Across more than 1,200 acres at the northern tip of Guam lies an area known as Litekyan. In CHamoru, Litekyan means “stirring place.” The sheer beauty of this land will likely move anyone lucky enough to lay eyes upon it. Steep limestone cliffs give way to verdant jungle, which opens up to sky blue waters that house an underwater world.
These ancestral lands have supported the lives of Indigenous communities for more than 3,500 years. However, the U.S. Department of Defense took the land in 1963. It was then transferred to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and is now a federal wildlife refuge that is bordered by Andersen Air Force Base.
This photo essay contrasts the beauty of Litekyan with the ways military build-up is encroaching on the land. Throughout this essay are thoughts and recollections from a few of Litekyan’s original CHamoru land owners.
Note: The spelling of CHamoru words in the captions adheres to the use of words in Lina’la: Portraits of Life at Litekyan, produced by the Richard Flores Taitano Micronesian Area Research Center.
Viewpoint overlooking Litekyan. Image by Sara Mar. Guam, 2022. On the drive down to Litekyan are several gates leading into Andersen Air Force Base, which is an active Superfund site. Image by Sara Mar. Guam, 2022. Veering left leads down to Litekyan (also known as Ritidian) and Guam’s National Wildlife Refuge. Original landowners can only visit during these hours of operation. “It’s painful sometimes when we come down, because we’ve lost control of it. We have to leave at 4pm, and everyone tells us what to do. So we stay away. But we need to come back and have a presence. This is really our land.” Lou Flores Bejado said. Image by Sara Mar. Guam, 2022. Litekyan lies below a live-fire training range complex being built to support the training and relocation of an estimated 5,000 Marines to the island. Parts of Litekyan and the ocean lie in the surface danger zone where munitions could ricochet or land. Image by Sara Mar. Guam, 2022. Local people fish in the waters near Litekyan to sustain themselves. When the live-fire training range complex is in use, people will be prohibited from entering the waters. Image by Sara Mar. Guam, 2022. Verdant jungle in Litekyan houses a wealth of biodiversity and medicinal plants. Image by Sara Mar. Guam, 2022. The Nanåsu plant. The fruits of the Nanåsu have healing properties. “It’s basically saline. If you have dry eyes you can squeeze it, put it in your eye, and it clears up.” Joey Flores shared. Image by Sara Mar. Guam, 2022. Trongkon Niyok (coconut trees) are abundant throughout Litekyan. "The coconut tree itself we call it the life of the island. It’s not just the fruit. There are more things about the coconut that you can survive on.” Joey Flores said. Image by Sara Mar. Guam, 2022. Green sea turtles come to Litekyan to nest and lay their eggs. Theresa Flores Bejado Nellis recalled when they were kids, “we saw turtles coming out of mother turtle and baby turtles that would make it out to the sea. Our grandparents would always protect the turtle, and taught us how to respect them.” Image by Sara Mar. Guam, 2022. Many types of wildlife call Litekyan home, including dukduk (hermit crabs). Image by Sara Mar. Guam, 2022. Litekyan is a critical habitat for many different species of ababang (butterflies), including some endangered species. “Every time we see a butterfly we think of our brother. He was also a fighter for our land.” Theresa Flores Bejado Nellis said. Image by Sara Mar. Guam, 2022. Driving out of Litekyan, barbed wire fencing blocks access to forested land and marks the boundaries of Andersen Air Force Base. Image by Sara Mar. Guam, 2022. Signs every few hundred meters on the roads to and from Litekyan are a reminder of the U.S. military presence and occupation just above this sacred area. Image by Sara Mar. Guam, 2022.
