Dozens gathered at the Ypao Beach Park Saturday afternoon to participate in the Guam Nikkei Association's 12th annual Lantern Floating Ceremony, an event that remembers loved ones who died, embraces love, understanding and inafamaolek.
Felicitie Quilitis said she and her group of friends first participated in the event two years ago, since then it has become a heartfelt tradition.
"In my opinion, doing this really gives peace, outside is therapeutic and it's the aesthetic of Guam with our lanterns shows everyone how good it is and it's pretty," she added.
The Guam Nikkei Association said that each year the ceremony brings together people from all walks of life to share in peace, remembrance and cultural reflection. The ceremony provides an opportunity for individuals and families to honor loved ones who have died, while embracing the universal themes of hope, peace, love, joy and understanding.
The lanterns carried personal messages, pictures of loved ones, and messages of hope.
Moments before the proa-shaped lanterns were lit by the flame of the latte stone, the Guam Nikkei Association Sanjay Dewan shared the personal loss of his mother who died in 2022 of cancer.
"It's 2026 now and all of us have moms, some of them has passed and some of them are still here, we don't know their full value until they're gone," he said.
Since 2022, it has been difficult for Dewan and his siblings to speak about their mother without emotional, noting that they are in some ways still grieving. During the ceremony, he read a letter he wrote to his mom, Bina Dewan, who he has always fondly called "Mommy."
He said he finds comfort in knowing that she has "returned to God."
Following the personal stories shared, attendees carefully carried their illuminated lanterns to the shore releasing them into the ocean, each carrying a story.
The Guam Nikkei said that the lanterns symbolize "remembrance, enduring love, and the lasting light of those who remain in our hearts."