Hagåtña (
http://www.chamorro.com/fino/siudat/siudat.html), formerly English
Agana and in
SpanishSpanish or Castilian is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that originated in northern Spain and gradually spread in the Kingdom of Castile, evolving into the principal language of government and trade in the Iberian peninsula...
Agaña, is the capital of the American island territory of
GuamGuam is an island in the western Pacific Ocean and is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. The island's capital is Hagåtña...
. It is the island's second smallest
village||The territory of Guam is divided into 19 municipalities more commonly called villages. Each municipality is governed by an elected mayor. Village populations range in size from under 1,000 to over 40,000. As of the 2000 census, the total population of Guam was 154,805.- History :Many villages...
in both area and population. From the 18th through mid 20th century, it was Guam's population center. Today, it remains one of the island's major
commercial districtA commercial district or commercial zone is any part of a city or town in which the primary land use is commercial activities , as opposed to a residential neighbourhood, an industrial zone, or other types of neighbourhoods...
s in addition to being the seat of government.
Etymology
"Hagåtña" means "his or her blood" in the
ChamorroChamorro is a Malayo-Polynesian language, spoken on the Mariana islands by about 47,000 people .-Chamorro speakers:...
/Chamoru language. There is much speculation that the natives originally migrated from the village of Agat. The Chamorro name for Agat is "Hågat, which means "blood". The "ña" suffix signifies a third person perspective/ownership/etc.; therefore "Hagåtña" translates into "his or her blood" which may mean "relative for him or her". In 1998, the
Guam LegislatureThe Legislature of Guam is the territorial legislature of Guam. The legislative branch of the unincorporated U.S. territory is unicameral, with a single house consisting of 15 senators, serving for a two year term. All members of the Legislature are elected at-large.The Guam Legislature meets in...
changed the name from "Agana" back to the original Chamorro/Chamoru form. However, the name of the neighboring village Agana Heights remains unchanged.
Geography
Hagåtña is located at the mouth of the Hagåtña river on Guam's west coast. According to the
United States Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
, the city has a total area of 1 square mile (2.6 km²). The village is bounded by the sandy beaches of Agana Bay to the north, the Agana River and associated wetlands to the east, and a cliff (above which is the village of Agana Heights) to the South. Several high-rise office buildings are in the center of the village, while the western portion of the city known as Anigua is more residential. Unlike many villages, central Hagåtña is divided into city blocks with shops and small restaurants throughout the center of the village. Highly populated residential areas in the villages of Mongmong-Toto-Maite, Sinajana, and Agana Heights surround Hagåtña.
History
Hagåtña was a prominent village prior to Guam's colonization by the Spanish. In 1668, the first Spanish
missionaryA missionary is a member of a religion who works to convert those who do not share the missionary's faith; someone who proselytizes. The word "mission" is derived from the Latin missioninimus A missionary is a member of a religion who works to convert those who do not share the missionary's faith;...
, Padre San Vitores arrived on the island. The family of
Chief KepuhaChief Kepuha , also spelled Kipuhá or Quipuha, was the island of Guam's first Catholic chief. The chief's name means "striving to capsize." He granted the lands to Spanish missionaries upon which the first Catholic church in the Marianas was built...
donated land in Hagåtña enabling San Vitores to build the first church (Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica) on Guam.
Under Spanish rule, much of the indigenous population of Guam and other
Mariana IslandsThe Mariana Islands are an arc-shaped archipelago made up by the summits of 15 volcanic mountains in the north-western Pacific Ocean between the 12th and 21st parallels north and along the 145th meridian east...
was forced to relocate to the city. The remains of buildings from the Spanish administration can be seen in the Plaza de España located beside the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Agana. Ther remains of the Spanish Governors Palace is here and is closer to the Department of Education than the Cathedral.
After Guam was ceded by
SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.
[The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...]
to the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the
Spanish-American WarThe Spanish–American War was an armed military conflict between Spain and the United States that took place between April and August 1898, over the issues of the liberation of Cuba. The war began after American demands for the resolution of the Cuban fight for independence were rejected by Spain...
of 1898, 'Agana' remained the seat of government under U.S. Naval Administration. By 1940, the city's population had grown to about 10,000 containing nearly half of the island's residents.
Guam was captured by
Japanis an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese forces on December 8, 1941. During Guam's 1944 liberation from the Japanese during
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the city was heavily damaged by U.S. naval bombardment. Many former residents settled in other parts of Guam after the war. As part of Guam's reconstruction plan, the U.S. Navy constructed new straight city streets that passed through existing lots and created many plots of land with multiple owners. This has hindered the development of the city to the present day. In December 1944 Guam was the scene of the
Agana race riotThe Agana race riot took place at Agana, Guam over the two nights of December 24-December 25, 1944 during the War in the Pacific.It was one of the most serious incidents between African American military personnel and White enlisted men during the Second World War.-Background:In July 1944, the 3rd...
, between black and white servicemen stationed on the island.
Today, despite a resident population of only 1,100 (less than 1% of Guam's total), the city remains the seat of the territorial government. Its historic sites are major attractions for visitors. Hagåtña is served by
Antonio B. Won Pat International AirportAntonio B. Won Pat International Airport , also known as Guam International Airport, is an airport located in Tamuning and Barrigada, three miles east of the capital city of Hagåtña in the U.S. territory of Guam. It is named for Antonio Borja Won Pat, the first delegate from Guam to the United...
in Tamuning and Barrigada.
Culture
As Guam's historic population and administrative center, many traditional celebrations take place in Hagåtña. On December 8,
Santa MarianThe Blessed Virgin Mary, sometimes shortened to the Blessed Virgin or the Virgin Mary, is a traditional title used by most Christians and most specifically used by liturgical Christians such as Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans, Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholics, and some others to...
Kamalen, Patroness of the
Mariana IslandsThe Mariana Islands are an arc-shaped archipelago made up by the summits of 15 volcanic mountains in the north-western Pacific Ocean between the 12th and 21st parallels north and along the 145th meridian east...
, is honored by a procession where a statue of the patroness is pulled on a cart amid the prayers of thousands of the island's
CatholicThe word Catholic is derived from the Greek adjective , meaning "universal". In the context of Christian ecclesiology, it has a rich history and several usages. For some, the term "Catholic Church" refers to the church in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, made up of the Latin Rite and the 22...
s
http://ns.gov.gu/kamalen.html. Guam's most celebrated patriotic holiday, Liberation Day is on July 21. The annual Liberation Day Parade takes place on Marine Corps Drive in Hagåtña. In addition to the historic sites at the Plaza de España and the Basillica, Latte stone park and the Chamorro Village shopping area offer further information about the island's history and culture.
Diplomatic missions
The
Taipei Economic and Cultural OfficeA Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office , sometimes known as a Taipei Economic and Cultural Office or a Taipei Representative Office, is a representative office, established by the Republic of China in countries that have diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China...
,
of the Republic of China (Taiwan)This is a list of diplomatic missions of the Republic of China. Due to the fierce competition between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China for diplomatic recognition, the ROC only maintains a handful of full-fledged diplomatic missions abroad...
, is located in Suite 505 of the Bank of Guam Building.
Infrastructure and government
As the island's capital, the
legislatureThe Legislature of Guam is the territorial legislature of Guam. The legislative branch of the unincorporated U.S. territory is unicameral, with a single house consisting of 15 senators, serving for a two year term. All members of the Legislature are elected at-large.The Guam Legislature meets in...
, the governor's office and other government offices are located in Hagåtña. The Government house (Chamorro: Guma I Taotao Guam), traditionally the governor's official residence, is situated above the cliff but technically within the city limit of Hagåtña.
AdelupAdelup is a settlement in the west of Guam. It is located on the west coast, just to the west of Hagåtña....
, now home of the
Ricardo J. Bordallo Governor’s Complex since 1990, was once part of
Asan-MainaAsan is a village located on the western shore of the U.S. territory of Guam. The municipality of Asan-Maina combines Asan with Maina, a community in the hills to the east. It was a primary landing site for United States Marines during Guam's liberation from the Japanese in World War II...
before being annexed into Hagåtña so that Hagåtña remains the seat of the Government of Guam.
Notable federal government agencies in Hagåtña includes the
District Court of GuamThe District Court of Guam is a United States territorial court with jurisdiction over the Territory of Guam and sits in the capital, Hagåtña...
at 520 West Soledad Avenue, the
United States AttorneyThe United States District Court for the District of Guam is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction is the Territory of Guam.The United States District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction is the United States Commonwealth of the Northern...
at Sirena Plaza, 108 Hernan Cortez, Suite 500, and the
USPSThe United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States. It is one of the few government agencies explicitly authorized by the United States Constitution. Within the United States, it is commonly...
Post Office at 223 West Chalan Santo Papa.
Public schools
The
Guam Public School SystemGuam Public School System , formerly the Guam Department of Education, is a school district that serves the entire island of Guam, a United States insular area...
serves the entire island of Guam.
Hagåtña residents are zoned to:
- Carlos L. Taitano Elementary School (Sinajana)
- Jose L. G. Rios Middle School (Piti
Piti is a village located on the western shore of Guam. It contains the commercial port of Guam at Apra Harbor as well as several of the island’s largest power plants.- Education :Guam Public School System serves the island....
)
- John F. Kennedy High School
John F. Kennedy High School , formerly Tumon Senior-Junior High School,, is a public secondary school located in the Tumon area of Tamuning, Guam, United States...
(Tamuning)
Private schools
Private schools in Hagåtña include:
- Academy of Our Lady of Guam
Academy of Our Lady of Guam is an all-girls Catholic high school located at 233 Archbishop Felixberto C. Flores Street in Hagåtña, Guam, United States.In 2004 it was awarded the highest medal of recognition from the Archdiocese of Agaña...
(Catholic girls' high school located in Hagåtña)
Public libraries
Guam Public Library SystemGuam Public Library System is the public library system of Guam, a United States territory. The main library is the Nieves M...
operates the Nieves M. Flores Memorial Library at 254 Martyr Street in Hagåtña.
External links