(Photo courtesy of Umatac Village)
If you are interested in learning more about the history and people of Guam, March is a great month to get started.
Each March, Guam celebrates History and Chamorro Heritage Month, aka Mes Chamorro, with the Guam History and CHamoru Heritage Day Festival, hosted in Umatac Village.
Held in conjunction with the Guam History and CHamoru Heritage Day, which is celebrated on the first Monday of March (March 3 in 2025), the festival celebrates the history, progress and evolution of the rich Chamorro culture. This year it will run from Feb. 28 to March 3 around the village park.
This annual festival is a great way to get a taste of the Chamorro culture. Along with food booths serving up scrumptious local delicacies, the festival includes heritage exhibitions, carnival games, local musicians, bands, cultural and modern dance groups, cultural competitions, land and water racing events, athletic competitions and the special Magellan Mock Landing.
(Photo courtesy of Umatac Village)
Along with Liberation Day on July 21, which commemorates the U.S. liberating the island from Japan’s occupation in 1944, Guam History and CHamoru Heritage Day is considered one of the most important holidays on Guam, with most government facilities, schools, companies and shops closing.
“This holiday is equally if not more important than other holidays,” says Joe Quinata, chief program officer of the Guam Preservation Trust. “The community of Guam is small and most often we celebrate with food as we showcase the importance of a given holiday.”
The reason why Umatac Mayor’s Office conducts the Guam History and CHamoru Heritage Day events every year is that it all started when Ferdinand Magellan landed near the beautiful village, according to the Umatac Mayor’s Office.
On March 6, 1521, Magellan landed on Guam, marking the first European contact and the beginning of the island’s recorded history. Soon thereafter, Guam became the place for Spanish galleons to replenish their supplies of food and water during its annual voyages from Mexico to the Philippines. Missionaries and soldiers arrived in the 1600s, establishing Guam as a colony for the king of Spain. Hence the island’s predominantly Catholic community, culture, architectures, family names with strong Spanish influence, according to the Umatac Mayor’s Office.
So, during the festival, the historical reenactment of Magellan’s landing is a must-see, although it must be noted that it is not a pleasant scene. Umatac locals in traditional attire reconstruct the historical events of March 6, 1521. Guam natives greet Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan after his three ships anchor in Umatac Bay. Magellan and the ships’ crews are welcomed with water and food.
(Photo courtesy of Umatac Village)
However, things took a turn for the worse when Magellan, angered after the natives took possessions from one of his boats in compensation for the water and food, had his men slaughter some of them and burn the village before leaving the island.
“In an effort to reinstate the once celebrated Guam History and CHamoru Heritage Day holiday, the local residents requested that the change be made to reflect Guam’s culture in general and not just Discovery Day in the village of Umatac,” Quinata explained.
Guam History & CHamoru Heritage Day Festival 2025
Location: Around Umatac Bay Park
Hours: Feb. 28: 6 p.m. – midnight, March 1-3: noon – midnight
TEL: 828-8251-2 (Umatac Mayor’s Office)
