CHAMORU IN HALL OF FAME FOR ROCK CLIMBING

By Patrick Lujan

CHamoru rock climber Briana Mazzolini-Blanchard (we’ll refer to her as BMB) is in the Hall of Fame.

It may not be the Pro Football or Major League Hall of Fames, but it’s a spot not many athletes from Guam can call home – in this case, the North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame.

BMB’s roots to Guam goes back to her maternal grandmother Rosabelia Blas Pocaigue from Pulantat, Yona. In the late 1950’s, Tan Beja met a Navy man (Delbert Craig from Euclid, Ohio). The couple would eventually settle down in Euclid along with their five children, including Briana’s mom Betty Craig. That is where BMB was born and raised, but not without some humble CHamoru upbringing.

“We lived very close to my grandparents, and my Nana played an instrumental role in raising me until she passed when I was 18.”

Don’t be fooled by the lack of CHamoru names because the spirit and drive runs deep within BMB, and it is evident in her rock climbing.

HOW IT STARTED

“My passion for climbing began in the spring of 2018, when my son was a year and a half. Following some career changes, and adjusting to life with a child, my family dove head first into the climbing world, and it has been the intersection of climbing, community organizing, nonprofit work, and Indigenous land rights that has defined my climbing career.”

TO FEAR OR NOT TO FEAR?

Rock climbing is not for the faint of heart. One false move and life-changing injury could occur, God forbid, even fatal.

So how much does fear play a part in this activity?

“Fear, to me, is a natural part of life, and rather than prevent it, I have learned to co-exist with it. As a climber I experience fear all the time, but I choose to honor and acknowledge it as real, as opposed to trying to make it go away. Fear has a lot to teach us about ourselves and about the world.”

It’s not only moving and ascending, but she’s also done big things in building the sport administratively through outreach programs, formulating field guides and advocating sustainable access and conservation of the climbing environment.

“All of this work has not stopped me from pushing my athletic goals. Over the years I have competed in local and regional climbing competitions, podiuming at most. I have had the privilege of training and climbing with elite level athletes, who have all contributed to my growth and success as a climber.”

After being inducted into the inaugural class of the NAIAHF in 2023 as an athlete, community builder and the first and only CHamoru & rock climber, her role has expanded. BMB now serves as the Executive Director for the Urban Native Collective, a regionally based community organization, serving the broad interests and needs of the Native and Indigenous community.  

“I have built fitness and athletic programming which serves everyone from our elders to the children. Our programming includes climbing, hiking, yoga, and kayaking, and we hope to continue to expand opportunities and disciplines.”

She has also raised her now 9-year-old son into competitive rock climbing, calling it her ‘biggest joy’ in supporting him in the Youth Series for USA Climbing.

INSPIRING OTHER CHAMORU

Rock climbing may not be mainstream, but BMB sees herself as a bridge to not only the activity itself, but to the sure connection of the outdoors and nature itself.

“I have always said,  ‘you cannot be what you cannot see’, and I feel I inspire other Indigenous CHamoru athletes by tackling elite climbing grades, achieving first ascents (FAs), and taking on leadership roles to create a roadmap for those who have been traditionally excluded from outdoor spaces and climbing in general. 

“Throughout my journey I have redefined the athleticism of climbing through a lens of land stewardship, viewing these landscapes as relatives to be honored rather than just crags to be conquered. By centering Indigenous storytelling and sovereignty in my work I hope to continue demonstrating that being an athlete and an advocate are inseparable roles in the pursuit of equity and forward progress.”