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Chamorro people in the island Guam, Micronesia.

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Genetics will tell us they are closely related to Filipinos, Polynesians and several Austronesians. Historically they have also been on the island around 5,000 yrs ago and mainly traded with Polynesians, Filipinos, Papuan New Guineans, Melanesians and possibly other Southeast Asians.   Spain made it their territory in 1565 but the first Europeans to discover the island were Magellan crew's and documented by Antonio Pigafetta during their historic circumnavigational voyage around the world in 1521.   The Americans eventually took the island in 1898 and ever since then it has been an unincorporated territory of the U.S.A.  Nearly 40 % of the population are Chamorros.  Guamanian Chamorros are as diverse as Filipinos in Philippines but the percentage of European admixture is probably as low as in Philippines in recent times.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GUAM

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guam

 

 

 

MICRONESIA

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micronesia#:~:text=A%202011%20survey%20found%20that,carry%20the%20Haplogroup%20D%2DM55.

 

 

 

 

 

CULTURE

 

Is Chamorro indigenous?
 
 
Chamorros are the indigenous people of the Mariana Islands of which Guam is the largest and southernmost on an island chain. Archeological evidence identified civilization dating back 5,000 years.

 

Guam's citizens are known as Chamorro

The Chamorro is the collective name given to the people who live in Guam and people who live on some of the other islands of Micronesia in the Pacific Ocean. Their traditions are more Spanish than American as Spain controlled the islands for more than 300 years until 1898.

 

What ethnicity is someone from Guam?
 
Native Guamanians, ethnically called Chamorros, are of basically Malayo-Indonesian descent with a considerable admixture of Spanish, Filipino, Mexican, and other European and Asian ancestries. Chamorros and other Micronesians constitute about half the population.

 

 

Post-European-contact Chamorro Guamanian culture is a combination of American, Spanish, Filipino, other Micronesian Islander and Mexican traditions. Few indigenous pre-Hispanic customs remained following Spanish contact. Hispanic influences are manifested in the local language, music, dance, sea navigation, cuisine, fishing, games (such as batuchonkaestuleks, and bayogu), songs, and fashion.

During Spanish rule (1668–1898) the majority of the population was converted to Roman Catholicism and religious festivities such as Easter and Christmas became widespread. Post-contact Chamorro cuisine is largely based on corn, and includes tortillas, tamales, atole, and chilaquiles, which are a clear influence from Mesoamerica, principally Mexico, from Spanish trade with Asia.

The modern Chamorro language has many historical parallels to modern Philippine languages in that it is an Austronesian language which has absorbed much Spanish vocabulary. The language lies within the Malayo-Polynesian languages subgroup, along with such languages as Tagalog, Indonesian, Hawaiian, and Maori. Unlike most other languages of the Pacific Islands, Chamorro does belong to the Oceanic subgroup of the Austronesian languages.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 

Chamorro people

 
 
 

As with Filipinos, many Chamorros have Spanish surnames, although also like most Filipinos few of the inhabitants are themselves descended from the Spaniards. Instead, Spanish names and surnames became commonplace after their conversion to Roman Catholic Christianity and the historical event of the imposition of the Catálogo alfabético de apellidos in Guam and other territories of the Spanish East Indies, most notably the Philippines.

Due to foreign cultural influence from Spain, most aspects of the early indigenous culture have been lost, though there has been a resurgence in preserving any remaining pre-Hispanic culture in the last few decades. Some scholars have traveled throughout the Pacific Islands conducting research to study what the original Chamorro cultural practices such as dance, language, and canoe building may have been like.

Two aspects of indigenous pre-Hispanic culture that withstood time are chenchule' and inafa'maolek. Chenchule' is the intricate system of reciprocity at the heart of Chamorro society. It is rooted in the core value of inafa'maolek. Historian Lawrence Cunningham in 1992 wrote, "In a Chamorro sense, the land and its produce belong to everyone. Inafa'maolek, or interdependence, is the key, or central value, in Chamorro culture ... Inafa'maolek depends on a spirit of cooperation and sharing. This is the armature, or core, that everything in Chamorro culture revolves around. It is a powerful concern for mutuality rather than individualism and private property rights."

The core culture or Pengngan Chamorro is based on complex social protocol centered upon respect: from sniffing over the hands of the elders (called mangnginge in Chamorro), the passing down of legends, chants, and courtship rituals, to a person asking for permission from spiritual ancestors before entering a jungle or ancient battle grounds. Other practices predating Spanish conquest include galaide' canoe-making, making of the belembaotuyan (a string musical instrument made from a gourd), fashioning of åcho' atupat slings and slingstones, tool manufacture, Måtan Guma' burial rituals, and preparation of herbal medicines by Suruhanu.

Master craftsmen and women specialize in weavings, including plaited work (niyok- and åkgak-leaf baskets, mats, bags, hats, and food containments), loom-woven material (kalachucha-hibiscus and banana fiber skirts, belts and burial shrouds), and body ornamentation (bead and shell necklaces, bracelets, earrings, belts, and combs made from tortoise shells and Spondylus).

While only a few masters exist to continue traditional art forms, the resurgence of interest among the Chamorros to preserve the language and culture has resulted in a growing number of young Chamorros who seek to continue the ancient ways of the Chamorro people.

 

 

 

 

Demographics

 

 

Ethnic groups

 

According to the 2010 United States Census, the largest ethnic group are the native Chamorros, accounting for 37.3% of the total population. Asians (including Filipinos, Koreans, Chinese, and Japanese) accounts for 33% of the total population. Other Pacific island ethnic groups (including those of ChuukesePalauan, and Pohnpeians) accounts for 10% of the total populations. 9.4% are of multiracial (two or more race). Caucasians accounts for 7.1% of the total population. The estimated interracial marriage rate is over 40%.

 

 

 

 

What race is Guamanian?
 
 
 
 
 
Guam
 
Guam Guåhan
Ethnic groups (2010) 37.3% Chamorro 26.3% Filipino 7.1% White 7% Chuukese 2.2% Korean 2% Other Asian 1.6% Chinese 1.6% Palauan 1.5% Japanese 1.4% Pohnpeian 9.4% Multiracial 0.6% other
Religion 75% Catholicism 17.7% Protestantism 1.1% Buddhism 4.5% other 1.7% unaffiliated
Demonym(s) Guamanian

 

 

 

Language

 

The official languages of the island are English and ChamorroFilipino is also a common language across the island. Other Pacific island languages and many Asian languages are spoken in Guam as well. Spanish, the language of administration for 300 years, is no longer commonly spoken on the island, although vestiges of the language remain in proper names, loanwords, and place names and it is studied at university and high schools.

 

Religion

 

The most common religion is Catholicism.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Qamzardaan
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@prau123

They actually have higher European admixture than Philos. I will post some DNA results to show it later.

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@qamzardaan

 

 

The population for Caucasian group is 7% generally.  Chamorros have higher European admixture since they have a smaller population and land area which allows for more contact. 

They have a large Filipino population also at 27%.  They have other Asians that are at least 1% population.  The Chamorro population is 39% only. They are also in close contact with several Pacific Islanders and their population is 10%. With all these different groups inhabiting the island Guam, the Multi-racial ethnic group population is also at 10%. Historically, Micronesian Islands was constantly visited due to it's geographic location as part of the trade route.

 

 

 

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https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23180676/

 

 

Genetics

 

 

 

Results: Results reveal that 92% of Chamorros belong to haplogroup E, also found in ISEA but rare in Oceania. The two most numerous E lineages were identical to lineages currently found in Indonesia, while the remaining E lineages differed by only one or two mutations and all were unique to the Marianas. Seven percent of the lineages belonged to a single Chamorro-specific lineage within haplogroup B4, common to ISEA as well as Micronesia and Polynesia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 kay
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post pictures to show what Chamorro people look like 

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@kay

 

 

 

Chamorros

 

 

 

 

What are the people from guam called

 

 

12th FestPac kicks off in Guam | Loop Samoa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 kay
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@prau123

they look similar to us

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@kay

 

 

Maybe some pics are actual Filipinos instead of Chamorros. Filipinos are 27% of Guam's population.  Chamorros and Filipinos have interbred also and share similar history and culture.  

 

 

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because of the US naval base in Guam correct? 

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@kay

 

 

That's one of them but historically Filipinos have been traveling to Guam even before 1521 when Magellan's crew arrived as some Filipino seafarers would travel to Micronesian Islands such as Palau Island and then to Guam.  Genetics has shown that Micronesian people are related to us.  However substantial record of traveling to Guam began during Manila Acapulco Galleon Trade when Mexican Spaniards would bring Filipinos to Guam and this lasted basically from 1565 to 1815 although there were some more migration thereafter. The Americans in twentieth century would hire Filipinos as contract workers such as engineers and construction workers but today it's mainly nurses, education, religious priests, contract workers such as seamen. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.guampedia.com/filipinos-on-guam/#:~:text=Historically%2C%20Filipinos%20have%20been%20settling,colonization%20in%20the%2017th%20century.&text=In%20the%20years%20following%20the,World%20War%20and%20destructive%20typhoons.

 

 

 

 

 

The history of Guam involves phases including the early arrival of Austronesian people known today as the Chamorros around 2000 BC, the development of "pre-contact" society, Spanish colonization in the 17th century and the present American rule of the island since the 1898 Spanish–American WarGuam's history of colonialism is the longest among the Pacific islands.

Guam prior to European contact

Migrations

 
 
 
Map showing the Neolithic Austronesian migrationsinto the islands of the Indo-Pacific

The Mariana Islands were the first islands settled by humans in Remote Oceania. Incidentally it is also the first and the longest of the ocean-crossing voyages of the Austronesian peoples into Remote Oceania, and is separate from the later Polynesian settlement of the rest of Remote Oceania. They were first settled around 1500 to 1400 BCE by migrants departing from the Philippines.

Archeological studies of human activity on the islands has revealed potteries with red-slipped, circle-stamped and punctate-stamped designs found in the Mariana Islands dating between 1500 and 1400 BC. These artifacts show similar aesthetics to pottery found in Northern and Central Philippines, the Nagsabaran (Cagayan Valley) pottery, which flourished during the period between 2000 and 1300 BC.

 

 

Chief Gadao is featured in many legends about Guam before European colonization.

Gadao is a legendary chief of the village of Inarajan in southern Guam. In the Chamorro language of ancient Guam, he would have had the title maga'lahi as a high-ranking male. In addition to being featured in legend, he is the namesake of Inarajan's Chief Gadao’s Cave containing ancient cave paintings. Some stories claim Gadao himself drew the figures.[1]

Two legends featuring Chief Gadao include the Legend of the Three Feats of Strength and the Legend of the Battle Between Chiefs.

Comparative and historical linguistics also indicate that the Chamorro language is most closely related to the Philippine subfamily of the Austronesian languages, instead of the Oceanic subfamily of the languages of the rest of Remote Oceania.[1][3]

Mitchondrial DNA and whole genome sequencing of the Chamorro people strongly support an ancestry from the Philippines. Genetic analysis of pre-Latte period skeletons in Guam also show that they do not have Australo-Melanesian ("Papuan") ancestry which rules out origins from the Bismarck ArchipelagoNew Guinea, or eastern Indonesia. The Lapita culture itself (the ancestral branch of the Polynesian migrations) is younger than the first settlement of the Marianas (the earliest Lapita artifacts are dated to around 1350 to 1300 BCE), indicating that they originated from separate migration voyages.[4][5]

Nevertheless, DNA analysis also show close genetic relationship between ancient settlers of the Marianas and early Lapita settlers in the Bismarck Archipelago. This may indicate that both the Lapita culture and the Marianas were settled from direct migrations from the Philippines, or that early settlers from the Marianas voyaged further southwards into the Bismarcks and reconnected with the Lapita people.[4]

The Marianas also later established contact and received migrations from the Caroline Islands at around the first millennium CE. This brought new pottery styles, language, genes, and the hybrid Polynesian breadfruit.[6]

The period 900 to 1700 CE of the Marianas, immediately before and during the Spanish colonization, is known as the Latte period. It is characterized by rapid cultural change, most notably by the massive megalithic latte stones (also spelled latde or latti). These were composed of the haligi pillars capped with another stone called tasa (which prevented rodents from climbing the posts). These served as supports for the rest of the structure which was made of wood. Remains of structures made with similar wooden posts have also been found. Human graves have also been found in front of latte structures, The Latte period was also characterized by the introduction of rice agriculture, which is unique in the pre-contact Pacific Islands.[7]

The reasons for these changes are still unclear, but it is believed that it may have resulted from a third wave of migrants from Island Southeast Asia. Comparisons with other architectural traditions makes it likely that this third migration wave were again from the Philippines, or from eastern Indonesia (either Sulawesi or Sumba), all of which have a tradition of raised buildings with capstones. Interestingly, the word haligi ("pillar") is also used in various languages throughout the Philippines; while the Chamorro word guma ("house") closely resembles the Sumba word uma.[7]

 

 

 
Chamorro Hunter with Spear, as depicted in the Boxer Codex(1590) of the Philippines
 
 
Chamorro Hunter with Bow, as depicted in the Boxer Codex (1590) of the Philippines

 

 

 

 

 

 

Results: Results reveal that 92% of Chamorros belong to haplogroup E, also found in ISEA but rare in Oceania. The two most numerous E lineages were identical to lineages currently found in Indonesia, while the remaining E lineages differed by only one or two mutations and all were unique to the Marianas. Seven percent of the lineages belonged to a single Chamorro-specific lineage within haplogroup B4, common to ISEA as well as Micronesia and Polynesia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Historically, Filipinos have been settling on Guam from Spanish colonization in the 17th century. Besides exiling Filipinos rebels, Spain brought Filipino soldiers and missionaries to the island. In the years following the Spanish American War of 1898, Americans contracted Filipino engineers and construction workers to help rebuild the island and its economy after the Second World War and destructive typhoons.

Today, Filipinos in the medical, educational, and religious fields, continue to serve the island’s needs. Since historically many Filipinos who came to Guam decided to stay and settle on island, many Chamorros can claim to have a Filipino ancestor or relative.

 

 

 

 

 

 

SPANISH ERA

 

 

Current era contact between Filipinos and Chamorros started with the advent of Western colonization. From 1521 to 1898, Spain colonized Guam and the Philippines.

Guam was a stopover for the annual galleon trade between Mexico and the Philippines. Manned by Filipino and Mexican sailors with a few Spanish bosses, these galleons brought not only goods for trade and other supplies, but also Filipino soldiers, missionaries, lay assistants, administrators, and even political exiles and convicts, to Guam.

When Mexico won its independence from Spain in September of 1810, Guam was governed and administered through the Spanish-established administrative government in the Philippines. After Guam’s populace was nearly decimated by warfare and disease, intermarriage with Mexicans, Filipinos and Spaniards brought about new cultural designs while the language and ties to the ancient Chamorros were maintained.

 

 In 1783, Spanish and Filipinos on Guam were recorded separately for the first time, with 818 Spaniards and their descendants and 648 Filipinos and their descendants. In 1819, Filipinos and their descendants reached 1,774, while the number of Spaniards decreased to 965.

The Philippines has always been a source of labor for Guam. 

 

The seminaries and universities that Spain established in Manila from the 17th century, as well as the relative proximity of Guam to the Philippines, made it convenient to send not only Filipino laborers to Guam, but also priests. This proximity also made it more convenient to govern Guam from the Philippines especially after Mexico won its independence from Spain. By 1817, records claim that the parish priests of Guam and Rota were Tagalogs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

AMERICAN ERA

 

 

The influx of a larger number of Filipinos started after the Second World War because Guam had to be rebuilt after the devastation of the war. Additionally, the military decided to make much larger bases on Guam.

Construction companies with military contracts were allowed to bring Filipino workers to the island. As construction workers, longshoremen, service workers, many of them elected to stay on island after their contracts expired.

 

Before the war, there were only a few hundred Filipinos on island. The Census of 1940 showed that Guam’s population of 22,290 included 90.5 percent Chamorro, 2.6 percent Filipino and 3.5 percent Caucasian. This changed after the war. By 1950, as a result of immigration and importation of Filipino labor, Filipino population increased to 7,258, or 12.2 percent of the total local population of 27,124.

In 1953, the 7009 male Filipinos far outnumbered the island’s 249 female Filipino workers. 

 

 

Besides the war, devastating typhoons have ravaged the island, leaving in their wake loss of lives and homes, as well as the destruction of the island’s infrastructure. Consequently, the need for reconstruction and rebuilding brought Filipinos and Koreans to the island after super typhoons such as Karen in 1962; Pamela in 1976; Omar in 1992; Paka in 1997; and Pongsona in 2002. By 1975, there were 10,000 recorded permanent residents on Guam. Seventy percent of these residents were Filipinos. The number of Filipinos on island has increased to nearly 50,000 today.

 

 

As Guam’s Filipino population continues to grow, ties between the island and the Philippines remain strong. Filipino priests continue to serve in Guam’s parishes. As a result of labor shortage on island, Guam’s private schools and clinics continue to hire Filipino teachers, nurses, and doctors under contract. Skilled contract workers continue to come as the military continues to beef up its bases. Due to the island’s proximity to the Philippines, many Filipinos like living and working on Guam. If given the chance and choice, even more of them will probably elect to stay.

 

 

 

 

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Rick Cool
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@kay

same reason why filipinos are in hawaii

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Chamorros have Native American Indian ancestry brought by Spaniards during Manila Acapulco Galleon Trade between 1565 to 185 which also may suggest that there are probably Guamanian Chamorros in Mexico and Peru.

 

 

 

 

https://www.guampdn.com/story/news/local/2016/01/27/researcher-chamorros-have-native-american-ancestors/79390316/

 

Researcher: Chamorros have Native American ancestors

 

 

 

The lead scientist of a study examining the genetics of Chamorros said it was “a huge surprise” when researchers discovered a connection between Native Americans and the indigenous people of Guam and nearby Pacific islands.

Robert Underwood, president of the Univesity of Guam, left, presents Dr. Miguel Vilar, project manager and scientific lead for the National Geographic Society's Genographic Project, with a token of appreciation at UOG on Jan. 26. Vilar's lecture revealed some recent findings about the biogeographic components of Chamorros, including having an origin in Eastern Indonesia, and having components of Native American ancestry.

 

 

 

 

 

Miguel Vilar, a molecular anthropologist and science writer, presented his findings in a lecture Tuesday at the University of Guam.

 

Vilar is the science manager for National Geographic’s Genographic Project, an initiative that seeks to use DNA from participants to discover human genetic roots.

No seat was left vacant in the crowded University lecture hall during his speech. Remaining audience members had to stand elbow-to-elbow along the sides of the room.

“At first I couldn’t figure out what it was,” Vilar said, describing the discovery of Native American ancestry in Chamorro DNA. “I was thinking they were actually Native Americans that migrated over here.”

 

 

Dr. Miguel Vilar, project manager and scientific lead for the National Geographic Society's Genographic Project, reveals some recent findings about the biogeographic components of Chamorros at a University of Guam Presidential Lecture Series speech on Jan. 26.

 

 

 

 

 

 

But history books pointed to a more likely answer, he added. Long ago, people from the Mexico region came to Guam, and depending on when they came, they could’ve already been part of a mixed European-Native American gene pool, he said.

“Those were the people coming over and that would explain the Native American (genes),” he said. “But it was unexpected.”

The study examined DNA from 200 participants that were collected in two separate time periods — the first being in the ’90s and ’00s. In that timeframe, DNA was collected from 122 individuals. Eighty-five were from Guam, 31 were from Saipan and six were from Rota.

The participants from the sample were Chamorro, Carolinian and a combination of the two.

In 2013, about 85 new participants from Guam submitted DNA samples. About 69 of the new samples were Chamorros.

Results from the study confirmed linguistic and archaeological evidence that Chamorros originated somewhere in Eastern Indonesia, Vilar said.

And, additionally, Vilar said the data showed Native American ancestry in Chamorro DNA.

That finding was “a huge surprise,” he said.

In just about all of the strains of Chamorro DNA, Vilar said findings showed 3 to 4 percent of Native American ancestry.

“Some were as high as 7, some, 0 to 1 percent,” he said. “Three to 4 percent was common.”

In just about all of the strains of Chamorro DNA, Vilar said findings showed 3 to 4 percent of Native American ancestry.

Vilar said results of his research found Mexicans had about 50 to 70 percent Native American ancestry.

“Spanish people were bringing people over from Mexico by the 17th century, mixing with the Native American population in Mexico,” he said.

Research findings also concluded that, on average, each Chamorro person in the study had about 20 percent European ancestry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Chamorro Food

 

 

 

Guam Chamorro Village Stock Photo - Download Image Now - iStock

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chamorro Food

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pastries

 

 

 

20 Things You Should Know About Guam – The Guam Guide

 

 

 

Guam cookbook with CHAMORRO RECIPES and GUAM RECIPES that actually work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Similar to us. 

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@ronnie

 

yes in some way, but I also see some major and minor differences.  Chamorros could pass up as Filipinos while some appear resembling more like Polynesians, Latinos or part Australoid.  

 

 

 

 

Where did the Chamorros come from?
 
 
 
 
 
Molecular anthropologist Dr. Miguel Vilar's recent studies on the origin of the ancient Chamorro people revealed that they originated from parts of Southeast Asia, particularly in Indonesia and the Philippines.  Jan 25, 2016

 

 

 

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