CHamoru Delegation Visit

Fafa'nå'gue Heidi Chargualaf-Quenga stands in front of the Central Park West entrance and speaks, addressing a small group of people standing in the b Fafa'nå'gue Heidi Chargualaf-Quenga addresses Indigenous representatives from the surrounding area and Museum staff at the Central Park West entrance of the Museum as part of the To Ask Permission protocol to enter a space. Pacific Island Ethnic Art Museum Director Fran Lujan (front right), Guam State Historic Preservation Officer Patrick Lujan (back right), and delegation members participate.
Alvaro Keding/© AMNH

On March 6, 2026, the American Museum of Natural History (the Museum) welcomed Guam State Historic Preservation Officer Patrick Lujan and a delegation of CHamorus to the Museum to complete the repatriation of four CHamoru Ancestors. Most members of the visiting delegation are diaspora CHamorus who currently reside on the East Coast of the United States. The repatriation ceremony was the culmination of collaborative work between the Museum, the Pacific Island Ethnic Art Museum, and the Guam State Historic Preservation Office, and marked the beginning of the Ancestors’ return home to Guam.

The human remains are believed to belong to CHamoru Ancestors removed from Hagatña, Guahan (Guam), during the late 19th century. Although details surrounding their removal are limited, Museum archival documents suggest the remains were bought by prominent Austrian physical anthropologist Felix von Luschan around 1878. Based in Berlin, Luschan was a prolific collector of human remains whose personal teaching collection was acquired by the Museum following his death in 1924.

Fafa'nå'gue Heidi Chargualaf-Quenga stands in front of the Central Park West entrance and speaks, addressing a small group of people standing in the background.
 Fafa'nå'gue Heidi Chargualaf-Quenga addresses Indigenous representatives from the surrounding area and Museum staff at the Central Park West entrance of the Museum as part of the To Ask Permission protocol to enter a space. Pacific Island Ethnic Art Museum Director Fran Lujan (front right), Guam State Historic Preservation Officer Patrick Lujan (back right), and delegation members participate.
Alvaro Keding/© AMNH

At the start of the visit, Fafa'nå'gue Heidi Chargualaf-Quenga addressed Indigenous representatives from the surrounding area and Museum staff at the Central Park West entrance of the Museum as part of the To Ask Permission protocol to enter a space, with Pacific Island Ethnic Art Museum Director Fran Lujan, Patrick Lujan, and delegation members. Chargualaf-Quenga then led the delegation in the Manetnon Hit chant while proceeding into the Museum.

Patrick Lujan stands at a podium and signs paperwork while Cheryl Hayashi and Heather Knapp stand to the right.
Patrick Lujan signs transfer paperwork and officially completes repatriation in the Astor Turret, with Museum Senior Vice President and Provost of Science Cheryl Hayashi (back center) and Registrar Heather Knapp (back right) looking on.
Alvaro Keding/© AMNH

After delegation members met privately with the ancestral remains, Patrick Lujan signed transfer paperwork and officially completed repatriation in the Astor Turret. Museum Senior Vice President and Provost of Science Cheryl Hayashi and Registrar Heather Knapp also signed.

A group photo of Museum staff and members of the CHamoru delegation, standing and squatting in three rows.
Museum staff and members of the CHamoru delegation pose for a group photo at the close of the March 6 visit. 
Alvaro Keding/© AMNH

At the close of the visit, Museum staff and members of the CHamoru delegation posed for a group photo outside of the Astor Turret.

Learn more about the journey to repatriation in an article from Guam-based web publication My Jungle Rules and about the Ancestors’ reception home in an article from The Guam Daily Post. Please be advised that these articles contain images of human remains.