Histories of Wonder, Futures of Wonder: Chamorro Activist Identity, Community, and Leadership in “The Legend of Gadao” and “The Women Who Saved Guåhan from a Giant Fish”

For 400 years, under Spanish and U.S. rule, Indigenous Chamorro Pacific Islander ancient stories of wonder endured to spark dreams of sovereignty and decolonization. Two such “histories of wonder” have recently offered support for activists who are remaking their islands’ political economy into “futures of wonder.” The tale of Gadao, who protected the island of Guåhan from foreign invaders, empowered Nasion Chamoru activists working against white supremacy and militarism. The tale of women who saved Guåhan from a giant fish inspired ecosovereignty activists to rise up against U.S. military assaults on the environments of Pågat, Litekyan, Pågan, and Tinian