CHAMORRO

the native people of Guam. Numbering about 50,600 in the late 20th century, they are of Indonesian stock with a considerable admixture of Spanish, Filipino (based on Tagalog), and other strains. Their vernacular, called the Chamorro language, is not a Micronesian dialect but a distinct language with its own vocabulary and grammar. Pure-blooded Chamorros are no longer found in Guam, but the Chamorro language is still used in many native homes, though English is the island's official language. The Chamorro are predominately Roman Catholic.