Guam Tourism Head Hails Golden Ruggers’ Haka Dance

Says immersion is key to saving native Pacific cultures.

Today, the top executive at Guam’s official tourism agency declared immersion learning the way forward for athletic ambassadors from all over the Pacific. And he praised New Zealand’s Olympic gold-winning women’s rugby team as exemplary.

“These strong champion women are showing the world what it means to represent Pacific culture without apology, said the Hon. Carl TC Gutierrez, president and CEO of the Guam Visitors Bureau. Gutierrez served as governor of Guam for eight years between 1995 and 2003.

“Their perfect string of wins and heartfelt haka dance-and-chant performance at the Summer Games in Paris last month is a win not just for Māoris and Kiwis, but for Pacific peoples everywhere.”

As a native CHamoru from the island of Guam, Gutierrez sees the golden moment as a huge win for the pre-contact and pre-WWII heritage of the Pacific. And he said so in his regular weekly opinion column for the Pacific Daily News today:

“I would love nothing more than to see increasing numbers of our competitive traveling young athletes immersed in CHamoru studies and practicing CHamoru traditions from tender, impressionable ages.”

“Early childhood is when language absorption comes most naturally and learning in general is less inhibited by the preconceived notions of ensuing age.

“We can take a cue from New Zealand’s indigenous and non-indigenous athletes for the way they deeply revere their nation’s indigenous culture abroad by demonstrating it right when everyone is watching.”

Please see Gutierrez’s full opinion column for the Pacific Daily News here:

OPINION Gutierrez: School, games, and international ambassadorship

Carl T.C. Gutierrez is the president and CEO of Guam Visitors Bureau, Guam Permit Czar, and chairman of the Governor’s Economic Strategy Council. He served as the governor of Guam from 1995 to 2003. Send comments or questions to GVB at [email protected].

SEEN IN MAIN IMAGE: Black Ferns Sevens Haka at Paris victory – image courtesy of YouTube

MEDIA CONTACT:  LISA BORDALLO, Public Information Officer, GUAM VISITORS BUREAU, Office: (671) 646-5278, [email protected]