Dr. Alexander M. Kerr of the University of Guam translated Joseph Paul Gaimard’s 1819 glossary of CHamoru words assembled while he was on Guam in April 1819 as the naturalist of the French expedition about the French naval vessel Uraine. The ship, under the command of Louis Claude de Freycinet, circumnavigated the world during the years 1817 to 1820.
Joseph Paul Gaimard’s 1819 CHamoru Vocabulary Read Post »
Although there are Chinese records from 1226 mentioning islands located in the area of the Philippines, no Chinese map referring to the area now called “Micronesia” is known to have survived the passage of the centuries.
Mapping the Pacific Read Post »
Louis Claude de Freycinet (1779 – 1841) was born in France, and at the age of 14, he joined the French navy. His early stint with the navy occurred during the tumultuous years of the French Revolution. He was an ardent supporter of Napoleon Bonaparte and shared Napoleon’s interests in science, exploration, and cartography.
Louis Claude de Freycinet Read Post »
French explorer Jules Sébastien César Dumont d’Urville lead two French Navy expeditions into Oceania. Beginning in April 1826 to February 1829, d’Urville accompanied the corvette Astrolabe through Australia and Oceania.
Jules Sébastien César Dumont d’Urville Read Post »
Early European observations of the CHamorus people represent a significant source of ethnographical and historical information. Many comments made by visitors to the Marianas focus on visible realities such as nudity, body ornaments, structures and watercraft.
Early European Observations of CHamorus Read Post »
