Barrigada Guam Stake Family History Fair September 26 & 27, 2014

On Friday and Saturday September 26 and 27 the first ever Barragada Guma Stake Family History Fair was held.  We opened the Fair with a great Fireside presented by our Stake Patriarch, Chris Gittens, on Friday evening.  Saturday we offered a number of classes, lunch and entertainment.  Brother Fee manned the Registration table.  Here he is with Bishop Nicerio of the Dededo Ward.

We had a fantastic key-note speaker, Jillette Leon-Guerro, who screened her video, Across the Water in Time.  Here she is (on the left) next to Marjorie Driver, a founding member of the Micronesia Area Research Center.  They are sitting next Sister Rose Cruz (in  pink) and her friend.

Other presenters included Monique Storie, interim director of MARC who presented on Family History Research in Guam.

Sister Darlene Reed, on of our Self-Reliance Missionaries, gave a great presentation on RootsMagic.

Elder Hurst and Kristian Dana, one of our new youth Family History Consultants, hosted a  "drop-in" FamilySearch hands on workshop.

At lunchtime we enjoyed a cultural show with traditional costumes representing many of the islands of the Pacific.  

Here are two of our youth in traditional Chuuk outfits.

A traditional Marshallese jaki (pandanus mat).

We were treated to a traditional Filipino courting dance by the youth of the Dededo Ward  . . .

and Hula by two sisters from the Barrigada Ward.

After lunch we were treated to a series of classes including "Family History for Families "presented by Wanda Davis . . .

"Resources at MARC by Omaira Brunall-Perry," curator of the Spanish Documents/ Manuscript collection there . . . 

and "Adding Life to your Family History with Interviews" by Sister Martin, on half of the office couple.

Brother Val Welch from Saipan also presented "Traditional Technology," an island wide project he is leading to encourage youth to capture and share the stories of their elders using the latest technology.

Meanwhile, Sisters Kateila Kalima and Susana Sam conducted a popular Chuukese Family History Workshop.

            The last hour of classes included Elder Martin's "Adding Pictures to Your Family History."

Tami Burton, the Barrigada Stake Family History Center Director, taught "Writing Your Personal History."

I hosted a panel of several presenters discussing  the challenges, strategies and resources for "Doing Family History in Micronesia."

                                                       A good time was had by all!

These beautiful sisters represent the diversity of our Stake:  Chinese, Marshallese, Chamorro and Yapese.

Three Yapese beauties