The Guam Flag Essay, Research Paper

The Guam Flag First impressions are important. Just as people tend to size you up by your appearance, so are they inclined to judge your culture and heritage. The Guam flag is a resemblance of my culture and heritage. It is simple but indigenous to the people of Guam.Governor Roy C. Smith approved the design as the Official Coat of Arms for the territory of Guam on July 4, 1917. April 4, 1930 was the formal adoption date of the official Seal of the Territory of Guam, under the administration of Governor Willis W. Bradley. The seal was designed in the city of Agana, Guam from a scene where the diverted Agana River formerly empties into the Philippine Sea in a spot known as the Navy Yard Reservations. Following a disastrous typhoon, which left only a coconut tree standing, this setting inspired the design for the official Seal of Guam. The dimensions of the flag are thirty-four inches by sixty inches with a three inch red border all around. Set within the red border is dark blue and in the center is an oval shape that measures twenty-six inches by seventeen inches with a one inch red border. The oval is filled with symbols that represents the people of Guam and its rich culture and heritage. The river channel flows intothe sea and is surrounded by unfertile yellow orange sand on each side. To the right of the oval sits a coconut tree with its brown trunk slightly bent to the left and then straightened into the sky. The green fronds on the tree spreads into the sky with its fruit nestled in the center of the

fronds. The Flying Proa, a seagoing craft built by the Chamorro people measures three inches by one-half inch, the base is red with five yellow orange half circles one-quarter inch apart, with a white sail, raised and anchored in the middle of the sea. On the background, a common tourist attraction known as Two Lover Point juts majestically into the endless waters of the sea. A field of light blue represents Guam’s unity with the sea and sky. Each symbol of the Guam flag represents its culture and heritage. The oval represents a Chamorro sling stone used as a weapon for warfare and hunting. The coconut tree growing on infertile sand, symbolizes self-sustenance and determination to grow and survive under any circumstances, 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 Flying Proa, which was fast and agile in the water, required great skill to build and sail. The River 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 landmass in the background demonstrates the Chamorro’s commitment to their homeland and environment. This is my rendition of the Guam flag, I am very proud to say Guam is my home and home is where I would like to be someday.