As the Lenten season draws to a close, we’re featuring a story rooted in the intersection of Chamorro cultural traditions and Catholicism – the tale of the Lenten Boar. This fearsome and gigantic jungle creature was traditionally used by elders to teach children respect for the sacredness of Lent, warning them to follow the season’s rules or risk encountering the Babuen Kuaresma (the Lenten Boar). Consequences would include being bitten by the Babuen Kuaresma, or else being swallowed whole. Ray Barcinas, who grew up hearing tales of the Babuen Kuaresma, also said that his elders warned that if you were swallowed by the boar, you would not die, but you would be forced to witness your family’s life – without you in it. In this story I Babuen Kuaresma written by Ray Barcinas, Jesus Lujan and Velma Santos, we get to read about this distinctly Chamorro creature. It is easy to imagine oneself as a young Chamorro child while reading this piece, sitting and listening to the elders’ warnings about the Babuen Kuaresma.

This post includes the Chamorro text, a Chamorro audio narration by Jay Che’le and Schyuler Lujan, an English translation, and translation notes provided by Jesus Lujan. We will also be receiving more translation notes from Ray Barcinas after Easter. Please note that the English translation focuses on giving the meaning and does not preserve the internal and external rhyme schemes found in the original Chamorro. Happy reading!