Nichole ‘Palao’an Trongko’ Quintanilla
Guåhan/GUAM
Nichole "Palao'an Trongko" Quintanilla (she/her) is a Chamoru poet, weaver, and indigenous rights activist from Guåhan. She is a published author and spoken word artist who represented her island internationally at the Brave New Voices competition in 2013 and the Festival of Pacific Arts in 2016 as well as numerous local “ NA’LÅ’LA’ ” concerts throughout her career. She aspires to open a youth center for the performing arts on Guåhan. Read her poems in full here: https://sites.google.com/gdoe.net/figofamalaoan
Poetry often serves as a reflection of what the world looks like to the marginalized and oppressed… Through my poems I hope to inspire mobility and solidarity amongst my people.Nichole ‘Palao’an Trongko’ Quintanilla
What role do you think art can play in social change?
Poetry often serves as a reflection of what the world looks like to the marginalized and oppressed. It serves as a platform for critical thinking and to challenge the status quo/canonical narrative to advocate for change. Poetry opens up a safe space for others to feel seen and heard. It builds community and a sense of belonging. Education and advocacy are cornerstones of my poetry. Through my poems I hope to inspire mobility and solidarity amongst my people.
How is your artistic practice is connected to amplifying social movements?
As a spoken word artist I provide workshops to underprivileged and troubled youth on my island. I strive to give them a safe space to express themselves and feel a sense of belonging. I perform nearly every year at the local “ NA’LÅ’LA’ ” concerts produced by the Independent Guåhan organization where we bring culture, art, and activism together to unify and strengthen our people. I was also a delegate in the 2016 Festival of Pacific Arts where I performed on various stages throughout the festival and participated in workshops and performances with other storytellers and artists from across Oceania. By doing so I was able to share my people's story and history with our side of the world. This festival allowed me to form bonds of friendship and culture across the Pacific Ocean. We were able to discuss issues that at first glance seem solitary but upon further critical analysis are part of a larger cross cultural issues of colonialism and oppression.
What do you hope to achieve through this award?
I hope that this award will bring light to the issues that I am passionate about. As an activist I will use this new platform and visibility to promote social and political change on my island.
Featured work
Poem 1:
Hu senti i man mofona na famalaoan:
I can feel the first women
malalagu gi giga:
flowing through my veins
mong mong mong gi korason hu:
slamming through my heart
masangangan niyu I estorian niha:
telling me their story,
Maga' Håga (female chief) is a poem written by 2 best friends about the struggles and strength of women in CHamoru history. It is a call to action for men and women to restore our matrilineal society and return women to their rightful place as equals with their male counterparts. Full poem can be found at: https://sites.google.com/gdoe.net/figofamalaoan/maga-håga-poem
Poem 2:
As a child,
I would imagine my dream wedding.
with skin as white as the dress I would wear.
and the sun will dull in comparison
to the smile on my face
I thought dark girls were not allowed to have white weddings
not even God could argue with it
the first thing he created
was light.
and I
was not good enough to be a part of it.
but I’ve stopped seeing the world in white
and white
A Letter to My Future Daughter is a poem about the complexities of being a colored woman living in a world where it can feel like a crime to be brown. It is a message not only to my future child but to all young women growing up being told to stay out of the sun and use papaya soap to whiten their skin. It is a love letter to all young brown girls and especially to myself.
