“Bien Binidu
Welcome”
Craig Santos Perez, a Pacific Islander who descended from Guam, is a well known eco-poet and activist for environmental and political issues in Oceania. Born on February 9th 1980, in a municipality composing of 3 villages Mongmong-Toto-Maite, Perez and his family migrated to California in 1995. Perez lived in California for 15 years before moving to Hawaii where he currently resides in.
Perez attended the University of Redlands, California, majoring in literature and creative writing, thus creating a passion for Poetry. This ardent interest, recognised Perez, as the first native Pacific Islander to receive a Lannan Foundation literacy fellowship award for poetry. This award honoured emerging and existing writers whose composition of work was at an exceptional level. Through Perez’s work, he was determined to incorporate his Chamorro language, culture and history throughout. This was integral, as adapting to a European infused society, saw the Chamorro language in Perez’s life become nearly non-existent.
“Poetry is a powerful way to become involved in activism and its a great creative outlet to express ones politics”
Craig Santos Perez,2018
Perez has become an advocate for Pacific people within the Poetry forum, publishing a series of interconnected books – From unincorporated territory (Hacha, 2008), From unincorporated territory (Saina, 2010) , From unincorporated territory (Guam, 2014) and From unincorporated territory (Lukao, 2017).
Much of Perez’s work is connected to Climate Change, Pacific Literacy, Ancestry Traditions, Mapping and Migration, and Colonisation. These have brought to attention some of the most profound issues affecting our sea of islands. These include the destruction of land and water, loss of connection to traditional ways of looking at Oceania, the ongoing effects of western and colonial influence, and Pacific literacy and a potential loss of Pacific languages and cultural traditions. In the media, Pacific people are often depicted as vulnerable to the ongoing changes in their environment. Some might believe that there are only temporary solutions to these issues and that western influence is essential for reform. There is also a common belief that Pacific people and their countries are too small to fathom the large responsibility of taking care of their own region. However, Perez views Pacific people as resilient and are able to bring their understanding of indigenous knowledge forward to help protect Oceania, their land, people, and traditions.[1] In the essence of Oceanic ancestry, Pacific people are able to use the past and its histories to create better outcomes now for the future generations.
Craig Santos Perez 