Guam Museum

The Guam Museum team has been working this week unboxing and preparing the installation for the newest exhibit in our rotating gallery "The Spirit of Budo," which will feature a history of select Japanese weapons and martial arts. This exhibit is presented by the Japan Foundation and the Consulate General of Japan in Hagåtña. It has been traveling the globe since 2007 and has been on display in more than 75 galleries and museums in more than 45 countries. "The Spirit of Budo" exhibit will open on October 7th at the Guam Museum. Please remember that in accordance with current COVID-pandemic guidelines from Guam Public Health, the Guam Museum is currently open for tour reservations only from 10 am - 2 pm on Tuesday - Friday. Please call ahead at 989-4455 or email theguammuseum@gmail.com to make a reservation. All guests at the Guam Museum must submit to a temperature check, provide information for contact tracing and also proof of vaccination. #SpiritofBudo #guammuseum

Atupat and åcho' atupat, sling and slingstone, were one of the weapons developed and used with deadly accuracy by ancient CHamorus during the CHamoru-Spanish Wars in the late 17th century. Pedro Coomans, a Jesuit priest who served in the early colonization of the Marianas wrote the following description about the stones: "Their offensive weapons include the sling, which they aim very skillfully at the head. Out of small ropes they weave a sort of net-bag, in which to carry stones with an oblong shape, some formed out of a marble stone, and others of clay, hardened in either the sun or fire. They whirl and shoot those so violently. Should it make an impact upon a more delicate part, like the heart, or the head, the man is flattened on the spot." In recent years there has been a revival of the art of the åcho' atupat in the Marianas, with local competitions being organized and groups being sent off island to participate in international competitions for the sport. #guamhistory #slingstone #achoatupat #ancientchamoru #guam #guahan #guammuseum #marianas

Humåtak (Umatac) Bay in the early 1800s. #guamhistory #umatac #umatacbay #humatak #guam #guahan

If you have questions about Guam History, CHamoru language or culture, Dr. Michael Lujan Bevacqua, the curator for the Guam Museum hosts a monthly livestream event called "Faisen I Guam Museum" or "Ask the Guam Museum." Dr. Bevacqua has dedicated his life to the studying of CHamoru history and has taught Guam History and CHamoru language in the community for more than a decade. These livestreams are part of the continuing mission of the Guam Museum to adapt to new technologies and changing conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. You can comment with your questions on this post or submit them via Facebook or other social media. You can also submit your questions via email at michael.bevacqua@dca.guam.gov. This month's Faisen I Museum Livestream will take place this Thursday, September 30th from 11 am - 12 pm, ChST. #guammuseum #guamhistory #ChamoruCulture #guam #guahan #chamorroculture #asktheguammuseum #faiseniguammuseum

For thousands of years time was kept on this island by the movements of the moon. Ancient CHamorus developed a lunar calendar in which each full moon would bring with it a new phase of life, matching changes in animal migrations and the changes in weather patterns. Although we may follow a different calendar today, the moon still waxes and wanes each month, reminding us and offering us its ancient wisdom, its energy rooted in the land and the sea. The Guam Museum is excited to partner with @inawellnesscollectiveguam in offering Full Moon Yoga Events in our atrium. Until the end of the year, each full moon a limited number of socially distanced participants will be welcomed to join. Please message the Guam Museum or the Ina Wellness Collective on social media to learn more about how to sign up. #fullmoonyoga #guamyoga #fullmoon #pulan #guammuseum #inawellnesscollective #islandwellness #guam #guahan #guamevents

Tune in Thursday, September 30th from 11 am - 12 pm (ChST), on this Facebook page, when the Guam Museum will be holding its FOURTH EPISODE of "Faisen I Guam Museum!" or "Ask the Guam Museum." As part of our efforts to make more of the Guam Museum's resources and collection available to the island and diasporic community, we started this monthly livestream event, where Guam Museum curator Dr. Michael Lujan Bevacqua will take your questions about Guam History and CHamoru culture. Submit your questions in comments or via messages on social media or email them to the curator of the Guam Museum Dr. Michael Lujan Bevacqua at michael.bevacqua@dca.guam.gov. We'll select a handful of the questions and do our best to answer them as part of the hour-long livestream event. #guammuseum #guamhistory#ChamoruCulture #guam #guahan#chamorroculture #asktheguammuseum#chamorrofood #fiesta #faiseniguammuseum

Tun Segundo was born on Guam in 1917 but moved to Saipan as a child. Even from a young age his love for carving was apparent. Before World War II, the Japanese controlled the rest of the islands in Micronesia and because of his talent Tun Segundo was sent to Palau to learn about canoe carving as well as how to make storyboards. During this time he became proficient at carving ifit (the hardwood of the Marianas). After World War II was over he moved to Guam where he continued to carve until the end of his life, creating storyboards depicting CHamoru legends, miniatures models of galaide (canoes) and karetan karabao or karabao carts. He would frequently display his work at fairs and to school children. For his commitment to perpetuating CHamoru culture, Tun Segundo was chosen to represent Guam along with other artists at the 4th, 5th and 6th Festival of Pacific Arts (FESTPAC). In 1976, Tun Segundo and another carver Tun Emilio Borja were asked to carve a canoe in honor of the 200th birthday of the United States or its bicentennial. In six months they carved a 38 foot long galaide, which was put into the water as part of the celebration. Tun Segundo passed away in 2004. You can find several carvings from Tun Segundo in the Guam Museum collection today. #guamhistory #guam #saipan #palau #cnmi #culturalmaster #culturalheritage #chamorro #chamoru #guammuseum #galaide #guamcaha

A produce market in Hagåtña in the immediate post-World War II period. Prior to World War II, Guam and the CHamoru people were largely self-sufficient, with local agriculture providing most all of what people needed to eat and imports acting as supplemental sustenance. Today, more than 90% of what we eat each year is imported into the island. Developing more local agriculture and industry to help reduce that import dependency and increase food security is a must for future sustainable planning. #guamhistory #hagatna #agana #foodsovereignty #foodsecurity #sustainability #buylocalguam #buylocal

The largest standing latte in the Mariana Islands can be found in Tinian at the Guma'Tåga or House of Tåga. But the largest known latte are found at this site, the As Nieves Quarry in the island of Rota. These latte were carved but never unearthed. Parts for at least 9 complete latte have been found in the area, the largest of which would have been 25 feet high if it had been erected. According to legend, Tåga was born in Guam but fled the wrath of his father to Rota, where he was taught how to carve latte. The As Nieves latte are said to be his, although the legends are never clear on why he never finished them. Tåga would go on to Saipan and eventually settled in Tinian, where he erected the large latte house that still bears his name. Although there are many legends about Tåga, he was a historical figure, whose existence was documented by Europeans in the Marianas in the 1600s. #guamhistory #cnmihistory #marianashistory #lattestone #latte #rota #houseoftaga #tinian #guammuseum

Biba Betnes Guåhan! Gosa i finakpo' simåna! Happy Friday Guam! Enjoy the weekend! #guamhistory #guammuseum #karabao

A painting by Ron Castro, inspired by a drawing from the Freycinet Expedition to the Marianas in 1819, meant to depict ancient CHamoru fishing techniques. The ocean has sustained the CHamoru people for millennia and over that time, they developed a wide variety of techniques for harvest its resources. Their fishing ability impressed Europeans who visited the Marianas in the early 17th century. In 1602 Fray Juan Pobre lived in Rota for several months. He marveled at the prowess of the CHamoru people, writing, “As far as their fishing skills and devices are concerned, it would take a very long story to tell about them; consequently, I will only say that they use the same kinds of nets and fishing tricks that our people use, and many more. When it comes to fishing from their funeas [boats], no better seamen or divers have ever been known to exist.” Sancho, a Spaniard who was living amongst the CHamoru people at the time echoed this praise saying in his estimation that they were the most skilled fishermen in the entire world. #guamhistory #chamoru #chamorro #guam #rota #saipan #guamfishing #Peskadot #guammuseum

Youth play baseball by the sea in the southern village of Malesso'. A moment of social levity following the end of the Japanese occupation and in the midst of the island's rebuilding following the destruction of the war. #malesso #merizo #guam #guahan #guamhistory #guambaseball #CocosIsland #dano