Guinahan i Tano'

One of my favorite songs lately is "Guinahan i Tano'" from Taotao Tano'. I first heard the song earlier this year at Dinana' Minagof, when it was performed as the finale for the event. It was truly an inspiring moment, as all the house leaders from the Pa'a network gathered together. My heart pounded fiercely within my chest as they were singing, representing in both their performance and their existence the possibilities for the Chamorro people. The realm of dance is a place where Chamorros have experienced an incredible and inspiring turn around in recent years. Chamorros went from having no dances, to today having dance traditions and dance masters. The influence of Taotao Tano' has even spread to at least one other country. In Japan there is a house of Pa'a Taotao Tano', named appropriately enough, "Guma' i Kinahulo' i Atdao" or "House of the Rising Sun." Taotao Tano' does not only dance and sing though, they also work within the community, even conducting studies on the state of Chamorro language, and last year completing a project to collect, preserve and distribute Chamorro music.

The lyrics for the song are below.

********************


Guinahan i Tano’

by Frank Rabon, Vince San Nicolas, Jacob Navarro, Peter Constantino

Hungok i paharun i tano’, i kinalamten siha
I tano’ sumosteni i taotao-ta
I manglo’ chumalappon i simiya
I guinahan i tano’, mo’na kahulo’, i simiyan lina’la’

La’la’ i aniten i taotao tano’
Manmetgot, manmenhalom na taotao

Sen gefpago na tano’
Sen menhalom na tano’
Taihinekkok na tano’
Miguinaha na tano’

I guinahan I tano’
Gi sanhaya yan lagu
Gi sankattan yan luchan
Ta prutehi i guinaha
Para i lina’la-ta
Para i famagu’on-ta
Ginen i manaina-ta
Prutehi i guinaha

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