There are about 300 sets of Latte Stones reported in Naval Magazine.
According to Mayor’s Council President Melissa Savares, the request was made in a letter from Pete Calvo, director of the Department of Parks and Recreation, to John V. Heckmann, commanding officer for the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Marianas.
Savares said the intention is good but they have to make sure the ceremonies of the transfers are respected.
There are already a few Latte Stones from Naval Magazine found outside the small base. They are located at the Senator Angel Santos Latte Stone Park in Hagåtña and Government House in Agaña Heights.
Yigo Mayor Bob Lizama was concerned about the transfer of one of Guam’s historic treasurers, and in Chamorro touched on the possibility of people getting sick for disturbing an ancient site.
Santa Rita Mayor Dale Alvarez meanwhile was also uncomfortable about the request, citing an experience a friend of his encountered after removing a Latte Stone from Naval Magazine years ago.
Alvarez explained his friend fell ill and doctors couldn’t find a cure. His friend was told by a suruhano – a traditional healer –to take back the Latte Stone and apologize; only upon doing so did the friend get better.
Agat Mayor Carol Tayama admitted the request originally came from some of her constituents, who told her some of the Latte Stones are on the ground and that they only see the area once a year during the Fena Massacre Memorial Ceremony. She then went to Calvo and State Historical Preservation Officer Lynda Aguon to discuss the matter further, and the letter was then sent to Heckmann.
“The old folks in Agat want those Latte [Stones] to be moved out so our children can enjoy them and see them and move them to the cemetery where those massacred were buried,” she said, referring to the Old Agat Cemetery.
“They’re only asking for two of them … and say these are the Latte [Stones] where the massacre happened.”
Calvo confirmed they’re focusing on Latte Stones that have been displaced or removed because of development in the area.
“It’s not necessarily to remove any from its original site but only those that were already moved,” he said.
“We know that with our records, we have noticed that there are Latte [Stones] that have been moved for storage, not necessarily from the area but set aside within the site but not out of the way. Latte [Stones] are big items. You can’t just move them and store them.”
He further stated they support the concept of the Agat mayor to donate Latte Stones to their village, more importantly the ones that were displaced and transferred to villages where they can be enjoyed by everybody.
The request was made last month and Calvo said they have to receive a response from the Navy.
He said they want to give them enough time to think this out because they too would like to have the community give the input.
