Chamorro Public Service Post #23: Basta Umagang

A friend of mine Jesse is planning on creating a blog for collecting Chamorro song lyrics. I fully support her in this endeavor. Creating something like this would be a huge public service for the Chamorro community, not just on Guam, but everywhere. One of the main reasons that brings people to my blog is the presence of lyrics for some Chamorro songs here. There aren't many and they have been posted in scattered ways over the years.

Everyday a Chamorro somewhere in the world searches for the lyrics to one of the most famous contemporary Chamorro songs "Apo Magi" by J.D. Crutch. As a result they tend to end up somewhere on this blog. I have some Johnny Sablan lyrics here as well.

Music is the key way the Chamorro language has survived, even if it has started to die out in so many other facets of Guam life. It is something that even those don't speak the language enjoy and appreciate. It has helped keep the language as something you hear around the island. You can hear it in stores, restaurants and parties. It has something which has great potential in terms of helping teach the language, but has not really been utilized. Many people are in Chamorro bands or Chamorro chant groups unfortunately don't often understand the very things they are saying.

A blog that is dedicated to providing this type of information could be very important. It would be a place where those seeking to use songs to increase their fluency could find the Chamorro lyrics but also English translations. Songs can be easier to remember and they also offer the chances for different types of grammar to exist side by side. They can give you insights into how to use slang or turns of phrase.

The problem has always been a lack of resources. If you don't speak Chamorro and aren't used to hearing the language, songs can be very difficult to translate, whether because the pace is too fast or because the recording may not be high quality.

In order to help Jesse get started with her blog, I decided to write up the lyrics for my current favorite Chamorro song "Basta Umagang" or "Enough calling" by KC Leon Guerrero from the album Sais Anos. My apologies that it wasn't typed up properly with all the proper orthographical marks.

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Umagang yu’ Nene guatu
Gi gima’-miyu
Ai Si Nana-mu yu’ umoppe
Hu faisen Si Nana-mu
Amanu hao na gaige?
Ilek-na hagas hao ha’ taigue
Hu faisen Si Nana-mu
Ai amanu
Na sina hu sodda’ hao Nene?

Estague ilek-na
Si Nana-mu
Guihi mismo na puenge
Basta umagang magi
Sa’ o’son yu’ mandagi
Achokka’ gaige ilek-hu na taigue
Basta umagang magi
Ai lokkue’ lahi
Ti un kinientusi

Umagang yu’ ta’lo Nene
Gi sigiente diha
Si Nana-mu yu’ ta’lo umoppe
Sigi yu’ di ha lalatde
Ilek-na “Hafa lahi?”
“Kao ti sina yu’ un komprende?”
Achokka’ kuanto biahi
Hao umagang magi
Ai ti ineppe nu I hagga-hu

Estague ilek-na
Si Nana-mu
Guihi mismo na puenge
Basta umagang magi
Sa’ o’son yu’ mandagi
Achokka’ gaige ilek-hu na taigue
Basta umagang magi
Ai lokkue’ lahi
Ti un kinientusi

Umagang yu’ ta’lo guatu gi gima’-miyu
I che’lu-mu pa’go umoppe
Hu faisen gui’ put Hagu
Umentalo’ Si Nana-mu
Ilek-na na bai hu na’uttimo este na inagang-mu
Tuhu I lago’-hu
Puti gi korason-hu
Annai ha sangani yu’ ta’lo

Estague ilek-na
Si Nana-mu
Guihi mismo na puenge
Basta umagang magi
Sa’ o’son yu’ mandagi
Achokka’ gaige ilek-hu na taigue
Basta umagang magi
Ai lokkue’ lahi
Ti un kinientusi

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