Manmåtto Tåtte I Manmåtua

Nearly 150 years after they were taken from Hagåtña, four CHamoru ancestors are finally returning home.

In 1878, during the late Spanish Period, the bones of four CHamorus labeled “Matua” were removed from Hagåtña and placed into a global collection of human remains. In 1925, the collection — including the four CHamoru ancestors — was acquired by the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

Through the efforts of Fran Lujan, director of the Pacific Islander Ethnic Art Museum, and Patrick Lujan of the Guam State Historic Preservation Office, the ancestors have now been brought back to Guam.

The Guam Museum and the Guam Cultural Repository invite the community to “Manmåtto Tåtte I Manmåtua” on Friday, March 13, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Guam Museum. The event will share the history of their removal and return, followed by a ceremony welcoming the ancestors home to their island. 

Community members are encouraged to bring offerings in celebration of their return to their village and to Guam.