La'la'la' Ha' i Fino' Chamorro
Each semester I have my higher level Chamorro major classes write letters to the editor of the local newspapers, gi fino' Chamorro. They write these about pertinent issues affecting the island. Once they are finished, I encourage them to submit them to either the Pacific Daily New or the Guam Daily Post. They are rarely published. Even though there are supposed to be two official languages for Guam, Chamorro and English, in practice this is rarely the case. Chamorro is scarcely given the support or the recognition in public, private or commercial spheres per its status as the indigenous or native language of the land.
Still I was happy last December (12/22/16) when the Pacific Daily News published these two letters from my students and did not require the publication of English translations as if common.
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Put ayu na rason na ma eppok i fino’ Englis. Lao man fifino’ Chamoru ha’ gi gima’. Meggai ti man fifino’ Chamoru lao ma komprende palu sa’ ma huhungok ha’ gi uriyan-ñiha piot gi dinaña’ siha.
Ni ngai’an na u nahong håfa ma chocho’gue para uma såtba i lengguåhi lao ta fan kontentu na ma chachagi. Lameggai man malago’ fumino’ Chamoru sa’ ma tattitiyi pat man nasaonao gi prugråma siha. Bula matiriåt ma fattitinas ya ma gof agradesi i taotao sa’ duru ma eppok pat ma gaståyi.
Ginen i korason siempre i sinatban lengguåhi. An gai banidosu i taotao nu i raså-ña, tåya ti u chagi para u ketungo’ i lengguåhi-ña pat kotturå-ña. I taotao-ta man gai banidosu nu i taotao-ta, islå-ta, kotturå-ta, yan i lengguåhi-ta.
Måtai i lengguåhi-ta an måtai i taotao-ta lao man metgot i man CHamoru para uma’ puno’ pues ni ngai’an na u ma puno’ i lengguåhi-ta.
MyraJean Aguon is a resident of Mangilao.
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Desde dinikike’-hu na påtgon, ti gef tungo’ yu’ fumino’ CHamoru. Ti hu gef tungo’ hayi yu’ na CHamoru. Hu atendi eskuelan Katoliku gi todu i lina’lå-hu, ya tåya’ na ma ufrersi I lengguåhen CHamoru pat Historian Guåhan gi klas-hu siha.
Anai esta magradua yu’ gi eskuelå-hu, hu atendi Unibetsedåt Guåhan ya hu chule' todu i klas siha put i historia yan lengguåhen Chamoru. Migai na infotmasión nu i taotao-hu, lengguåhe, yan kottura na hu resibi ginen todu i maestra/maestro-ku siha. Åntes di hu chule’ ayu todu i klas siha, hinengge’-ku na ti impotante este sa’ hagas parehu hinasso’-ku yan i hinasson as Paul Zerzan.
Anai esta monhåyan yu’ todu i klas-hu siha, hu sodda hafa umespipiha. Gi durånten ayu na tiempo, hu sodda na impotånte este. Impotånte sa’ estegue’ ma polo tåtte para hami i mannatibu; i manåguen, guinahan, yan hinengge ginen i mantaotaomo’na ni manmofo’na. På’go, siña hu sångan na hu tungo’ hayi yu’ na CHamoru sa’ hu tungo’ i lenguåhe-hu!
Para I hinechom, ya-hu para bai hu sanganni hao, siñot Paul Zerzan, mungga fumino’ baba i lengguåhe-hu. Gaige hao gi tano’-hu sa’ hu aksepta hao guini. Respeta yu’ yan hami i manchamoru gi tano’-måmi sa’ esta in nå’i hao i respetun-måmi anai måtto hao guini giya Guåhan.
Joseph Garrido is a resident of Dededo.
Still I was happy last December (12/22/16) when the Pacific Daily News published these two letters from my students and did not require the publication of English translations as if common.
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Chamorros can keep our language alive
Preba na ti Chamorro i sumåsangan na måtai esta i lengguåhi-ta. Ginen ma na’ påra ma na’setbe i fino’-ta gi tiempon mannaina-hu. Ma konbinsi i guella yan guello na an malago’ siha na ufan malåte’ i famagu’on-ñiha, debi di u fan fino’ Englis ha’.Put ayu na rason na ma eppok i fino’ Englis. Lao man fifino’ Chamoru ha’ gi gima’. Meggai ti man fifino’ Chamoru lao ma komprende palu sa’ ma huhungok ha’ gi uriyan-ñiha piot gi dinaña’ siha.
Ni ngai’an na u nahong håfa ma chocho’gue para uma såtba i lengguåhi lao ta fan kontentu na ma chachagi. Lameggai man malago’ fumino’ Chamoru sa’ ma tattitiyi pat man nasaonao gi prugråma siha. Bula matiriåt ma fattitinas ya ma gof agradesi i taotao sa’ duru ma eppok pat ma gaståyi.
Ginen i korason siempre i sinatban lengguåhi. An gai banidosu i taotao nu i raså-ña, tåya ti u chagi para u ketungo’ i lengguåhi-ña pat kotturå-ña. I taotao-ta man gai banidosu nu i taotao-ta, islå-ta, kotturå-ta, yan i lengguåhi-ta.
Måtai i lengguåhi-ta an måtai i taotao-ta lao man metgot i man CHamoru para uma’ puno’ pues ni ngai’an na u ma puno’ i lengguåhi-ta.
MyraJean Aguon is a resident of Mangilao.
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It’s important to know the Chamorro language
Hu tutuge’ I inippe’-hu para si siñot Paul Zerzan yan I tininge’-ña put i lengguåhen CHamoru. Ha såsångan na esta matai i lengguåhen CHamoru ya malago’ yu’ para bai hu sangani hamyo i estoriå-hu sa’ este na estoria fumanu’i na ti matai lengghuåhen CHamoru.Desde dinikike’-hu na påtgon, ti gef tungo’ yu’ fumino’ CHamoru. Ti hu gef tungo’ hayi yu’ na CHamoru. Hu atendi eskuelan Katoliku gi todu i lina’lå-hu, ya tåya’ na ma ufrersi I lengguåhen CHamoru pat Historian Guåhan gi klas-hu siha.
Anai esta magradua yu’ gi eskuelå-hu, hu atendi Unibetsedåt Guåhan ya hu chule' todu i klas siha put i historia yan lengguåhen Chamoru. Migai na infotmasión nu i taotao-hu, lengguåhe, yan kottura na hu resibi ginen todu i maestra/maestro-ku siha. Åntes di hu chule’ ayu todu i klas siha, hinengge’-ku na ti impotante este sa’ hagas parehu hinasso’-ku yan i hinasson as Paul Zerzan.
Anai esta monhåyan yu’ todu i klas-hu siha, hu sodda hafa umespipiha. Gi durånten ayu na tiempo, hu sodda na impotånte este. Impotånte sa’ estegue’ ma polo tåtte para hami i mannatibu; i manåguen, guinahan, yan hinengge ginen i mantaotaomo’na ni manmofo’na. På’go, siña hu sångan na hu tungo’ hayi yu’ na CHamoru sa’ hu tungo’ i lenguåhe-hu!
Para I hinechom, ya-hu para bai hu sanganni hao, siñot Paul Zerzan, mungga fumino’ baba i lengguåhe-hu. Gaige hao gi tano’-hu sa’ hu aksepta hao guini. Respeta yu’ yan hami i manchamoru gi tano’-måmi sa’ esta in nå’i hao i respetun-måmi anai måtto hao guini giya Guåhan.
Joseph Garrido is a resident of Dededo.
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