WAR IN THE PACIFIC NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK GOES ON THE ROAD!!
While the December 8th, 2002 Supertyphoon Pongsona may have destroyed the War in the Pacific’s museum, visitor center, and administrative offices, it has been unable to stymie the park’s enthusiasm or eagerness to share its resources and knowledge with the public. During War in the Pacific’s rebuilding period, we are using our creativity to fulfill our commitment to the community. While we are temporarily without an interpretive or museum space, we are not without enthusiasm to share our knowledge with all residents of the island whose history, cultural, and natural resources we are working hard to preserve, conserve, protect, appreciate, and interpret.
Eric Brunnemann, Park Superintendent, recently accepted an invitation for the National Park Service to participate in “Career Day” at Andersen Middle School. In efforts to show the students at Andersen the natural, historical, and cultural resources which abound on Guam and in the park, Eric brought with him Park Ranger Ali Spittler, Park Ecologist Dwayne Minton, and Museum Curator Tammy Duchesne. Each of the four War in the Pacific employees brought with them resources, samples, items, or artifacts that would help explain the island’s cultural prehistory, the natural resources, and the events of WWII.
Ali Spittler, a Park Ranger who is close to completing her degree in biology brought samples of plants (both native and introduced) which are typical examples of the vegetation on Guam. Ali brought leaves and samples of the “taotaomona” or banyan tree (Ficus prolixa), the Guam flower (Bouganvillea spp.), a vine (Passiflora suberosa), and leaves from a breadfruit tree. These plants are examples of some that exist in Guam and in the park’s boundaries. In addition to having brought in several plants, Ali, through the help of Park Ranger Elizabeth Cruz’s auntie also made “amot pasmu” or pneumonia tea that is prepared from the leaves of Clerodendron inerme and Colubrina asiatica. This tea was commonly made by a “suruhana” or a Chamorro medicine woman. Students were invited to smell this tea which is supposed to help cure a person who has pneumonia.
Eric Brunnemann, the Park’s Superintendent who is also a trained and accomplished archeologist, brought prehistoric and replica ground-stone artifacts with samples of red clay that he ground for the students to demonstrate how ancient Chamorros made pigment. In addition to showcasing the uses and utility of prehistoric tools, Eric also had plant leaves that he handled and manipulated to show how Chamorros made cordage.
Dwayne Minton, Ecologist, brought in several samples of sand from a wide array of geographic locations including star sand from a local beach, volcanic sand from a northwest Hawaiian island, as well as sand from various coral atolls. Using a microscope, students were able to look at the different characteristics and composition of the various sand types, including the small animals that make up many of the individual grains. Dwayne also brought in a jar of microscopic marine life (including a small sea slug) that he collected from algae plants retrieved from the Asan Beach Unit of the park. Students, through Dwayne’s display and informative talk, were able to understand the duties of an ecologist in addition to being able to see first hand some of the sands that are indigenous to Guam and then compare how these sand differ from sands from other Pacific islands.
Tammy Duchesne, Museum Curator, brought in three artifacts from the Pacific Theater of WWII. Duchesne showcased and displayed an intricately engraved general issued canteen which may have belonged to a Codetalker who was serving on Guam during the war years. The canteen which reads “Kali-Sioux Reservation, Black Hills, South Dakota” on one side and “Smokey Dias” on the other, was displayed and described alongside a book on Code talkers and an article which appeared in the Lakota Journal, South Dakota about the very canteen that was being explained and exhibited. In addition to the canteen, Duchesne also showcased a scrapbook from 1944 which contained a soldier’s handwritten letters, photographs, magazines, programs, and official documents related to the soldier’s military service. This scrapbook which also included newspaper portions and clippings from the 1940s and was a big hit with the students. The final artifact that was displayed was a leather aviator’s cap that once belonged to the superintendent’s grandfather who served in the Army Airforce in the Pacific during the war years.
Students were rotated from one special interest table to another so they could see how the War in the Pacific National Historical Park works towards its mission which is to “commemorate the bravery and sacrifice of those participating in the Pacific Theater of World War II” and to conserve and interpret the “outstanding natural, scenic, and historical objects on the island of Guam for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations”. Students enjoyed the diverse presentation and there was clearly something that appealed to everyone- no matter how distinct or diverse their tastes.
This was the first occurrence of War in the Pacific taking staff members and selected resources off-site since the demise of their physical space as a result of the Supertyphoon Pongsona. While this was the first attempt at an off-site presentation, it will most likely not be the last given the success of the recent presentation. To have War in the Pacific visit your class or attend your event call us at 472- 7240 (ext. 237, 236, 230, 233) or fax 472- 7241.
