Tarague is a geographic place name given to the northern littoral of the island of Guam, between Mergagan Point to the west and Tagua Point to the east. In historic maps and accounts of Guam dating back to the Spanish Era of the island (16th – 19th centuries), the orthography of the word Tarague varied. It was at times spelled, for example, as “Tarragui” and “Taragay.”
When French explorer Louis Claude de Freycinet visited Guam between March and June of 1819, he observed CHamorus capturing mañåhak or juvenile rabbitfish (Siganus spp.) in gigao or fish traps placed in shallow tidal waters north of Cabras Island and near the mouth of the Masso River.
Ancient CHamoru Fish Weirs (Gigao) Read Post »
In the Mariana Islands, as well as other islands throughout the Pacific, rice is considered one of the most important food staples. Bags of rice are shipped to the islands regularly. In the Marianas, rice is served at most every meal or special occasion.
Ancient CHamoru Use of Rice Read Post »
Archeologists learn about societies and cultures of the past by looking at the objects or artifacts that people left behind. Some of the most useful artifacts to study are tools.
Ancient CHamoru Tool Making Read Post »
Cultural aspects of food. Humans require food in order to survive. People get their food from the natural environment through practices of food collection, farming, and the hunting or raising of animals. But food not only nourishes our bodies—food is culturally important, too.
Ancient CHamoru Food and Diet Read Post »
Tooth staining. Unlike clothing or hairstyles, body modifications are changes made to the body itself that are of a more permanent nature. Among the CHamoru people, the most remarkable examples of these kinds of modifications were tooth etching and staining.
Ancient CHamoru Body Modification Read Post »
Body ornamentation. All human cultures practice some form of body ornamentation. Body ornamentation refers to the ways in which people decorate or dress their bodies for any number of reasons or occasions.
Ancient CHamoru Jewelry: Manmade Accessories and Body Coverings Read Post »
The nature of warfare. In any human society, there are different reasons and circumstances in which people might engage in warfare. Warfare, by definition, is when violence occurs between political entities, such as communities, districts or nations.
Ancient CHamoru/Chamorro Warfare Read Post »
Beauty as a cultural concept. Different cultures have different ways of defining and understanding “beauty.” In general, beauty is a characteristic of a person or object that people find appealing. Beauty evokes an experience of pleasure or satisfaction.
Ancient CHamoru Concepts of Beauty Read Post »
Eastern coastal village. Located on the eastern coast of the island of Guam, Pago is one of the oldest villages that predate Spanish contact with the ancient CHamorus. The village was settled near the mouth of the Pago River, which feeds into Pago Bay, the largest bay on the island; it is also the site of several important archeological investigations.
