Poisonous Palåyi Waters

I have been working for about two years now on a social studies textbook for UOG Press. This is a part of a project that aims to create locally and regionally focused social studies textbooks for each elementary school grade. In the past there have been a few different social studies textbooks, but often times they were aimed at multiple grades or were focused more on Guam History as opposed to being solid social studies texts. This project is exciting and challenging on many levels. 

The grade I am working on is fourth grade, which is fortunate for me, since it is the grade when students are supposed to get their first focused taste of Guam History. It is, gi minagahet, very exciting. I get to use everything from Guam History, to Chamoru language, to legends and local parables to get students connected to the world around them and understand how to be an effective, productive and critical part of your community. 

In the first two units, one thing that I have tried to use alot of are legends. I use them to bring out different issues, such as morals and lessons for a community or a family. I also use them to highlight things of cultural value to Chamorus over time. I use them to provide lessons on how to behave appropriately and what type of behaviors tend to weaken a community and why kind tend to empower or strengthen it. 

I used one legend, about a particular rock in the village of Agat as one such example. In it, two fishermen go out to fish during the rainy seasons using a certain type of plant and its sap to make it easier to fish by poisoning the fish. The fishermen soon get caught in a terrible storm and are lost at sea. In some versions of this story the area where they were lost is cursed and you can still smell the plant they used in the area. 

Here is a version of the story gi Fino' Chamoru, courtesy of Peter Ondera. 

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I Lihenden Åcho’ Palåyi

By Peter Onedera

 

Tiempon Fanuchånan. Meggai guihan gi I saddok yan bula lokkue’ gi i tasi. 

 

Ha diside este i dos na peskådot para u huyong gi i tasi ya u peska guihan siha ni’ kantida gi i duranten este na tiempo. 

 

Ha hålla i galaide’-ñiha ya ma na’listo siha i trastes-ñiha pumeska. 

 

Despues, humålom i dos galaide’ ya ma tulos siha huyong astaki gaige i dos gi tahdong na hånom.

 

Guaha na ma na’setbe ni’ peskådot siha i palåyi yan i hayu-ña para u ma tåtse i guihan pues 

u ma konne’ ni’ lagua’-ñiha. 

 

Put i tiempon fanuchånan, ha tutuhun gui’ i lamlam yan i hilo ya ma diside ni’ dos na u ma bira siha tåtte gi tano’. 

 

Dururu i dos ma tulos i galaide’-ñiha lao esta sen atburutao i tasi ya lu’han na ti u ma hago’ guatu i inai. Ha fakcha’i i galaide’ un kalåktos åcho’ gi tahdong na hånom. 

 

Ma yute’ i trastes-ñiha ya duru ma lupok huyong i hanom. 

 

Annai pumåra i uchan, muma’lak i semnak ya ayu na matungo’ ni’ taotao i sengsong na måtmos i dos peskådot ya lokkue’ taigue i galaide’-ñiha.

 

Humuyong un dångkolon åcho’ gi halom hånom ya ma fa’na’an este na åcho’ palåyi.

 

Ma tungo’ ni’ peskådot na piligru i hanom yan siempre hafñot i tasi.