Two ancient latte sets taken from Ypao and Urunao in the 1920s and held at the Bishop Museum in Hawai‘i have finally returned to the Marianas after more than 100 years. This historic rematriation marks the second wave of ongoing efforts to bring sacred cultural objects back to the islands.
The first phase of the initiative saw several artifacts returned earlier this summer. The second wave, now completed, includes the return of two complete latte sets along with four tåsa (capstones), which were placed on temporary public display at Skinner Plaza this morning.
A formal blessing and welcoming ceremony will be held on Friday, October 24, at 3 p.m. at Skinner Plaza, inviting the entire community to come together in celebration of this momentous homecoming.
Miget has been working alongside the Guam Museum, the Guam Cultural Repository, the Guam State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), and Segundo Maga’låhi Josh Tenorio for over two years to help make this return possible.
The repatriation of the latte stones represents more than the return of artifacts—it reflects the resilience of the CHamoru people, the strength of cultural identity, and the ongoing effort to preserve and honor Guam’s living history.
Source: @theguambus
