The Seal of Guam appears in the middle of the Flag of the United States territory of

Guam Guam (; ch, Guåhan ) is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. It is the westernmost point and territory of the United States (reckoned from the geographic cent ...

. It depicts Agaña Bay near Hagåtña, a local

proa Proas are various types of multi-hull outrigger sailboats of the Austronesian peoples. The terms were used for native Austronesian ships in European records during the Colonial era indiscriminately, and thus can confusingly refer to the do ...

and a

palm tree The Arecaceae is a family of perennial flowering plants in the monocot order Arecales. Their growth form can be climbers, shrubs, tree-like and stemless plants, all commonly known as palms. Those having a tree-like form are called palm trees ...

Charles Alan Pownall Charles Alan Pownall (October 4, 1887 – July 19, 1975) was a Vice admiral in the United States Navy and Governor of Guam (May 30, 1946 – September 27, 1949). He was the third military Governor and first naval Governor of Guam following the ...

approved the seal in 1946. It depicts a coconut palm on the shore with a sailboat nearby on the water. The name "Guam" appears in red across the center of the seal.

Symbolism

The coconut tree, also known as the Tree of Life, holds a dominant position on Guam's symbol. The shape of the seal is that of a

Chamorro Chamorro may refer to: * Chamorro people, the indigenous people of the Mariana Islands in the Western Pacific * Chamorro language, an Austronesian language indigenous to The Marianas * Chamorro Time Zone, the time zone of Guam and the Northern Mar ...

sling stone used as a weapon for warfare and hunting. The sling stone was quarried from basalt and coral. The coconut tree, growing in infertile sand, symbolizes self-sustenance and determination to grow and survive under any circumstance, with its fronds open to the sky—defies the elements to bend its will. Its bent trunk attests to a people which have been tested by famine, natural calamities, genocide and foreign wars but have continued to endure as a race. The seal also includes a flying

Proa Proas are various types of multi-hull outrigger sailboats of the Austronesian peoples. The terms were used for native Austronesian ships in European records during the Colonial era indiscriminately, and thus can confusingly refer to the do ...

, a seagoing craft built by the Chamorro people, which was fast and agile in the water requiring great skill to build and sail. The

Hagåtña River The Hagåtña River is a river in the United States territory of Guam. Hagåtña, the capital of Guam, is located at the mouth of the river and associated wetlands form the eastern boundary of the city. The river mouth is depicted on both the Seal ...

channel, where fresh water rushes out to interact with the ocean, symbolizes a willingness to share the resources of the land with others. The permanence of the land mass of Hila'an in the background demonstrates the Chamorro's commitment to their homeland and environment, be it sea or land. Also in the background, "Ritidian" juts majestically into the endless waters of the sea, portraying the people's faithful commitment to passing their proud heritage, culture, and language to the endless sea of

future generations Future generations are cohorts of hypothetical people not yet born. Future generations are contrasted with current and past generations, and evoked in order to encourage thinking about intergenerational equity. The moral patienthood of future ge ...

. Ritidian is often mistaken for Two Lover's point, although the famous location is not visible from the point in Agana Bay.

References

External links

Guamanian culture

1946 establishments in Guam {{Guam-stub

Symbolism

See also

References

External links