This story is a pen-pal letter from a third-grader named Maria to Mariko, a student in Japan. This letter is actually the opening segment of a chapter taken from a geography book from the Northern Mariana Islands. This post includes the Chamorro text, a Chamorro audio narration by Jay Che’le, and an English translation. Enjoy!

Kirida Mariko’

Ginen i lepblu I Ge’ografi’an i Islå-ta
Tinige’ as Dolores Marciano & Vicente Mettao, Pinenta as Joy Nagata & J. Tome

Kirida Mariko’ ,

I na’an-hu si Maria. Gaige yu’ gi mina’tres na grådu. Malago’ yu’ para ta amiga na dos. Kao siña un sangåni yu’ pot Hapon? Kao magåhet na dangkolo-ña na meggagai achok ha’ mana’fandanña’ todu i isla siha gi halom Mariånas?

Estague’ i mapan i islå-ku. Malago’ yu’ para bai hu sangåni hao pot Saipan. Guaha meggai na lugåt ni mambunitu para u ma bisita nu i turis, taotao-måmi yan taotao san hiyong siha lokkue’. Meggai siha na kosas yan otro siha tat komu tinanom siña un li’e’.

I mås takkilo’ na lugåt gi islan-måmi i sabåna. Gof fresko guini hulo’ gi sabåna. Yanggen tumohge hit pat gaige hit gi sabåna siña’ ha’ ta li’e’ meggai siha na lugat ni mambunitu. Guaha ha’ siha mandikike’ na okso’. Manakpapa’ este siha lugat kinu i sabåna. Siña ha’ un li’e’ siha i liyang, mambunitu siha na liyang ginen i ladera siha gi kanton i isla. Guaha lokkue’ mannakkilo’ yan manmalaktos siha na ladera ni humånånao påpa’ esta i tasi.

Gaige i tasi na ha uriyåyåyi i islan-måmi. Bunitu na rubentasion prumutetehi i islan-måmi ginen i metgot na tåsi yanggen båba i tiempo. Bunitu yan sen å’paka’ i inai-måmi siha gi kanton tasi. Gåsgas yan klåra i laguna gi halom i rubentasion. Gaige i laguna gi entalo’ i kanton unai yan anai mamakta’ i napu. I rubentasion yanggen må’te’ siña ha’ hao mamokkat huyong gi tasi sin un ma’å’ñao na un matmos.

Guaha ha’ såguan-mami ni humånånao ha’ hålom esta i bantalån para i mandångkolo siha na båtko. Kana’ manggaige siha i taotao gi san lagu na påtte gi islan-måmi na mañåsaga. Siña ha’ un li’e’ meggai na guma’ yan songsong siha gi san lagu na påtte gi islan-måmi. Gi talolo’ gi islan-måmi nai gaige i hagoi. Guaha meggai na guihan gi halom este na saddok. Meggai lokkue’ na paluma ni manmachålek mañåsaga guini na hagoi. Siña ha’ lokkue’ manli’e hao å’paka’ siha na ngånga’ palao.

Gi san haya na påtte gi islan-måmi guaha un buniton bakåna. Bunitu siha na lugåt gi kanton anai siña un bisita guini gi san haya na påtte gi islan-måmi. Lao gi san kattan na påtte gi islan-måmi puru ha ladera ni mansen lokka’, guaha na humånao ha’ påpa’ esta i halom tasi.

Guaha meggai na lugåt ni manenteresånte siña un bisita guini gi islan-måmi. Guaha un lugåt yan sen enteresante este na åcho’. Ma’å’å’gang este na åcho’ “Old Man by the Sea.” Un troson åcho’ taimanu ha’ figuran i fason bihu.

Gaige otro lugåt ni ma’å’å’gang Grotto. Ginen i tasi yanggen un atan guatu kulang mohon un liyang i figurå-ña. Yanggen un atan påpa’ ginen hilo’ kulang mohon un lili’e un takuren hanom maipe’. Gi uttemon este na lugåt yanggen tumunok hao para un bisita gaige i hanom tasi. Gof bunitu na lugåt. Kulang ha’ sagan pool, klåru na asut kulot-ña. Humåhålom i hanom ginen i tasi gi san hiyong i pachot i liyang. Meggai turis yan taotao-måmi manmafåtto mågi guini na lugåt para u fano’mak. Guaha ayu pot para u li’e’ ha’ i gatbo na lugåt.

Bai hu kontinua otro biahi tumuge’ hao ya bai hu sangåni hao pot este i bunitu na islan-måmi. Pot fabot tuge’i yu’ ya un sangåni yu’ pot i islå-mu. Kao parehu ha’ yan i islan-måmi? Kao guaha laguna? Kao guaha kånton tasi yan ladera siha? Kao guaha sabånan-miyu yan okso’?

Håfa adai,
Maria

Dear Mariko

Dear Mariko,

My name is Maria. I am in the third grade. I want to be your pen pal. Can you tell me about Japan? Is it really as big as all of the Marianas Islands together?

Here is a map of my island. I want to tell you about Saipan. There are many beautiful places to go. There are many beautiful things to see.

The mountains are the highest part of our island. It is cool on top of the mountains. We can see beautiful views from the mountains. The hills are lower than the mountains. There are high cliffs on the edge of the mountains. We can find caves along the cliffs.

The ocean around our island is also beautiful. The reef protects our island from the rough sea, and there are long sandy beaches. Between the reef and the shore is the lagoon. The water in the lagoon is clean and clear. At low tide it is shallow and you can walk into the water without fear of drowning.

There is a channel through the reef so that the big ships can come into the harbor. Most of the people live on the west side of the island. You can see many houses and villages on the west side. In the center of our island there ls a lake. There are many fish in the lake and many wild birds live there. You can even see white ducks.

On the east side of the island is a beautiful bay. You can enjoy the beautiful white sandy beaches there. But to the north there are steep cliffs which drop into the sea.

There are many interesting places to visit on our island. One is an interesting rock called the Old Man by the Sea. It is a big rock which looks like the face of an old man.

Another is the Grotto. From the ocean it looks like a cave but if you look down from above it looks like a tea kettle. At the bottom there is a beautiful blue ocean. Many tourists and islanders walk down the steep path to swim in the pool. Others just enjoy the beautiful view.

I will tell you more about our island next time. Please write and tell me about your island. Is it the same as ours? Do you have a lagoon? Do you have beaches or a rocky coast? Do you have hills and mountains?

Håfa adai,
Maria

References