Home > General Information > History of Guam

Pre-contact Era (prior to 1521) The origin of the native people of Guam, known as Chamorros, can be traced to Southeast Asia and are of Indo-Malayan descent. These original peoples, backed by archaeological studies, arrived on Guam around 1500 B.C. which makes them the oldest island culture in the Pacific, with 3500 plus years of occupation and cultural development. By comparison, Hawaii is much younger, having only been inhabited for about 1000 years. Although piecing together Guam's ancient past has been made difficult because of outside influences and the fact that Guam had a predominantly oral society, archaeologists, anthropologists, and historians are doing a marvelous job of unraveling Guam's unique history. Today we know that Chamorros were expert sailors, fishermen, farmers, and hunters that carved out a niche of existence with very limited resources. Their ability to manipulate their surroundings and flourish within an island environment is a testament to their stamina and creativity. In addition to honing their survival skills, Chamorros also developed a unique and well-structured society that consisted of a rigid caste system having high, middle, and low class structures. Intermarriage was allowed between the high-class (Matao) and the middle-class (Achaot); however, no intermarriage was allowed between the two higher classes and the low-class (Manachang). Ancient Chamorrro society also possessed strong matriarchal ties. It is through its women that lines of Chamorro descent were traced. This made women very strong in the ancient Chamorro caste system. Aside from a well-structured social system, Chamorros also developed their own belief systems with reference to their cosmology and religious ideals. Ancestor worship was a focus of their religious beliefs and they would bury their dearly departed close to their living quarters. Ancient Chamorro society was unique unto itself and is quite different from today's Chamorro society. The reason for the cultural changes will become quite evident as you read about Guam's Spanish Era. Click onto the menu to continue at the top for an era of interest.