[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 19]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 28034-28035]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                     TRIBUTE TO TUN PETE PANGELINAN

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ROBERT A. UNDERWOOD

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 2, 1999

  Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Pedro Muna 
Pangelinan, better known as Tun Pete of Yona, Guam. Tun Pete passed 
away on October 25, 1999 at the age of 86. During his life time, he 
experienced many events in Guam's history and he served his island 
community and family in ways which bring honor and dignity to the name 
Tun Pete.
  Tun Pete lived a simple existence which was steeped in his personal 
pride in the Chamorro way of life. He understood that being Chamorro 
was not a slogan or just a matter of personal identity, but was part of 
a long cultural tradition which needed to be nurtured, practiced and 
passed on to future generations. During the course of his life, he 
became a master trapmaker, accomplished and creative weaver and a 
cultural teacher of the generations which came after him. While the 
younger people were more schooled, Tun Pete demonstrated that he was 
much wiser and more knowledgeable about many important things in life.
  Tun Pete became a legend in Guam through his ability to make bamboo 
traps for shrimp in Guam's rivers and streams and through his creative 
application of coconut leaf weaving techniques passed down in Guam for 
generations. Tun Pete took the craft of weaving to new creative 
expressions as he made baskets for Easter egg hunts, center pieces

[[Page 28035]]

and chandeliers for christenings and weddings. He even made them for 
the occasional political event for candidates he felt close to and I am 
especially grateful and honored for the courtesies he extended to me.
  Tun Pete's abilities were eventually recognized by the people of Guam 
and he became a teacher in the Chamorro Language and Culture program 
and demonstrated his talents to students at the Guam Community College 
and the University of Guam. The expertise and talent of this quiet, 
unassuming gentleman who worked as a custodian at M.U. Lujan Elementary 
School finally received the acclaimation he so richly deserved. He 
received the Governor's Art Award in 1992 for life time achievement and 
he wove all of the hats used by the Guam Governor's Youth Band in 
President Carter's inaugual parade in 1977.
  Tun Pete also became recognized as a leader for our manamko's (senior 
citizens) in Guam. He participated in community meetings, spoke out for 
justice for Guam's World War II generation, spoke out for fairness and 
respect for the manamko'. He was elected Rai (king) of the May 1994 
celebration of Senior Citizen's month in recognition of his popularity 
and advocacy.
  The island of Guam, the people of Yona, my family will all miss Tun 
Pete enormously. He demonstrated that personal dignity can overcome 
handicaps in life that few of us will ever have to deal with. He was a 
personal inspiration to me, my wife Lorraine and to countless children 
in Guam.
  Tun Pete leaves behind his children and their spouses, Antonia 
Pangelinan Taitano, Pedro Taitano and Teresita Pangeliman, Priscilla 
and Pedro Santos, Theophelia and Jesus Camacho, Joaquin and Julie 
Pangelinan. Si Yu'os ma'ase' Tun Pete put todo I che'cho'-mu. (Thank 
you Tun Pete for all of your work.)

                          ____________________