Nå’an Lugåt (Guam Place Names)

Nå’an Lugǻt

Guam Place Names

Aturidǻt

Scope of Authority

Indigenous CHamoru place names contain cultural‭, ‬historical‭, ‬and environmental information that reveal much about our people’s relationship to place over time‭.‬ As place names are forgotten or replaced‭, ‬important historical knowledge that can support our efforts to reclaim and reinforce the CHamoru heritage are lost forever‭. ‬In order to advance the cause of CHamoru revitalization and cultural self-determination‭,‬ the Kumisión has for many years made a concerted effort to advocate for the per‭petuation of indigenous place names‭. ‬When the Guåhan Legislature enacted Public‭ ‬Law 33-236‭, ‬the Kumisión i Fino’ CHamoru was also charged with serving as the Kumisión i Na’an Lugǻt‭ (‬Guam Place Name Commission‭).‬
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The duties and responsibilities outlined in the Guam Code Annotated Section 88105‭ (‬l‭)‬ and‭ (‬m‭) ‬provide legal support to the efforts of the Kumisión to revive‭, ‬reinforce‭, ‬and perpetuate the CHamoru language and culture through place naming‭. ‬The Kumisión oversees and approves all of the proposed changes, alterations‭, ‬or renaming of place names in Guåhan through it’s
Kumitéhan‭ Na’an Lugǻt‭. ‬

While the Kumisión has been charged with the restoration of indigenous place names‭,‬ there are limits to our jurisdiction. ‬We have no formal role in deciding the names of roads‭, ‬schools‭, ‬villages‭, ‬or the boundaries between municipalities‭. ‬Public facilities or named areas like parks are usually designated by the Guam Legislature‭. The Kumisión does, however, have jurisdiction over the naming of rivers and streams‭, ‬summits‭, ‬area‭/‬locale‭, ‬springs/water basins‭, ‬beaches‭, ‬bays‭, ‬valleys‭, ‬capes/points‭, ‬planned unit‭ ‬developments‭, ‬and commonly-used names‭. ‬This is consistent with the use of the term “‬geographical features” as used by the Board of Geographic Names‭ (‬BGN‭) ‬of the‭ ‬US‭ ‬Geological‭ ‬Survey‭. ‬

Political jurisdictions like the municipalities‭ (‬or villages‭) ‬or the island itself‭ (‬Guam‭, ‬not Guåhan‭) ‬will only change if accompanied by legal action from the Government of Guam‭. ‬The recent changes to five village names have been submitted in accordance with Guam Public Law‭. ‬The name change to Hagåtña will automatically change to Hagåtña River‭, ‬but will not affect Agana Heights‭. ‬The river is a geograph‭ical feature whereas the latter is a political jurisdiction‭.‬

Nå’an Fina’tåno’ Yan Måtan Hånom

Geological Features

We are currently working with the Water and Environmental Research Institute (WERI) at the University of Guam to validate, restore, and further identify traditional names associated with Guam’s watersheds. These include the naming of water basins, run-offs, rivers, streams and underground aquifers.

Limestone Plateau Basins
CHamoru Names of Places
Guam Hydrologic Survey, 2021
https://werinch2018.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=d98bb099bf1d45bf99435ea8a83b5d0d

Guam Agricultural Land, Watersheds/Hydrology, and Land Cover Map
Bureau of Statistics & Plans, 2024
https://govguamgis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/mapviewer/index.html?webmap=9718239324dd4219a56bc6c3f5b7f964

Guam Shoreline Atlas 216 Map
Bureau of Statistics & Plans, 2023
https://govguamgis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/mapviewer/index.html?webmap=0a4e6b1bc7814e1c9e53e8fec208aa99

Guam Water Wells
Bureau of Statistics & Plans, 2022
https://govguamgis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/mapviewer/index.html?webmap=ede1d6d83b3f40ad8a0d49de02784a14

Northern Guam Lens Aquifer
Water and Environmental Research Institute, 2021
https://werinch2018.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=3040e8ef28d14f7399f5b0b3c73a72e0

Surface Hydrology of the Northern Guam Lens Aquifer
Water and Environmental Research Institute, 2021
https://werinch2018.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=7f506c88a95747aa8774b0c0d311d7da