I 💗 SPAM. SPiced hAM, not the email kind. Fry it up, serve with some scrambled eggs and white rice, and you have my favorite breakfast growing up on the island of Guam!

In this latest series of paintings, I am exploring the intersection of food, history and identity through a personal lens. My latest work is a heartfelt homage to SPAM, the iconic tinned meat that has woven itself into the fabric of Pacific Island culture.

SPAM’s pervasive presence in Guam - where residents consume an average of 16 cans per person annually - reveals a bittersweet narrative of historical upheaval and adaptation. During World War II, the U.S. military’s invasion of Guam, to reclaim it from Japanese occupation, resulted in the displacement of local communities and the destruction of agricultural lands. Before the war, over 3,800 acres of Guam were dedicated to fruit and vegetable crops, but by the end of the decade, this had plummeted to a mere 400 acres.

The decrease in agricultural capacity and the subsequent rise in reliance on imported foods set the stage for SPAM’s arrival. More than 100 million cans were shipped overseas to sustain American soldiers, and soon this tinned meat became a staple for the Guamanian population. SPAM symbolized not only survival but also the dramatic shift in diet, food habits and the ensuing health consequences.

My art seeks to reconcile this historical legacy with personal experience. As I embark on a journey to decolonize my mind and my diet, I use art to remember and honor the foods that have provided comfort amidst adversity. Through this process, I confront the duality of SPAM: both a symbol of resilience and a reminder of the complex consequences of colonialism.