Author: Schyuler Lujan

Learning to speak, read and write Chamorro while creating digital materials to support our worldwide learning community.

Throw Net for Rabbitfish

On By Schyuler LujanIn Chamorro StoriesLeave a comment

This week’s story will turn back to the topics of food and where it comes from, specifically a particular fish that’s well loved by Chamorros. In this short piece, we’ll be reading about a slice of life from a family of four as they prepare at home and venture out together to catch mañåhak, the young rabbitfish. These tiny fish travel in large schools, usually presenting a great prize for the individuals and communities that pour their efforts into catching them. In this post we have the Chamorro text, an English translation, and a Chamorro audio narration by Jay Che’le. Happy reading!

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Kåntan Chamoru: Some Beach

On By Schyuler LujanIn Chamorro SongsLeave a comment

This past Saturday I got to pick the song we transcribed during Praktikan Pupuengi, so I chose this cover of an English song by the same name. I actually prefer this version in Chamorro to the original English song because I think the wordplay is more fun. There was definitely a lot of laughter with this one during our praktika, so I hope you enjoy it too. In this post you’ll find the Chamorro lyrics and an English translation for “Some Beach” by Daniel De Leon Guerrero. Happy listening!

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Plants of Guam, Part 1

On By Schyuler LujanIn Chamorro StoriesLeave a comment

For this week’s Saturday morning practice group, we will be reading through the first half of a book about plants found on Guam, which I found in the KPV Collection. This book certainly does not have everything, so if you are interested in learning about more of the plants found on the Mariana Islands, check out the book Trees and Shrubs of the Mariana Islands, available from UOG Press.

In this post we have the Chamorro text, an English translation, and a Chamorro audio narration by Jay Che’le for the first five plants found in the book Tinanom Siha Giya Guam by Carmen C. Blas. Happy reading!

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Chamorro Concepts and Sayings part 1

On By Schyuler LujanIn Chamorro StoriesLeave a comment

This week, we continue with materials that align to the topics that our practice group wanted to focus on reading. These are selections from Volume 2 of Ginen i Hila’ i Mañaina-ta, the Chamorro Cultural Dictionary publication from the Kumisión i Fino’ CHamoru. The full texts are available through the Commission’s website, but we’ll read today about two common sayings: “Tomorrow is not yours” and “Marry and rest.” You’ll find the Chamorro text and an English translation, along with audio narration from Jay Che’le. Happy reading!

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The Amazing Gådao

On By Schyuler LujanIn Chamorro Legends, Chamorro StoriesLeave a comment

Håfa adai everyone! It has been a quiet 3 weeks here on the blog and in our practice groups, as Jay and I were in Japan for a martial arts training camp with his dojo. Being able to train and sightsee in Japan was an incredible experience, but we are definitely missing the weekly gatherings with our Chamorro learning community. We are finally home and will be starting up our Saturday morning practice group with this Chamorro legend about how Gådao – traditionally from the village of Inalåhan – became the highest of all chiefs on the southern part of Guahan. We found this version in the UOG Digital Archives and Exhibitions collection. This post includes the legend in Chamorro, an English translation, and a Chamorro audio narration by Jay Che’le. Happy reading!

(Updated 8-June-2025 with notes from our Saturday morning practice session.)

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