 2004, at approximately 12:00 Noon ChST in the Public Hearing Room of I Mina'Bente Siete Na Liheslaturan Guåhan, Hagåtña, Guam. The resolution's text is available in HTML (using the legislative Certificate format), Certificate (Microsoft Word) or Working (Microsoft Word) format.

Note: The Commentary for Resolution No. 89(LS), which follows the resolution text below, contains important clarifications.

Resolution No. 89(LS)
As amended.

Relative to acknowledging and recognizing those who contributed to the discovery, reemergence, and promotion of the 1908 Chamorro translation of the “Gospels”, “Psalms” and “Acts of the Apostles” of the Holy Bible, commonly known as the“Chamorro Bible”, and to extending a heartfelt “dangkolo na si Yu'os ma'åse'” for their tremendous contributions to preserving Guam’s precious heritage, history, and language.

      WHEREAS, the first public presentation of the 1908 version of a book commonly referred to as the “Chamorro Bible”, translated by the late Reverend Francis Marion Price with the assistance of members of the Taitano family, was made in a History of Guam class at the University of Guam (UOG) taught by Professor Dr. Lawrence J. Cunningham on August 6, 2002; and

      WHEREAS, properly known as “The Four Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles of the New Testament of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and the Psalms / Y Cuatro Ebangelio Sija yan Y Checho y Apostoles Sija gui Testamento Nuebo y Senotta yan y Satbadotta si Jesucristo yan Y Salmo Sija”, this very valuable document was provided through the efforts of educator and frequent visitor to Micronesia, Krishan Seerengan, who taught at Guam’s Southern High School in Santa Rita and is a long-time resident of the island; and

      WHEREAS, the revelation of the existence of this important manuscript to the public at large and the details concerning the eventual return of copies to our island should be acknowledged, and those who facilitated the return to Guam of copies of the Chamorro Bible should be properly and appropriately recognized; and

      WHEREAS, in August 2001, the 2001-2002 8th grade computer class of the Guam Adventist Academy (GAA) of Yona, Guam, wished to undertake a challenging project and, after discussions between Principal Murray J. Cooper and teacher Clarence L. Thomas, IV, it was decided that an internet radio project with all shows created by the students was appropriate, and the most important show was to be the Holy Bible read in Chamorro; and

      WHEREAS, the class was unable to find a Chamorro translation of the Holy Bible in any of the following locations: the school library, the library of the Guam-Micronesia Mission of Seventh Day Adventists, the Robert F. Kennedy Library at UOG, the Richard Flores Taitano Micronesia Area Research Center (MARC), or in the possession of anyone in Guam, however an incomplete translation of the “Gospels” and the “Acts of the Apostles” was located in the Nieves Flores Memorial Library; and

      WHEREAS, upon further research, it was confirmed that an original of the 1908 Chamorro translation of the “Gospels”, “Psalms” and “Acts of the Apostles” of the Holy Bible, commonly known as the “Chamorro Bible”, was located at the Seele G. Mudd Library at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, and after determination by Denise P. Hersey, then Coordinator of Access Services and Economics Librarian for the Social Science Libraries at Yale University, that the document was legible, but copying it would be too “staff-intensive”, GAA initiated their first-ever inter-library loan request; and

      WHEREAS, at 3:00 p.m. on September 11, 2001, the 1908 Chamorro Bible was picked up by a United Parcel Service courier and began its long journey to Guam, it’s travels delayed by the unspeakable tragedy that stunned and shocked America and the world on that day; and

      WHEREAS, on September 20, 2001, GAA employee Janet Taitano Flores received the 1908 original Chamorro Bible in perfect condition and the borrowed manuscript remained at GAA until October 2001, for photocopying and displaying of the document to GAA students and interested individuals; and

      WHEREAS, through the work of Omaira Brunal-Perry, professor of Spanish and Library Science and Head Librarian at MARC, official representatives of the Guam-Micronesia Mission of Seventh Day Adventists presented two (2) photocopies of the 1908 Chamorro Bible for general use to MARC and UOG, the first such copies in the collection, and although it was clear that the Chamorro Bible should be readily available in Guam in printed, electronic, and audio form, achieving this goal would not be a simple matter; and

      WHEREAS, the documented history of the Chamorro Bible can now be found at MARC, having been made available to the public through the efforts of some of the following individuals and organizations who also made significant contributions to the “Chamorro Bible Project” as it was called by those involved: American Bible Society Curator Dr. Liana Lupas and Licensing Manager Carl Dobrowolski and their respective staff members for locating vital historic material in their extensive archives; Begonia Santos Flores for proofing; David De Leon Flores, Sr., for proofing, cultural, and language assistance; Pastors Frank Leon Guerrero Taitague and Eliseo A. Jimeno for Micronesian religious history and Micronesian and Chamorro culture; Janet Taitano Flores for cartography, Chamorro-English translations, Chamorro cultural and religious matters, and Taitano family information; Pastor William A. Fagal for electronic text assistance; and David Babauta Herrera for Chamorro language history, Chamorro history, and technical work; and

      WHEREAS, GAA as the primary focal point for the project deserves recognition, as do Pastor Willy S. Nobuo and the staff of the Guam-Micronesia Mission of Seventh Day Adventists in the area of fundraising for the planned reprinting of the original Chamorro Bible; Josephine Chargualaf Varley recording the Chamorro Bible for placement on the internet at <chamorrobible.org> so Chamorros worldwide can hear “Jesus’ word” in their native language; MARC staff members including Ms. Brunal-Perry, John P. Sablan, Lourdes Nededog, Carmen F. Quintanilla, and William L. Wuerch for supplying valuable material on Chamorro history, culture, language, politics, and religion, as well as articles from the Guam Recorder and Guam News Letter, Letters from the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions collection; “The Origins of Protestantism in Guam” by Reverend Eric Forbes, OFM Cap.; “Praying Against the Tide-Challenges Facing the Early Protestant Missionaries to Guam, 1900-1910” by William D. Pesch, Esq.; “Development of Religion and Education” by Paul Carano and Dr. Pedro C. Sanchez; “The Island of Guam with Map and 12 Illustrations” by Civil Engineer L.M. Cox U.S. Navy, et.al.; “Language Survival, The Ideology of English and Education in Guam” by Dr. Robert A. Underwood; “American Policies and Practices Affecting Language Shift on Guam: 1898-1950” by Dr. Rosa S. Palomo; “Reinventing Artistic Traditions: The Chamorro Search for Identity” by Dr. Judith Selk Flores; “The Island of Guam and Its People” by Francis M. Price; “Guam Chamorro, Orthography & Dictionary” by Dr. Bernadita Camacho Dungca; “Chamorro in the Northern Marianas, Orthography & Dictionary” by Rita Inos; “The Laura Thompson Papers, Diary – Field Work in Guam 1938-1939” by Dr. Laura Thompson; “Guam and Its People, With a Village Journal” by Jesus C. Barcinas by Dr. Laura Thompson; “Guam and Its Administration” by William R. Tansill; “Chamorro Culture During the Mission Era by Donna O’Connor Villagomez; “My Mental Odyssey, Memoirs of the First Guamanian Protestant Minister” by Joaquin Flores Sablan, D.D., L.H.D.; “Destiny’s Landfall” by Robert F. Rogers; and personal information about Francis Marion Price from Dr. Harold F. Worthley and staff of the Congregation Library of the American Congregation Association, and Dr. Roland M. Baumann and Tamara L. Martin of the Oberlin College Archives; and

      WHEREAS, on March 19, 2003, at a speaking engagement at the Guam History class taught by Mateo Aggabao at the GAA, teacher Clarence L. Thomas, IV, showed a copy of the Chamorro Bible to Senator Tina Rose Muña Barnes of the 27^th Guam Legislature who indicated that the document needed to be brought to the public’s attention; and

      WHEREAS, on April 18, 2003, at a ceremony for the re-interment of Chamorro Ancestral remains at Ylig Bay in Yona, Guam, Senator Muña Barnes brought the Chamorro Bible to the attention of professional photojournalist and K-57 Radio talk show host Rlene Santos Steffy who had been looking for a Chamorro Bible for fourteen (14) years, and who subsequently conducted the first-ever interview concerning the manuscript on April 23, 2003, and has continued to diligently investigate the history of the 1908 Chamorro Bible through personal interviews that have been published in written and audio form at <rlenelive.com>; and

      WHEREAS, Clarence L. Thomas, IV, continues to research documents that may have a link to Francis Marion Price’s work on the 1908 Chamorro Bible; and Bethany S. Martin, Assistant Communications Director of the Guam-Micronesia Mission of Seventh Day Adventists from 2002 through 2003 published the first written history of the 1908 Chamorro Bible using information from Francis Marion Price’s letters, personal interviews with members of the Taitano family, and books and articles located in MARC, in the special spring 2003 issue of ISLES, their quarterly magazine, entitled “The Resurrection of the (1908) Chamorro Bible”; and

      WHEREAS, <chamorobible.org> now contains the complete electronic text of the 1908 Chamorro translations of “The Four Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles of the New Testament of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and the Psalms / Y Cuatro Ebangelio Sija yan Y Checho y Apostoles Sija gui Testamento Nuebo y Senotta yan y Satbadotta si Jesucristo yan Y Salmo Sija”, “The Dictionary and Grammar of the Chamorro Language of Guam: A Grammar of the Idiom Spoken by the Inhabitants of the Marianne or Ladrones, Islands,” a reprint from the American Anthropologist; and chapters from Y Ebangelio Segun San Mateo, Y Ybangelio Segun San Marcos, Y Ybangelio Segun San Lucas, Y Ybangelio Segun San Juan, Y Checho Y Apostoles Sija, Y Salmo Sija in audio form read by Josephine Chargualaf Varley of Allentown, Pennsylvania, and Begonia Santos Flores of Talofofo, Guam, both Chamorro Bible project participants; now, therefore, be it

      RESOLVED, that I Mina'Bente Siete Na Liheslaturan Guåhan does hereby, on behalf of the people of Guam, acknowledge and recognize those who contributed to the discovery, reemergence and promotion of the 1908 Chamorro translation of the “Gospels”, “Psalms”, and “Acts of the Apostles” of the Holy Bible, commonly known as the “Chamorro Bible”; and be it further

      RESOLVED, that I Mina'Bente Siete Na Liheslaturan Guåhan does extend a heartfelt “dångkolo na si Yu'os ma'åse'”to each of those individuals who made tremendous contributions to preserving Guam’s precious heritage, history, and language in their efforts connected with the rediscovery and return to Guam of the 1908 Chamorro translation of the “Gospels”, “Psalms”, and “Acts of the Apostles” of the Holy Bible, commonly known as the “Chamorro Bible”; and be it further

       RESOLVED, that the Speaker certify, and the Legislative Secretary attest to, the adoption hereof and that copies of the same be thereafter transmitted to Mateo Aggabao; to Omaira Brunal-Perry; to Dr. Lawrence J. Cunningham; to Bethany S. Martin; to Rlene Santos Steffy; to Krishan Seerengan; to Clarence L. Thomas, IV; to Newstalk K-57 Radio; to the Ellen G. White Estate; to the Seele G. Mudd Library, Yale University; to the American Bible Society; to the Richard Flores Taitano Micronesia Area Research Center; University of Guam; to the Guam Adventist Academy; to the General Conference of Seventh Day Adventists; to the Oberlin College Archives; to the Congregational Library of the American Congregational Association; to the Harvard University Houghton Library; and to the Honorable Felix P. Camacho, I Maga'lahen Guåhan.

DULY AND REGULARLY ADOPTED BY I MINA'BENTE SIETE NA LIHESLATURAN GUÅHAN ON THE 31^ST DAY OF OCTOBER, 2003.

2^nd WHEREAS: As the resolution is read and studied, it will be helpful to know that Krishen Seerengan’s important role is within the context of the preceeding WHEREAS (the 1^st WHEREAS). He brought the news of the very valuable 1908 Chamorro Bible discovery to University of Guam Professor Dr. Lawrence J. Cunningham. At that time Krishen Seerengan was taking Dr. Cunningham’s History of Guam class. Krishen Seerengan was actively involved in setting up the August 6, 2002 presentation which was given by Clarence L. Thomas IV. References: Krishen Seerengan, Dr. Lawrence J. Cunningham, and Clarence L. Thomas IV.

5^th WHEREAS: Guam Adventist Academy Teacher Clarence L. Thomas IV, with the assistance of Guam Adventist Academy Office Manager and Registrar Janet Taitano Flores and Principal Murray J. Cooper, was unable to find a Chamorro language translation of the Holy Bible in any of the following locations: the bookstores in Guam, the school library, the library of the Guam-Micronesia Mission of Seventh-day Adventists, the Robert F. Kennedy Library at the University of Guam/Unibetsedåt Guåhan (UOG, http://www.uog.edu), the Richard Flores Taitano Micronesia Area Research Center (MARC), or in the possession of anyone in Guam. The Nieves Flores Memorial Library's copy of Y Cuatro Ebangelio Sija Yan Y Checho Y Apostoles Sija Gui Testamento Nuebo Y Señotta Yan Y Satbadotta Si Jesucristo Yan Y Salmo Sija is a 1951 reprint of the very rare 1908 Chamorro Bible (a diglot by the same title) containing only Y Cuatro Ebangelio Sija/The Four Gospels and the Y Checho Y Apostoles Sija/The Acts of the Apostles in the Chamorro language; the Old Testament biblical book of Y Salmo Sija/The Psalms is omitted. The 1951 edition is also out of print. In the Chamorro Bible Project: The Story section see: The Resurrection of the Chamorro Bible by Bethany S. Martin in ISLES, Spring 2003, Special Issue: The Resurrection of the (1908) Chamorro Bible (published by the Guam-Micronesia Mission of Seventh-day Adventists, Agaña Heights, Guam, USA), American Bible Society Archives, Version Committee Minutes: The Bible (Scriptures) in Chamorro, and the recording of the K-57 (AM 570, Hagåtña, Guam, USA; http://www.K57.com) Rlene"Live" talk show on April 23, 2003 ChST, Chamorro Bible: Clarence L. Thomas IV, Josephine Chargualaf Varley & Bethany S. Martin hosted by Rlene Santos Steffy.

6^th WHEREAS and 2^nd RESOLVED: The 1908 Chamorro Bible interlibrary loaned to Guam Adventist Academy in September 2001 is located at Yale University's Seeley G. Mudd Library. See the Acknowledgements section at ChamorroBible.org.

7^th WHEREAS: According to the United Parcel Service (UPS) tracking detail, the billing information was received at 3:23PM EST. See September 11, 2001 EST: Yale University Loans a Rare Original 1908 Chamorro Bible to Guam Adventist Academy in the section, Chamorro Bible Project: The Story.