Dinaña' Minagof Chamorro Dance Festival

More than 500 dancers, singers, chanters, drummers, guitar players and other celebrants gathered at Gef Pa’go Park on February 13, 14, and 15, 2009 to share their talents through workshops and performances. Every second weekend in February this annual festival fills the bayside park, thatched huts, pavilion and stage with their “Joyful Gathering” – the English translation of “Dinaña Minagof”. 

Friday evening opened with a fiesta dinner and showcase of Guam’s legends through dance, organized by Inetnon Gef Pa’go, the award-winning youth dance group associated with the Historic Inalahan Foundation. The youthful dancers and singers were joined by Inalahan’s elders – manamko’ – who provided a sample of traditional courtship rituals and chants. Guam’s Queen of Chamorro Music, Flora Baza Quan, graced the stage with her classic rendition of “Hagu”. The poetry-slam group Sinangan-ta gave a stirring sample their popular form of poetry-rap. 

An “Invitation to the Dance” theme Saturday and Sunday featured a lively set of workshops taught by various dance group leaders, where participants all learned parts of a selected dance to be performed altogether in a culminating performance on Sunday evening.  Throughout the weekend the public was invited to partake of a workshop, enjoy fiesta food, shop for traditional crafts, examine the TASI canoe, ride a carabao; and even to join the traditional games competition forprizes or just beat the drum with the drum-line group on Sunday afternoon.  Showcase performances by six dance groups, the JB Ukelele Club, MU Lujan Elementary School, Jesse and Ruby, and popular young singer Tanya Manibusan brought cheers from the packed audiences.  

The culminating dance at sunset on Sunday was a feel-good, sharing of Chamorro pride through the chant written by Master of Chamorro Dance Saina Frank Rabon, “Kulun I Taotao-ta (The Kulu-Call of Our People).”  Over 300 participants from six dance groups gathered to sing, dance, chant, play guitar, beat the drum and move as one in this Joyful Gathering of Chamorro dance. 

Mark your calendars for next year's festival at Gef Pa'go Chamorro Cultural Village in Historic Inalahan, scheduled for February 13 and 14, 2010.