Category: Chamorro Songs

Håfa Fina’tinánas-mu? by Mick Celis – Kåntan Chamorita Lyrics and English Translation

On By Schyuler LujanIn Chamorro Songs2 Comments

A couple of weeks ago, Tamar Celis shared this kåntan Chamorita with our practice groups. The story behind this song is actually quite sweet: Tamar gave her father a “homework assignment” to make a kåntan Chamorita, and this is what he sent back! Not only is this a delightful song about preparing Chamorro food, but he also uses some older words that we may not hear too often. And it’s also a lovely example of the Chamorro tradition of impromptu musical storytelling about the activities and relationships that make up the fabric of Chamorro life. I so appreciate Tamar’s generosity in sharing this song with our group and allowing me to post it here on the blog.

You can also find Tamar on her YouTube channel, Tamar Agupa’, where she shares her own journey to becoming a Chamorro speaker. If you are looking for inspiration to become a speaker – especially if you have tried several times before – I highly recommend watching her videos. Tamar is honest, approachable, and refreshingly candid about her process, which makes her journey both relatable and motivating.

As always, this post includes the Chamorro song lyrics, an English translation, and language notes for the kåntan Chamorita “Håfa Fina’tinánas-mu?” by Mick Celis. Happy listening!

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Churisus Påkpak by Chilang Delgado – Chamorro Lyrics and English Translation

On By Schyuler LujanIn Chamorro SongsLeave a comment

Two Saturdays ago our evening practice group listened to and transcribed Churisus Påkpak by Chilang Delgado. On the surface, the song appears to be about churisus påkpak, a sausage that is common in Chamorro kitchens and gets its name from the fact that it bursts open when cooked (hence the word påkpak which means “explode” or “pop”). But this is a song full of innuendo, and the churisus påkpak is just imagery to represent something else. It wasn’t until we reached the final lyric that it suddenly clicked for the group what the song is actually talking about. (Jay only had us listen to the audio, as the music video makes the underlying meaning obvious).

This post includes the music video, Chamorro lyrics, an English translation, language notes and a cultural context note for the song Churisus Påkpak by Chilang Delgado. Happy listening!

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Nihi Fan Che’lu by Walter Manglona – Chamorro Lyrics and English Translation

On By Schyuler LujanIn Chamorro SongsLeave a comment

I was recently reminded of this song when Jay and I were walking into the city a few days ago. We often like to have a good walking song, which manifests in either improvising Chamorro lyrics to random tunes (Jay is great at this and I am terrible, haha) or just singing our favorite Chamorro songs. Last week we sang this song, which is fun for walking because it’s sung in a call-and-response style, framing a conversation between two friends trying to decide what to do next. Admittedly, one of the friends in this song seems like a pain, but that’s also what makes the song so fun. Our Saturday evening group actually transcribed this one back in 2024, so it has been sitting deep in our Chamorro music backlog. I’m glad I finally got around to posting it 🙂

So here are the Chamorro lyrics, an English translation (with plenty of notes!) and the audio recording for the song Nihi Fan Che’lu by Walter Manglona. Happy listening!

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Tuma’lu Yu’ Piniti by Maria Naputi Quintanilla – Chamorro Lyrics and English Translation

On By Schyuler LujanIn Chamorro SongsLeave a comment

Last Saturday our Praktikan Pupuengi group listened to another song by Maria Naputi Quintanilla, which is a Chamoro cover of Patsy Kline’s “I Fall to Pieces”. It’s another heartbreak song, where it’s clear the singer’s love interest has moved on. Yet every time they pass by, she feels the pain of heartbreak all over again—Tuma’lu yu’ piniti.

This is another excellent song for beginners who want to strengthen their listening comprehension. As you listen, pay close attention to moments where pronouns are shortened or blended into surrounding words, something that happens often in natural, fluent speech.

As always, this post includes Chamorro lyrics, notes for learners, and an English translation for the song “Tuma’lu Yu’ Piniti” by Maria Naputi Quintanilla. Happy listening!

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Mungnga Masångan by Toni Quitugua – Chamorro Lyrics and English Translation

On By Schyuler LujanIn Chamorro SongsLeave a comment

Last Saturday, Jay led the Praktikan Pupuengi group through listening to and transcribing the love song Mungnga Masångan by Toni Quitugua. This song has long been in rotation on Jay’s Chamorro music playlist, so it felt like a full-circle moment to hear the practice group working through the lyrics together. It’s a great song for beginners—the pacing is slow and the lyrics use simple but emotional language. As always, this post includes Chamorro lyrics, an English translation and language notes. Happy listening!

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