The Kumisión i Fino’ CHamoru yan Fina’nå’guen i Historia yan Lina’la’ i Taotao Tåno’ (Commission on CHamoru Language and the Teaching of the History & Culture of the Indigenous People of Guam) and CHamoru Roots hosted its second Fina’che’cho’ yan Finattan i Hinayen CHamoru (CHamoru Genealogy Symposium). The first symposium was held on November 11-12, 2022, which generated excitement and interest in family history and how to research genealogy.  

The second symposium was held at the Multi-Purpose Auditorium of the Guam Community College (Building 300) on Friday, September 20, 2024, and Saturday, September 21, 2024, from 8:00 AM- 5:00 PM. The event was free and open to the public. The agenda focused on making connections, sharing stories, and explorations on Clan Names and their origins. Resources such as 18th Century Census Data, Pre-1936 Judicial Records, and DNA as a Genealogy Tool were featured along with resources contained in the CHamoru Roots Database that is housed at the Kumisión’s Sagan Inilao Put Hinayi (Genealogy Lab), which is open and now accepting appointments at its office in Aniguak.  

The symposium featured exhibits highlighting family histories. Exhibits during the last symposium provided great opportunities to discover relatives and how clans are connected through common roots. There was much laughter and excitement as participants shared humorous stories, secrets, and adventures associated with family members. The participants for this symposium were encouraged to continue in this tradition by sharing and displaying their family trees, photos, and resource documents.