Guam's cultural board nixes DNA testing request for ancestral remains

By Ron Rocky Coloma

The Department of Chamorro Affairs Board of Trustees rejected a request Thursday to remove 120 samples from ancestral remains on Guam for DNA testing in Sweden, citing unanswered questions about community benefits, ethics, data use and how the remains would be selected.

The board voted 6-1 against the request after discussing a proposed DNA project involving remains from the Naton Beach Site collection, which includes ancestral remains spanning thousands of years.

Officials said the proposal could be reconsidered if researchers address the department’s concerns.

Michael Bevacqua, Guam Museum curator, told the board the requested samples would primarily be teeth because they can provide usable ancient DNA. But destructive analysis means the sampled material would not return intact.

Bevacqua said the larger research project seeks to combine ancient DNA with DNA collected from living CHamorus to better understand genetic patterns over time, potentially contributing to medical and pharmaceutical research.

However, he said the proposal did not sufficiently explain what Guam’s

CHamoru community would gain from surrendering ancestral material.

“The proposal that they've given us focuses on the larger knowledge that the universe will gain, but it's not talking about ... what is Guam gaining? What are the CHamoru people gaining from this?” Bevacqua said.

He also said Indigenous geneticists who reviewed the proposal raised questions about its ethics, the handling of genetic data, and its benefits to the community. Bevacqua said he had requested additional documentation but had not received the information.

The State Historic Preservation Office supported the research request, according to DCA officials.

Melvin Won Pat-Borja, DCA president, said, however, that the department has custodial responsibility over the ancestral remains and wanted the board to make the final decision.

He emphasized that rejecting the current proposal did not permanently close the door on DNA research.

“We're not proposing to just shut the door on it, but there are things that need to be addressed before we feel comfortable about proceeding,” he said.

Bevacqua said researchers should provide a clearer methodology explaining which samples they want, how they would choose them and how local cultural authorities would participate. He noted that some ancestral teeth may carry carvings or other culturally significant features and said DCA should be able to reject the use of particular specimens.

Bevacqua said the Naton collection was attractive to researchers because previous DNA studies had used it and because the remains cover about 2,000 years, offering a multigenerational record. He said that value also increases the need for limits because older remains can be fragmentary, with teeth sometimes among the few materials available.

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Kimberly Taitano, board member, also questioned why the proposal did not appear to include the same level of local collaboration described in research conducted in the Philippines.

“They should make the same effort here,” Taitano said.

Following the vote, Won Pat-Borja said DCA would transmit the board’s decision along with recommendations for possible revisions. If researchers revise the proposal and respond to the concerns, the request could return to the board for another vote.

The decision came during the board’s regular Oct. 1 meeting, where members also approved a memorandum of understanding between DCA and the Guam Museum Foundation and received updates on repairs, collections and facilities.

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