Ancient Guam

Gallery 7. I Finaloffan yan i Ma'mai'la
Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Era Gallery
In Haputo, an ancient CHamoru/Chamorro latte's haligi and tasa still stand.
Archeology of the Marianas
Barrigada Procession
Early Historic Accounts

Art, Architecture, Body Adornment and Food

guam canoes
Agad’na: Canoe Builders
Ålas Detail
Ålas: Turtle Shell Ornaments
Body Modification Crosshatch
Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Body Modification
Gadao's cave pictographs. Photo from Dr. Judy Flores collection.
Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Cave Art
Concepts of Beauty
Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Concepts of Beauty
Ancient Guam Fishing Scene
Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Fishing Tools
Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro women wore a tifi, meaning "to pick", attached to a cord around their waist. The tifi is described as being the fibrous bark picked from the palm tree.
Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Jewelry: Manmade Accessories and Body Coverings
Early Calcareous Ware POTLICIR
Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Pottery: Early Calcareous Ware
Late Latte pottery illustrated by Raph Unpingco.
Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Pottery Usage
Tools
Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Tool Making
Makåna & Kakåhna
Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Use of Human Bones
Blacksmiths, 1945. Micronesian Area Research Center (MARC).
Blacksmithing
Canoes
Canoe Buildinng
Cultural Dancer
CHamoru/Chamorro Dance
An illustration of jewelry pieces, tools, sacks, devices, and beads used by Chamorros in the 1800's and earlier from Freycinet’s Voyage Autour de Monde, Paris, 1824. Guam Public Library System/Judy Flores
CHamoru/Chamorro Jewelry
I Fanlalai'an Chant Group
Chant
Cultural Design Workshop
Cultural Design with History in Mind
Kantan Chamorita Masters. Guam Council on the Arts and Humanities Agency (CAHA).
Kantan Chamorita
Guams Environment Haputo Latte 028
Latte
Latte Structures Featured Image
Latte structures
Latte Featured Image
Latte's Significance
Shoemaking. Mangkalamya could be anyone who was well versed in the trades assigned to their gender. Bob Galvin
Mangkalamya: Skilled Artisans
Maria Yatar McDonald
On The Question of Tattoo by Ancestral CHamorus/Chamorros
Pole and Thatch Featured Image
Pole and Thatched Homes
Lime-impressed pottery found on Guam has been dated from about 3500 Before Present to 1200 Before Present and is relatively rare compared to the huge number of pre-latte shards collected.
Pre-Historic Pottery of Guam
Illustration from Remarks on a Voyage in 1801 to the Island of Guam by William Haswell, First Officer of the Barque “Lydia.” A Flying Prow (Proa).
Proa and Navigation
Fishing Practices Rare 8-Fishing
Pumeska: Hunters on Land and Sea
Tan Elena Benavente weaving pandanus leaves. Benavente family collection.
Weaving

Biographies

Agualin Featured Image
Agualin
Ferdinand
Ferdinand Magellan
Gadao's Strength
Folktale: Gadao's Strength
Hurao Featured Image
Hurao
Maga' Låhi Kepuha
Kepuha: Quipuha
The San Vitores Shrine statue, photo taken by Victor Consaga.
Matå'pang: Matapang
van Noort
Adventurer: Oliver van Noort
Puntan, god of creation, and his sister, the goddess Fu'una, used their powers to create the universe.
Folktale: Puntan and Fu'una: Gods of Creation
Ma’ga Lahi Taga by Joe Mala’it Garrido. Photo by Judy Flores courtesy of Joe Ma’a’it Garrido, 1998.
Taga
Adventurer: Thomas Cavendish
Adventurer: Thomas Cavendish

Environment and Natural Resources

Agricultural Practices Featured Image
Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Agricultural Practices
Ancient CHamoru Calendar in Ritidian (Litekyan) cave. Image from Chad Filipiak, 2012.
Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Calendar
Ancient Guam Fishing Scene
Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Cultural Aspects of Fishing
Figure 9. Inner Apra Harbor Fish Weir Map. Boyd Dixon
Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Fish Weirs (Gigao)
CHamoru/Chamorro youth were expected to model and actively learn the skills of being men and women from their elders. Ancient CHamorus fishing illustrated by JA Pellion from Freycinet’s Voyage Autour de Monde, Paris, 1824.
Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Fishing Practices
Settlement Patterns 06-DLSablan
Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Settlement Patterns
Environment Header
Ancient Guam's Environment
Fishing Tools Featured Image. Ancient CHamorus/Chamorros fishing for the village illustrated by JA Pellion from Freycinet’s Voyage Autour de Monde, Paris, 1824.
CHamoru/Chamorro Seagrass Fishing Nets
Trongkon Niyok poster courtesy of Guam Department of Education.
Niyok: Coconut

European Exploration, Trade and Scientific Studies

Galleon: Trinidad
Adventurers: Beachcombers
Dutch
Dutch Traders
Guma' Uritao. Image courtesy of Bess Press, Inc.
Early European Observations of CHamorus/Chamorros
Manila Galleon
Galleon: San Pablo
Matao 3 Featured Image
The Matao Iron Trade Part 1: Contact and Commerce
Manila
The Matao Iron Trade Part 2: Galleon Trading and Repatriation
Plans of a Proa
The Matao Iron Trade Part 3: Appropriation and Entanglement

Government and Economic Systems

Kinship Rare 48-Chamoru
Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Kinship and Land Tenure
Rice impression. Micronesian Archaeological Research Services (MARS) collection.
Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Use of Rice
Manma'gas by Baltazar Bell.
Division of Labor by Age, Class, Gender
186-Clan-Plots-Revenge
Emmok: Revenge
Families are responsible for teaching children important values such as respect. Photo by Victor Consaga.
Familia
Guinahan famagu'on and alas detail from Freycinet rare illustration. Courtesy of the Guam Public Library System.
Guinahan Famagu'on: Children's Wealth
Latte Stones in front of the Guam Museum during the US Naval Era display the great difference in ancient CHamoru/Chamorro structures to that of stone and tin. Photo courtesy of Don Farrell.
Land Ownership in Guam
Manma'gas by Baltazar Bell.
Maga'håga: Highest Ranking Daughter
Manma'gas by Baltazar Bell.
Maga'låhi: Highest Ranking Son
Politics by Era-1200
Mampolitiku: Politics
Manamko’ to Manhoben feature on Señot Vicente ‘Ben’ Meno
Manåmko'
Show of respect for elder or clan leader. Freycinet collection from the Guam Public Library System.
Manachang
Manma'gas by Baltazar Bell.
Manma'gas: Leaders
Matao 3 Featured Image
Matao and Acha’ot
Families are responsible for teaching children important values such as respect. Photo by Victor Consaga.
Saina: Elders
The Identifying Roles and Positionality Wall
Saina: Gender Roles
Ladrones/Mariana Islands by Johann Ludwig Gottfried, 1631. Courtesy of the Guam Public Library System.
Social Classes in Traditional CHamoru/Chamorro Society

Health and Medicine

Women's Roles. Charles Lemkuhl/Micronesian Seminar collection.
Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Food and Diet
Medicine Making Featured Image
Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Medicine Making
Prebirth
Birth
Hurao students and latte. Photo by Kerri Ann Borja.
CHamoru/Chamorro DNA Studies and the Origin of the CHamoru
Joaquina Babauta Herrera, or Kina', has been a pattera since 1938. She took classes and worked in the Hagåtña hospital.
Prebirth
Suruhana. Photo by David Castro courtesy of Guahan Magazine.
Suruhånu yan Amot (Healers and Medicine)

Language and Education

2024 CHamoru numbers 1024 copy
CHamoru/Chamorro Numbers
Sidereal Featured Image
CHamoru/Chamorro Sidereal Direction Terminology
Guma' Uritao. Image courtesy of Bess Press, Inc.
Guma' Uritao
Ma uritao. Scene of the Ancient CHamorus illustrated by JA Pellion from Freycinet’s Voyage Autour de Monde, Paris, 1824. Guam Public Library System collection.
Ma Uritao
CHamorus/Chamorros created tools from materials found on the island, such as shells and bone, before the introduction of metal by the Europeans. After realizing the strength of iron, CHamorus traded food and water with visitors to obtain it.
Origin of Chamorro as an Ethnic Identifier
The Australian National University,
Origin of Guam’s Indigenous People
US Naval Era Politics and Government Entries
Role of Education in the Preservation of Guam's Indigenous Language
CHamoru/Chamorro youth were expected to model and actively learn the skills of being men and women from their elders. Ancient CHamorus fishing illustrated by JA Pellion from Freycinet’s Voyage Autour de Monde, Paris, 1824.
Uritao: Bachelor

Religion and Cultural Practices

Alu and Pang
Folktale: Alu and Pang
"Maga'lahi Burial" by Raph Unpingco.
Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Burial Practices
Seated Burial Illustration
Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Burial Rituals
Taotaomo'na by Ric Castro.
Aniti: Spirit
Burial
Burial Practices
chaife
Folktale: Chaife's Lost Soul
Nunu Tree. Raph Unpingco, 1999.
CHamoru/Chamorro Ancestor Worship
Makåna illustrated by Raph Unpingco.
CHamoru/Chamorro World View
Helping prepare for a party is one form of chenchule'. Sheila Tyquiengco/Guampedia
Chenchule': Social Reciprocity
Dinague Laolao Featured Image
Folktale: Dinague Laolao
Guma' Uritao. Image courtesy of Bess Press, Inc.
Fino' Gualåfon: Moonlight Talk
Chores
Geftao: Unselfishness
Procession, 1902. Charles Lemkuhl, Micronesian Seminar (MicSem) collection.
Hale'ta: CHamoru/Chamorro Cultural Traditions
Tinituhon Shoot
I Tinituhon
Helping prepare for a party is one form of chenchule'. Sheila Tyquiengco/Guampedia
Inafa'maolek: Striving for Harmony
Pre-Latte pottery illustration by Raph Unpingco. Foods of ancient CHamorus/Chamorus included dokdok (seeded breadfruit), pandanus, and fadang (federico palm nuts) which were indigenous to the islands. Lemmai (seedless breadfruit), bananas and sugarcane probably were introduced by the ancient CHamorus.
Ko’lao yan Fattoigue: Custom of Bringing a Gift of Food
Ricardo J. Bordallo and Madeleine M. Zeien's wedding day, 1953.
Marriage Traditions
Matatnga by Raph Unpingco
Matatnga: Fearless
Taotaomo'na still taken from Alex Munoz's Return of Hurao.
Mo'na: Circular Concept of History
Grandmother and Child, 1958. Guam Museum collection.
Poksai: Informal Adoption
Puntan Dos Amantes by Ric Castro
Folktale: Puntan Dos Amantes
Puntan Patgon
Folktale: Puntan Påtgon
10-Taotaomo'na_1200
Taotaomo'na
The Maidens Who Saved Guam
Folktale: The Young Maidens
Umayute’: Divorce
Umayute’: Divorce

Villages and Places

Latte ware or Marianas Plain refers to pottery not decorated or slipped pottery. This is corded ware, which is when rope or fibre was rubbed across the wet clay. Photo by J. Flores courtesy of the Guam Museum.
Contents of a Latte Village
Fouha Bay
Fouha Bay: Cradle of Creation
Figure 4 Bone Needles from the archeological site of Pågat. John Craib
Pågat
Pago Untalan-mortar-1
Pago (Pågu)
Pulantat, 1946. Reinman collection.
Manenggon/Pulantat
Ritidian Beach
Ritidian (Litekyan)
Tarague entry Figure 1. An Aerial View of Tarague – looking east from Mergagan Point to Tagua Point.
Tarague (Talågi)

Weapons and Warfare

cultural aspects of chamoru warfare
Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Warfare
Makåna illustrated by Raph Unpingco.
Cultural Aspects of Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Warfare
The large stone is of exotic material and may have had ceremonial use. Photos by J. Flores courtesy of the Guam Museum, 1998.
Slingstones
Guam Museum slingstone or acho’ atupat and sling exhibit. The acho’atupat were made from various stones. The illustration in the centre how to handle a sling. Photos by J. Flores courtesy of the Guam Museum, 1998.
Slingstones: Weapons
Warfare warriors
Warfare
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