Inarajan, Guam

Inarajan (Chamorro: Inalåhan) is a village located on the southeastern coast of the United States territory of Guam. The village's original Chamoru name, Inalåhan, was altered when transliterated during Spanish control of the island.

Inarajan
Inalåjan
Flag
Location of Inarajan within the Territory of Guam.
CountryUnited States
TerritoryGuam
Government
  MayorDoris Flores Lujan (D)
Population
 (2010)[1]
  Total2,273
Time zoneUTC+10 (ChST)
 
Inarajan Village
LocationRte. 4
Area49 acres (20 ha)
Built1901 (1901)
ArchitectCruz, Jose Duena; Luttrull, A.I.
NRHP reference No.77001569[2]
Added to NRHPNovember 7, 1977
Historical population
CensusPop.
19601,730
19701,8979.7%
19802,0598.5%
19902,46919.9%
20003,05223.6%
20102,273−25.5%
Source:[1]

History

The village history predates the 1521 discovery of Guam by the Spanish. It was the home to the legendary Chief Gadao, and was one of the few villages with sizable populations at the end of Spanish rule in 1898. In 1950 it had a population of 1,494 with 814 living in the village itself. Today, it is the best preserved of the Spanish era villages and is known for its rich history and culture, and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The village's population has decreased since the island's 2000 census.[3]

Places of interest include the village's pre-World War II church, statue of Chief Gadao, the Gef Pa'go Chamorro Village, the ancient Paintings of Chief Gadao's Cave, and historic village architecture.

Statue of the legendary Chief Gadao in Inarajan, Guam.

The municipality of Inarajan includes the community of Malojloj, in the hills north of the central village. Malojloj and Inarajan each celebrate separate village fiestas. Many residents from the Malojloj section of Inalahan, claim themselves to be a separate village, seeing as they celebrate different fiestas and they have their own land boundary. In Southern Guam, it is easily recognisable as to what part is proper to Inalahan, and what is proper to Malojloj.

The Dandan region of Malojloj was the site of a NASA Apollo tracking station and is the current the site of the Layon Municipal Sanitary Landfill for Guam replacing the Ordot Landfill. The Landfill was opposed immensely by the residents of the village as well as many environmentalists, but the government of Guam overruled them.[4]

Demographics

The U.S. Census Bureau counts the following census-designated places in Inarajan: Inarajan,[5] and Malojloj.[6]

Education

Guam Public School System serves the island.

Inarajan Elementary School and Inarajan Middle School are in Inarajan. Southern High School in Santa Rita serves the village.[7]

Inarajan High School, formerly located in Inarajan, closed in 1997.[8]

Populated places

Notable residents

Government

Name Party Term begin Term end Notes
Mayor of Inarajan
Jamie D.S. Paulino Democratic January 5, 1981 1988 Late honorable Jaime D.S Paulino served as president of Mayor's Council of Guam. He was also a survivor of the Japanese occupation of Guam and once the chairman of the Democratic Party of Guam.
Edward C. Crisostomo N/A 1988 1988 He was appointed by Governor of Guam
Eddie C. Paulino 1988 January 2, 1989
Juan C. Cruz Republican January 2, 1989 January 4, 1993
Jesse L.G. Perez Democratic January 4, 1993 January 1, 2001
Franklin M. Taitague Republican January 1, 2001 January 7, 2013
Doris F. Lujan Democratic January 7, 2013 January 4, 2021 Election in office.[9]
Anthony P. Chargualaf Jr. January 4, 2021 present

References

  1. "2010 Guam Statistical Yearbook" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-07-23. (4.3 MB), (rev. 2011)
  2. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  3. Therese Hart, "Guam Population slightly up, latest census says," Marianas Variety, August 26, 2011, http://mvguam.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=19623:guam-population-slightly-up-latest-census-says&catid=59:frontpagenews
  4. Author unknown, "Opinions mixed on GRRP's landfill plans", KUAM April 2, 2009, http://www.kuam.com/story/11218519/opinions-mixed-on-grrps-landfill-plans
  5. "2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Inarajan CDP, GU" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2020-10-09. - See "Inarajan muny"
  6. "2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Malojloj CDP, GU" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2020-10-09. - See "Inarajan muny"
  7. "Guam's Public High Schools." Guam Public School System. Accessed September 8, 2008.
  8. http://www.gdoe.net/rpe/annual_grad_ratesSY96_02.htm
  9. Guam Election Commission, Official 2012 General Election Results Archived 2016-12-30 at the Wayback Machine, Hagatna, 2013.
  • Rogers, Robert F (1995). Destiny's Landfall: A History of Guam: University of Hawai'i Press. ISBN 0-8248-1678-1

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