A wedding day is a celebration of love, commitment, and the promises made between two people. This heartfelt song by Daniel De Leon Guerrero captures that moment in the Chamorro language. Our Saturday evening practice group transcribed this song together last night, and while the slower pace made us expect an easier listening comprehension exercise, there were still words here and there that were tricky to catch. But we all helped each other out, as we always do 🙂 This post includes Chamorro lyrics and an English translation for the song Kasamientu by Daniel De Leon Guerrero. Happy listening!
| Måttu i ha’åni, neni kasamiento-ta | The day arrived, baby, of our wedding |
| Si Yu’us hit u binendisi mo’na neni gi karerå-ta | God will bless us ahead, baby, in our journey |
| Para todus i tiempo mo’na gi lina’lå-ta | For all time ahead in our life |
| Ilek-ña si påle’ ai nu guahu, | The priest said, oh, to me, |
| “Ai na’usa ni aniyu-mu | “Make [her] use your ring |
| Yon1 ripiti i fino’-hu, | And you will repeat my words, |
| Na kucha’ popbli hao pat riku | That whether you are poor or rich |
| Pat låhi ai malångu2 | Or, boy, oh if [she] is sick |
| Ai no ngai’an3 hao na un dingu | Oh, you will never leave [her] |
| Ai hågu ha’ bai hu guaiya | Oh only you I will love |
| Esta hilu’ naftan-hu” | Until the top of my grave” |
| Ai gof magof yu’ na ora | Oh, I am so happy at this hour |
| Sa’ esta yu’ un aksepta | Because you already accepted me |
| Gi me’nan as Yu’us ya me’nan i familia | In front of God and in front of the family |
| Ai hågu ha’ bai hu guaiya | Oh, only you I will love |
| Para todus tiempu | For all time |
| Ilek-ña si påle’ ai nu guahu, | The priest said, oh, to me, |
| “An un usa i aniyu | “If you use the ring |
| Ripiti i fino’-hu, | Repeat my words, |
| Na kucha’ popbli’ hao ai pat riku | That whether you are poor or rich |
| Pat palao’an sen malångu4 | Or, woman, if [he] is very sick |
| No ngai’an hao na hu dingu’ | I will never leave you |
| Ya esti bai prumeti hao | And this I will promise you |
| Esta i hilu’ naftan-hu | Until the top of my grave” |
| Pues måtto i ha’ånen, neni, i kasamiento-ta | The day arrived, baby, of our wedding |
| Si Yu’os hit u binendisi mo’na neni gi karerå-ta | God will bless us ahead, baby, in our journey |
| Para todus i tiempo esta i finatai-ta | For all time, until our death |
| Ai para todus i tiempo esta i finatai-ta | Oh, for all time until our death |
Notes
1 Yon: This is a contraction of ya un (and you). (back to lyrics)
2 Pat låhi ai malångu: This section is the equivalent of the “in sickness [and in health]” section of wedding vows in English. We interpreted it to be from the perspective of the man promising to be with his spouse even if she becomes ill. (back to lyrics)
3 no ngai’an: This is ni ngai’an, which means “never.” The pronunciation of the first word is changed to nu. (back to lyrics)
4 Pat palao’an sen malångu: Similar to note 2, we interpreted this to be from the perspective of the woman promising to be with her spouse, even if he becomes ill. (back to lyrics)
Lengguahi-ta 