Ancestors return home
Effort to bring the ancestors home began last June
After nearly 150 years away, four CHamoru ancestors taken from Hagåtña during the late Spanish Era have finally returned home — marking a powerful moment of remembrance, reconnection, and cultural healing for the island community.
The remains — three skulls and one mandible — were removed from the island in 1878 and later became part of a global collection of human remains. In 1925, the collection was acquired by the Museum of Natural History in New York, where the remains remained for decades. Now — through the efforts of local leaders and cultural advocates — the ancestors have been brought home.
A special gathering at the Guam Museum last Friday shared the history of their removal and their return, followed by a ceremony welcoming them back to their homeland.
The event included performances and a blessing from I Fanlalai’an Oral History Project and Gi Matan Guma’, along with a poem from Pacific Islander Ethnic Art Museum director Fran Lujan, recited via Zoom. Attendees were given the opportunity to pay their respects, leaving offerings of flowers and jewelry for the ancestral remains.
According to Guam Museum curator Dr. Michael Lujan Bevacqua, the effort to bring the ancestors home began last June, when Lujan reached out to the New York museum to ask if they had any remains from the Mariana Islands.
After confirmation, Lujan traveled to New York in September alongside Senator Therese Terlaje, where the remains were identified among a collection of thousands.
The skulls were marked with the word “Matua”, believed to identify them as members of CHamoru high class - a detail historians say may offer important clues about their origins. Scholars and cultural leaders say the return also highlights the important role of the CHamoru diaspora in helping reconnect museum collections with their homelands.
The remains are now under the care of the Guam Museum, where residents can schedule appointments to view them as research continues into their history — and the possibility of bringing even more cultural items back home.