The Richard Flores Taitano Micronesian Area Research Center (MARC) at the University of Guam announces the next installment in its seminar series, the screening and discussion of a short documentary entitled, I Tinituhon: Rediscovering Fo’na & Pontan on Tuesday, March 29, 2016 at 6:00 p.m. in the UOG CLASS Lecture Hall.  

The event will open with remarks from Brandon L. Cruz, M.A., who made the film, followed by a chant about the creation story called I Tinituhon by the I Fanlalai’an Oral History Project. Then the short documentary will premiere followed by a panel discussion featuring a diverse panel, who will engage the audience in an open dialogue about the Chamoru creation story and the symbolism behind it. Panel members include, Leonard Iriarte, Sainan Menenhalom Manlålai Chamorro, Jeremy Cepeda, Educator, Manny Cruz, Graduate Student, Videographer, and Rlene Santos-Steffy, Ethnographer, Oral Historian, MARC Research Associate.

“The creation story is an important story that gives insight to a culture and its people,” says Cruz, who explained that the various spellings of the two main characters in the creation story have led to differing pronunciations and interpretations of the story over the years.

Considering that historical writings noted various spellings based on the writing system of the observers, Cruz decided to analyze historical and contemporary understandings of the creation story by weaving together linguistic and cultural knowledge from traditional and academic scholars, whom he interviews in the documentary.

“This film aims to provide a more enlightening understanding of the creation story and its main characters for the Taotao Håya,” Cruz concludes.   

For more information please contact LaVonne Guerrero-Meno at (671) 735-2150 or lavonneg@uguam.uog.edu.