12 Years of Lukao Fuha
On February 1st, 2014, 12 years ago, a group of activists, cultural practitioners, scholars, students and artists, through groups such as Our Islands are Sacred and Hinasso organized an event called "Lukao Fuha." It was a pilgrimage, a special walk from Humåtak Bay to Laso' Fouha or Fouha Rock, that was meant to symbolize for Chamorus, walking in the ceremonial footsteps of our ancestors in a variety of ways.
Firstly, Fouha Rock is thought to symbolize an important part of the Chamoru creation story, as it represents the body of Fu'una, who with her brother (whose body is the land itself) gave up their forms and their energy to create the Chamoru people and our islands.
Secondly, early Spanish accounts discuss that the largest gatherings for ancient Chamorus in the 16th and 17th centuries took place around a large rock, and part of these gatherings was the retelling of the creation stories and other legends that went back connecting centuries and generations of storytelling. While there are different theories about which rock in particular this might be, many historians and some oral history and folklore connects that history to Fouha Rock in Humåtak.
Thirdly, the choice to have this Lukao take place this time of year, in either late January or sometime in February was so that it would coincide with when we believe the likely start of the new year was for Ancient Chamorus. The Ancient Chamoru Calendar followed the movements of the moon and featured 13 months. While we don't know a lot about the calendar, we know the names of the months, and the first month was Tumaiguini, which when Chamorus in 1819 were asked what the month was meant to symbolize, they said it meant "become like this" or "this is the way."
Since 2018, Independent Guåhan has taken on a role of helping to organize the annual event, and so sometimes I help organize and document the walk, and other times I just join with my growing family. With my two older kids, Sumåhi and Akli'e', we joined the first Lukao Fuha in 2014, and we have joined most every Lukao since. Even if we couldn't make it on certain years, we would often just hike down on our own.
One of the first hikes that I took my partner Desiree on when we were first dating was to Fouha Rock. Lulai our four-year-old has now been on the Lukao twice. Our two-year-old Makåhna joined for the first time this year. Our eight-month old La’yak didn’t make it this year, but perhaps next year.
This year’s Lukao was organized by Independent Guåhan and Gi Matan Guma’. Although each year’s Lukao varies depends on which groups are organizing or hosting the ceremonies, there are certain traditions that have become a regular part of its protocols. There are chants, the asking of permission, there is the creation of an altar where gifts are offered and blessings are received, and of course the story of Fu’una and Puntan is retold. For this year’s Lukao, Siñot Larry Raigetal, a navigator from Lamotrek who also teaches classes on seafaring at the University of Guam joined and offered a chant in solidarity.
People place all kinds of items on the altar, some of which have historical significance such as pugas, or uncooked rice, which was an important ceremonial crop for Chamorus prior to colonization. People also bring fruits and vegetables from their gardens or favorite foods of their deceased elders, which is something that also echoes Ancient Chamoru practices. One of my favorite parts of the altar is how people bring carved jewelry and place it there so that it can be blessed by the ancestral spirits for the coming year.
What has been remarkable to see though over the past 12 years is how the Lukao has grown and become for some people, a key marker of their year, a sign of the Chamoru New Year. It is by no means something that is known to all or commemorated by all, but even the fact that last month, dozens of people were messaging me asking me for information not just on the Lukao, but also when Tumaiguini would start, and when the Chamoru New Year would begin, was significant. Since the first Lukao, I have made it a habit of posting on social media, in particular through The Guam Bus, information on Tumaiguini, the Chamoru New Year and other parts of our history and culture that many Chamorus today may not be familiar with. For those looking for their roots, looking for more information on who Chamorus were prior to colonization or more answers culturally to what we have that we can call our own, the Lukao, Tumaiguini, the idea a Chamoru New Year offers an anchor for reflection and inspiration.
It has been beautiful to see the event grow, to see it become a part of the lives of others and my own.
(The images with this post are some of the ones I took from this year's Lukao Fuha)
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