Kao Gaige Hamyo?

It is almost time for Chamorro Month. I'm getting in the mood for it by stretching myself too thin with a sakman-load of projects and presentations. I've also spent the day listening to Chamorro music. Not the usual cha cha style, which has its own merits, but the more conscious Chamorro music. There are so many songs out there that for me have a far greater and deeper message than most Chamorros allows themselves to think about. Those are the songs that fill my soul and keep me going. Johnny Sablan has so many of them. The group Chamorro had half an album filled with them. J.D. Crutch has a couple. K.C. Leon Guerrero one or two. One group which isn't as well known as a group, but is comprised of many famous local musicians is Native Sun, which released the CD "New Horizons." Although most of the songs on the CD are in English it has a definite island feel to it. 

The song that stuck out the most for me was "Ko Gaige Hamyo?" or "Are you there?" It is a song which has a very special guest on it, the late Senator Angel Santos. In the style that you'd expect, his section of the song is a call to action, a cry for Chamorros to wake up and take control of their destiny. 

What better way to prepare for Mes Chamoru than with those words? Maolek na para ta na'liston maisa hit para Mes Chamoru ni i tahdong na fino'-na.

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Anai humanao yu’ lagu, hu hasso tatte, manma’pos siha na tiempo. Anai manmagof i manChamorro. Managofli’e’, manakomprende yan managuaiya, put respetu todus i manChamorro.

Kao gaige hamyo Chamorro?

An ta atan pa’go, hafa guha gi tano’-ta, Manatanges yan manmumu i taotao, i manChamorro. Manmaleleffa, manmalingu, mamatai i respetu i kustrumbre i manChamorro.

Nangga, ti atrasao, Mungga maleffa hayi hamyo. Maila, Hagu yan Guahu. Ta akudi i taotao-ta siha.

Manatanges i guela yan i guelo, ni hafa guaguaha guini gi tano’-ta pa’go. Hafa taimanu u fanla’la’ i famagu’on-ta anggen taya’ ta cho’gue pa’go? Hafa ta nanangga? Ai manu na manggaige hamyo manChamorro? Yanggen ti ta cho’gue hafa pa’go teneki i famagu’on-ta pumulopu todu este i achaki gi mamaila siha na tiempo. Manatanges ham pa’go! Fanmakmata’ Chamorro! Fanohgue Chamorro! Hafa ta nanangga? Fanmakmata’ afanelos amanu na manggaige hamyo!