Lukao Fuha 2025
Saturday, February 1st gi iya Humåtak
at the Lasso Fuha’ Trailhead
Showtime: 8:00am Go Time: 8:30am
Lukao Fuha honors the CHamoru New Year by gathering community for a ceremony of renewal at Lasso’ Fuha, a land storied as the Place of our Creation. Since time immemorial, CHamoru people have gathered in honor of the New Year to reflect on our past, strengthen our relationships to each other, & spiritually prepare for the moons ahead. The first month of our New Year, Tumaiguini (to become like this), suggests a time for us to reflect on what kind of individuals and community we want to become. In 2014, a small group of CHamoru from multiple community groups, on and off-island, organized the first ever Lukao Fuha. Lukao Fuha has become an annual tradition that has become deeply meaningful to many CHamoru cultural practitioners for each of their spiritual development journey.
This year, we set our intention to put our attention on our inherent oneness with the land as the foundation for growing unity. In life, we can face challenges and hardships that sometimes cause us to fumble and struggle to embody our values. We offer this ceremony as an opportunity to cleanse our spirits and re-align our hearts and actions so that we may journey stronger together on the ináfa’maolek na chålan (the road of ináfa’maolek). We draw from our ancient knowing to create practices that address our lived realities.
We invite you to join us on this Lukao/reflective spiritual procession to Lasso’ Fuha as we lålai/chant together, collectively build a bokka’/altar and make inatu’i/offerings to this sacred land as symbols of our personal and collective re-emergence. Each of these practices are rooted in our living traditions that have survived from thousands of years ago to today. We are self-aware authors of our vibrant indigenous culture.
If you’re planning to join us, please make sure to bring gimen hånom (drinking water), clothes you will get wet in (we’re crossing a river!) and an extra pair of dry clothes/towel, comfortable hiking footwear, and offerings for the altar. We will accept offerings made of natural and biodegradable materials. Historically, CHamoru people might bring pugas (uncooked rice), hineksa’ sinagan (rice cakes), pugua’/mamå’on (betelnut/prepared ready to mix), tinekcha’ (fruit), or chinalek/flores (flowers). People might also place on the altar items they would like to spiritually strengthen such as kåhlang (necklaces like sinahi/gualåffon etc.) or hetu/semiyas (seeds) that they want to spiritually strengthen with our collective prayers.
Release Form:
By signing in for this event, I do hereby waive, release, and discharge Independent Guåhan (IG) and any persons and organizations involved in organizing this event from any and all liability for or by reason of any damages; loss or injuries to person and/or to properties; and even injury resulting in death during this event. I agree that this release is effective immediately and includes the following:
GENERAL RELEASE: I hereby release and hold IG and any persons and organizations involved in organizing this event harmless from all claims that I may have arising from activities that I may be involved in during Lukao Fuha. I am providing this Release and Waiver of Liability to IG so that I may be allowed to participate in this and future events. I hereby expressly and specifically assume any and all risk of injury, illness, death or property damage resulting from my participation in IG activities and events.
MEDICAL RELEASE: I hereby release IG and any persons and organizations involved in organizing this event from any claim whatsoever which may arise as a result of any first aid, treatment, or service or assistance provided to me in connection with any injury that arises from my participation in IG programs. I take full responsibility for my welfare and safety on IG program sites.
PHOTOGRAPHIC RELEASE: I consent to be photographed and to allow IG’s and all organizations involved in organizing this event use of any photos of me as they alone shall decide at its sole discretion. (If you do not give your photographic release, please inform organizers and photographers that you do not want to be photographed.)
Ceremony Protocol
We recognize there are many practitioners, teachings, and ways to practice ceremony as CHamoru people. This year, the Lukao Fuha organizing team invites you to join us in our journey of learning and creating meaningful contemporary spiritual practices informed by our ancestral knowledge. We are providing the information below to help people prepare for the various opportunities to weave prayers and intentions into the ceremony. Most importantly, if you feel called to come, come as you are with open heart and conscious awareness as there is no wrong way to pray.
I Lalai Siha
Our ancestors have used lålai (chant) to communicate to our Creator, the elements, the ancestors, and all of the universe since ever since. Nobena songs and the lisåyu (rosary) bring our families together, not just through nostalgia, but because through these traditions we practice how to be in literal harmony with one another. When we breath, chant, and sing together our hearts sync and beat as one. (There’s western science that proves this, if that kind of knowledge is important to you).
It’s not even important that any one of us is a ‘good’ singer. (In some cultures, a ‘good’ singer is one who sings with all of their heart). Just that we commit to be fully aware in the moment, putting our attention on our sound waves vibrating as one. Doing so, shuts down the self-critical voice in our brains, and allows us to focus on the quantum reality that we are interconnected with all of Creation. When we look at anything in the universe at the smallest particle level, down to the molecule, down to the atom, and even smaller to the protons, electrons, and quarks, we find that everything is made up of vibration.
At this year’s Lukao we will be utilizing three lålai for specific purposes: At the beginning of the hike, we will open with Manetnon Hit, to put our mind on Unity, gratitude, and the beauty of our lives; When we arrive at Lasso’ Fuha, we will sing In Neni Hamyo, to give thanks for our ancestors, the spirits of the land, and all of our mañe’lu who are gathered, as we collectively build an altar with our offerings; to reflect on how to prepare for the year ahead we will sing Tåya’ Nai CHumålan to imagine how the story of Fo’na and Pontan can guide us in our daily lives in the present.
Below you can find recordings of the chants, and the words, so that you can join us in singing, if you choose to do so. You may also like to check out iLalai, Gi Matan Guma’s chant learning app to learn more in depth about the Gi Matan Guma’ philosophy and practice.
