Guam’s creation story begins with two powerful gods, a brother and a sister, named Puntan and Fu’una (or Pontan and Fo’na). Long long ago, before anything else existed, Puntan and Fu’una lived. But one day, Puntan felt his spirit dying, and he looked at Fu’una and told her to use his body to create the world.
When he died, she used his body to make the land and soil. She used his back to make the endless sky. His right eye became the glowing moon and his left eye became the burning sun. She used his eyebrows to create beautiful rainbows that stretched across the world. When she was done, she had created the earth.
But Fu’una was sad and lonely. She missed her Puntan terribly. She grieved her brother so much, that her constant tears filled the earth with vast oceans.
Fu’una decided she could not be alone anymore, and wanted to create life to live in the beautiful world she had made. She transformed herself into Fouha Rock, from which all life sprang from. Humans emerged from the rock and spread throughout the earth.
Fouha Rock can still be seen today in the village of Humåtak (Umatac). And all of Puntan and Fu’una’s creations can be seen all around us. Look up at the clouds and the shining sun, look to the jungles and the animals that live in them. Look at the people you love the most and see the wonders of Puntan and Fu’una.
If you want to learn more about Guam’s creation story, the Guam Museum permanent exhibit begins with an amazing video presentation that depicts it. The museum is open from Tuesday through Sunday from 10am to 5pm. The rest of the permanent exhibit shows Guam through its different eras and you can see how Guam has become the island we know it as today!
