Was the Method of Missionization in 17th Century Chamorro Archipelago a Disaster: A Personal View By William L. Hernandez

In reading the chronicles of Spaniards and foreigners about Guam between 1521 - 1700, it was almost obvious that the writers were racist when they wrote about the indigenous people of the Chamorro archipelago. Except for one that comes to my mind. His name was Fray Juan Pobre who wrote about the Chamorro people in 1602. He described a civilization with a government, rules, ethics, value system, hierarchy,  land tenure system, and a system of currency connected with the value of life. He made a revealing statement when he wrote that the Chamorros are more Christian than his own people.

 

Earliest depiction of a Chamorro Warrior from the Boxer Codex circa1590

I think there was enough information in Pobre's account to devise a method of Catholic missionization, but the Franciscan Order failed to establish a mission in the Chamorro Archipelago - despite efforts to do so through numerous unauthorized entry into the islands by jumping ship and joining the Chamorro community.

When did the Spanish "Period" begin in Chamorro History? By William L. Hernandez

Its probably safe to say that the Spanish Period in every indigenous nation Spain conquered will have a different date. Interestingly enough, I noticed that the mere sighting or a landing by sea vessel by representatives of the Kingdom of Spain results in a claim (among Euro-American historians of different ethnicity) to any lands belonging to independent indigenous nations (during their "Age of Exploration"), was designated the beginning of their "period".

Most recently, the Guam Historic Resources Division corrected the beginning of the Spanish Period to the last years of the 17th century -  not the date that a Portuguese explorer landed here in March 6, 1521. We have discovered the error - that Spain did not have control of the Chamorro Archipelago until it defeated its defenders through genocide, the introduction of diseases( no immunity to) and European warfare, from 1668 to 1700.

In essence, the Latte Period of Chamorro History began in the 9th century and ended in 1700 A.D.. The last  thirty two years of the Latte Period we designated as the Chamorro Spanish Wars.

What this revelation does to the historic narrative of Chamorro history is interesting. For example:

"During the Latte Period of Chamorro History, foreigners from Europe arrived and visited the Chamorro Archipelago. The first of them claimed to have discovered Guam despite their accounts and descriptions that people were already here. In the Spanish accounts, the crew of the ship and its leader received water and provisions from the Chamorro sailors who boarded their ship. The leader of the Spanish expedition ordered crossbows to be fired on the unsuspecting sailors resulting in casualties. A small boat was taken by the retreating Chamorro sailors and placed the boat in plain view of the Spaniards believed to be in the banks of present day Humatak village. An attack was ordered to the village wherein seven elderly people were murdered. The village was sacked with supplies of food and water - and the murdering foreigners left - chased by Chamorro flying proas wherein the Spanish chronicler Pigafetta described the women in extreme grief  - pulling their hair off their scalp and the men hurling at them slingstones in the hundreds. The criminals escaped."

I will continue this blog in the next posting.
William L. Hernandez

The Guam Historic Resources Division - www.historicguam.org

Almacen Circa 1918

The Guam Historic Resources Division mission is to engage in a comprehensive historic preservation program that promotes the use, conservation, preservation, and presentation of historic properties.

The Guam Historic Resources Division goal is to implement projects and activities that help us achieve their mission.

For more information about the Guam Historic Resources Division, visit www.historicguam.org