Ancient Guam Era - Guampedia

Ancient Guam Era

Folktale: Alu and Pang

In ancient times the people of the Mariana Islands lived in villages ruled by a maga’låhi or maga’håga (chief or high-ranking son or daughter), who

A village scene depicts the difference in caste through body language and building structures. Also illustrated is the lack of body coverings as being unnecessary. Bachelor’s houses were houses for young CHamoru/Chamorro men in the Mariana Islands from ancient times until the late 1600s. A village scene of the Ancient CHamorus illustrated by JA Pellion from Freycinet’s Voyage Autour de Monde, Paris, 1824. Guam Public Library System

Ancient Guam Era

Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Kinship and Land Tenure

In CHamoru culture today, the notion of family or i-familia is very important. From rosaries to weddings, funerals to barbecues, many CHamoru social events revolve

Stretching from the ancient Chamorros to the present day, the skill of weaving coconut leaves has shifted from necessity to the realm of arts and crafts. Victor Consaga for Guampedia.

Ancient Guam Era

Ancient Guam’s Environment

In addition to analyzing artifacts, archeologists often study ancient environments to understand how prehistoric societies both shaped, and were shaped by, their natural surroundings. For

Ancient Guam Era

Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Settlement Patterns

White sandy beaches, lush jungles, verdant landscapes and gorgeous sunsets—the Marianas, for many, resemble a tropical paradise. With all this natural beauty, do you ever

Ancient Guam Era

Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Cultural Aspects of Fishing

Fishing was one of the most important subsistence activities in ancient CHamoru society. Surrounded by the ocean, the CHamorus relied on their fishing skills to

Fishing Tools Featured Image. Ancient CHamorus/Chamorros fishing for the village illustrated by JA Pellion from Freycinet’s Voyage Autour de Monde, Paris, 1824.

Ancient Guam Era

Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Fishing Tools

The ancient CHamorus were very adept at fishing and used a variety of implements and techniques to procure food from the inland rivers, lagoons and

Ancient Guam Era

Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Agricultural Practices

For most people in the Marianas today, getting something to eat is as easy as a trip to the grocery store or to a favorite

Ritidian (Litekyan)

Located on the northernmost tip of Guam, Ritidian is one of the most spectacular and culturally rich places on island. Formerly a restricted military area,

Gadao's cave pictographs. Photo from Dr. Judy Flores collection.

Ancient Guam Era

Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Cave Art

Dating as far back as the Upper Paleolithic (around 10,000 to 40,000 years ago), humans have been producing art that has both captivated and puzzled

Ancient Guam Era

Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Burial Practices

One of the distinguishing features of our humanity is the way in which people treat and understand death. Death is not only the end of