This will be Latte Tones President’s Andrew Gumataotao, second time participating in the Musicale Festival.

  Latte Tones public relations officer Marcel Jardeleza estimates that the overall cost is $3,000 per participant.

   “I gained a lot of confidence from these tours. I think it shows in the way I perform,” says Gumataotao.

   Latte Tones members often find a deeper friendship once off-island.

   The diverse members of the group became a family and are excited to share an experience that will not only help them benefit educationally, but morally as well.

    “Not only are we diverse ethnically, but personality wise as well,” Jardeleza shares. “We’re a family.”

Latte Tones practices for three to four hours three times a week and sometimes more especially since their show “An evening of pop and all that jazz” is on March 18 and 19. All proceeds will be shared amongst the 16 members.

  Donna Faye, a member of Latte Tones, says, “Not only do we learn about the diversity of music and style on these trips, but we submerge ourselves into another culture, we take that experience and apply it to our own lives, it’s a life changing moment for all of us.”

   “Dr. Johnson plans this for 16 people and we’re so thankful for him”, says Gumataotao.

   Please visit their Facebook like page University Of Guam Latte Tones and can donate at https://www.gofundme.com/gkm5tkm4. If you have any questions, please email Marcel Jardeleza at uoglattetones@gmail.com.

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On Feb. 10, the last day of the festival, Wang received a scholarship to participate in the Michael Chekhov Acting Technique Theater Course, offered by California State University’s (CSU) Summer Arts program. The event is scheduled to take place on July 11 to July 24 of this year.

Constantine Stanislavski , who created an emotional approach to acting, considers Michael Chekhov to be his “most brilliant student.” Chekhov developed the psycho-physical approach to acting.

Wang shared his experience at the KCACTF.

“It was a really amazing experience because you have no idea what to expect because you’ve never been there before,” Wang said. “To find so many like-minded individuals who share your common interests is just out of this world and this takes place in only a week. There’s so potential information you can absorb and so many links you can establish that makes going to this experience alone worth while.”

California State University’s (CSU) Summer Arts offers three programs.

There is a Stephen Wolf, resembles a theater troop going through their rigorous training process. Another is Art of the Sword that focus’s on stage combat. The third is the Michael Chekhov Acting Technique Workshop that will teach you Chekhov’s psycho-physical approach to acting.

The scholarship provides partial payment of the course, but Wang remains optimistic.

“When we got our call backs, they said, ‘Please let us know if you’re interested in this scholarship, if you qualify and you’re unable to go, we cannot give this scholarship to another actor or actress.’ So if you do happen to get it, do your best to attend this,” Wang said.

Wang expressed the selection method of awarding scholarships and call backs at the KCACTF.

KCACTF observes how well you are performing during the workshops, what was going on in the invited scenes, and your audition.

Wang feels his performance in UOG’s “Roshoman” led him to be selected.

Wang anticipates his overall cost for the trip will be $3,000. This includes room and board, along with the university provided meals. Wang also plans on sharing his new knowledge with his colleagues and if possible, to host a workshop to help others progress their acting abilities.

Robert Wang has been in numerous productions and has been acting for over a decade. Wang also expects to graduate by Fall 2017.

“The support and camaraderie between everyone who went on this trip is invaluable,” Wang said. “The partnership that Sarah Untalan and I had was a really awesome experience.” Untalan, a theater major, participated as Wangs partner at the KCACTF.

Wang expressed, “Without the faculty of the theater building, Troy McVey and Michelle Blas…I don’t think that I would be able to go.”

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   “We’re very happy to be able to have you share with us this special event to provide more clues about the origin of the Chamorro people,” said President Dr.Robert Underwood during his opening remarks.

   Vilar gave his first lecture at the University of Guam in 2013 concentrating on mitochondrial (maternal) DNA. During his visit, Vilar took approximately 85 samples and presented his results with his latest findings associated with Bi-parental (both maternal and paternal) DNA.

   “Through the National Geographic Society’s Genographic Project, we can argue about the origins of the people, not just by the stroke of a pen or a written article or the physical remains, but by something like this. A cotton swab.”

   Through the cotton swab sample, Vilar was able to discover the geno chromosome make up of DNA. Vilar has conducted studies using the mtDNA and Y-DNA diversity by observing haplogroups, which are groups or lineages that share mutations and are thus related.  Haplogroup K is exclusive to the Chamorro people.

   Origin of Y-DNA Haplogroup O1 (P164) are found in 48% of Chamorro men. It is found in men with eight diffefrent surnames including Camacho, Reyes, Molani, Cepeda, Sablan, Agoun, Flores and Martinez. On the genographic website, after you have submitted your test kit, 10 weeks later it will display your results of lineage where your haplogroups are from.

   If you are interested in purchasing a kit to better understand your ancestry, please visit https://genographic.nationalgeographic.com/.

   Geno 2.0 Next Generation Genographic Project Participation and DNA Ancestry Kit costs $150 to the general public, however Students are eligible for a discounted price of $130.

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There is no doubt that Valentines Day is the holiday of love. However, let us not forget how Valentines Day came to be. This holiday is actually short for Saint Valentines Day.
The popular story about how Saint Valentine became a martyr derived from third century Rome. Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made for better soldiers and forbid young men to marry. Father Valentine defied Claudius by continuing to marry young couples and did so until his actions were discovered. In result, he was ordered to be put to death. Even while he was imprisoned, couples sought him, and Valentine continued to marry them.
Another interesting spin on Saint Valentine’s Day is the time he spent imprisoned by the Romans. He fell in love with a girl who would visit him, presumably his jailers daughter, and wrote her a letter. Before Valentine was put to death, he ended it with the popular phrase, “From your Valentine.”
The Greeting Card Association shared that Valentines Day cards, with about 1 billion cards sent all over the world each year, comes second to selling Christmas cards.
America did not start the tradition of Valentines Day until the 1700s.
In 2015, it was estimated that 250 Million flowers were sold and surveyed that Americans in 2016 will buy flowers spending a total of $1.9 billion.
The heart shaped boxes that are filled with chocolate is another symbol of love on Valentines Day. According to Neilson, America will spend $345 million on Valentines Day chocolate.
Valentines Day is more than about exchanging cards and eating chocolate. It is in remembrance of how Saint Valentine did what he felt was right and continued to marry couples regardless of the penalty.
All in the name of love.

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Two entrepreneurs, Jenny Mendiola and Dorris Agoun, established Farm to Table in 2010.

Mendiola owned Taro Hut in Mangilao while Agoun owned the Camachili store in Yona. They both often worked with local food vendors and farmers and saw it a challenge to find places to sell their produce.

Mendiola and Agoun’s vision was to create a non-profit organization that would help local farmers and value added producers to overcome those challenges.

Farm to Table point farmers in the right direction of where to sell their produce by asking them what they have to sell and at what price. Restaurants often turn to Farm to Table to provide fresh ingredients and local produce. Farm to Table matches local business with local farmers.

Farm to Table helps both large-scale farmers and small-scale farmers. The small-scale farmers usually have a special type of crop that can be put into the CSA subscription boxes and still make some money.

Mendiola also explained that there was a elderly lady who grew up farming, but had developed back problems. She used to have a lot of help from her children, but they all moved off to the mainland.

Often times, dealing with social media, it can be intimidating for farmers. “We completely understand that it can overwhelming for some farmers, but we are here to help every step of the way,” Brady says. “We can help you with your vision, selling…you name it, we want to help.”

“We do have certain screening requirements of our farmers,” Mendiola said. “One of the things that we do offer to everyone, lets say you have 50 lbs of breadfruit, we’ll call 2-3 different places to see if we can sell it for you.”

Farm to Table also provides social media advertising via Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest to farmers who don’t use social media. In addition, Farm to Table distribute recipes via social media so people who are not from Guam can learn how to prepare produce and cook it. For instance, not everyone knows how to cook pumpkin tips so Farm to Table adds a recipe in the box for Kadun Mannok (Chicken Soup).

Every month, Farm to Table, holds a community awareness meeting which informs the public on what the organization is about and the services they provide.

“We try to promote healthy eating and relationships as much as possible,” Cassie Brady said. “We’ve also learned from our research study during the awareness meeting that unsold produce, if not given to family and friends, often become pig food and go to waste.”

The movement that Farm to Table supports is to increase farmer sustainability and island sustainability. Guam can slowly become less reliant on imported foods since Farm to Table can provide healthier alternatives for more affordable prices to families.
“I get more produce for $50 than I would at Payless,” said CSA subscriber Matthew Topasna. “They gave me enough lemon to fill a King Car bottle!”

If you would like to know more you can reach Farm to Table at 647-0100, email them at info@farmtotableguam.org, and visit Farm to Table’s website at farmtotableguam.org.

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The Irene Ryan Festival provides an opportunity to compete for the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship. The Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship offers financial assistance to outstanding student performers wishing to pursue further education in acting. The Foundation awards sixteen regional and two national scholarships annually.

The University/Resident Theatre Association selected Datuin to represent Guam in the festival. He received the news on Oct 2 from Chris Clark, the association’s representative.

Datuin said: “When I found out I was chosen to be one the competitors, I was very speechless. In my mind, I was like, ‘second time already,’ I didn’t expect that.”

Datuin’s role as the “wood cutter” in the University of Guam’s most recent play “Roshoman” allowed him to gain recognition for the festival.
“I got to play with this character that really opened my emotions and my mind,” Datuin said. “It was very challenging.”

Datuin along with other theater students represented Guam last year for the first time in the Irene Ryan festival, and successfully made it into the final round with fellow alumni Joyce Torres. They placed top 16 out of 270 competitors.

Datuin also looks forward to working with fellow theater major Robert Wang who was also chosen to compete for the Irene Ryan Scholarship.

“I am definitely excited to partner with Robert. He’s an awesome guy and awesome actor.”

Datuin is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in theater with an emphasis in acting and expects to graduate in Spring 2016.

Datuin has been in a total of nine plays and has directed “Anything for You” by Cathy Celesia in the University of Guam’s one act plays, “Sex, Love and Pistols.” Datuin had an interest in theater since he was in high school.

Datuin’s favorite actor is Heath Ledger. “I admire Heath Ledger’s skills. He can take a character and embody it fully. I’m just glad that he has blessed us with his talent. May he rest in peace.”

Regardless of taking seven classes this semester, Datuin not only finds time for theater, but also enjoys drawing and making music during his free time.

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On Guam, sometimes it’s easy to forget that our memorial parks need maintenance. Unfortunately, it’s also just as easy to forget how quickly paint fades causing the names of our Chamorro Veterans to become barely visible.

The yellow Veterans Wall located on route 10 in Mangilao needs help. This wall contains 76 names of the Guam sons who gave their life in the Vietnam War.

This meeting discussed their upcoming project to repaint all the names on the Veterans Wall to remind the people of Guam what these men have sacrificed.

DAR regent Alice Hadley said, “We also plan to map and identify the graves in some private cemeteries on Guam, the idea is to provide some genealogical records to anyone who’s interested in Chamorro families.”

This will be posted on www.findagrave.com so that people overseas will be able to track their family roots in Guam.

DAR consist’ of thirteen chair members who encourage women to be interested in family history, supporting the community with patriotic history, and to have better bonds with their families.

“If their family members can see who has survived hardship in their family history, they realize that they’re not the only one who’s had a hard time,” said Hadley.

Children who know their family history have stronger bonds with their families and their community. They tend to do better in school and in other social activities.

“When people think of DAR, they think of a bunch of white haole ladies like us, but we have a number of members who are Chamorro,” said Jillette Leon-Guerroro.

To commemorate Guam’s history, every DAR meeting contains a Chamorro minute in their agenda where they recite parts from the book “Daughters of The Island” by Laura Souder.

DAR is also proud to mention that they have a fellow Triton as a member of their organization. Ashley Quintanilla, a Communication Major, expecting to graduate Spring 2016, is also an active member.

The DARs Mariana Islands Charter was founded on April 21, 2012, and has been continuing to work hard since.

With over 177,000 members and 3,000 chapters throughout the United States, and 13 foreign countries, DAR is also known as the largest patriotic organization in the world.

DAR welcomes any volunteers willing to help repaint the yellow Veterans Wall in Mangilao.

For more information about how you can help, please contact the Daughters of the American Revolution: Mariana Islands Chapter at http://www.marianaislandsdar.org/

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“Rashoman” is a play by Fay and Michael Kanin, based on stories by Ryunosuke Akutagawa. The stories are set during the Heian era in Japan.

Samurai Officer Takehiro’s murder, played by Serf Mannaky, is put to trial while the notorious bandit, Tajumaru, played by Justin Losinio, and the samurai officer’s wife, played by Sara Untalan, recall what happened and are reenacted through a series of flashbacks. Takehiro expresses his side of the story by communicating through a medium.

Mannaky, Losinio and Untalan are all UOG students majoring in theater.

“What people should look forward to is definitely the fight scene,” said Mannaky. “We’re using real swords.”

Losinio added, “the audience should brace themselves.” “I’ll just tell you that it has a lot of crude humor.”

UOG and GCC Student watch for FREE with a valid student I.D. or class schedule.
The general admission fee is $10.00. The fee for other students and seniors is $7.50.

For more information, contact Michelle Blas at mcblas76@yahoo.com.

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