The Amazing Gådao

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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Kåntan Chamoru: Puntan Yan Fu’una

We cancelled our Saturday evening practice group this week because Jay and I were hosting a language workshop at the 2025 PISA conference. So here is a song that our Saturday evening practice group transcribed a while back, which is the legend of Fu’una and Puntan and the creation of the Mariana Islands, sung by Daniel De Leon Guerrero. If you enjoy Chamorro legends and Chamorro music, you will also want to check out the songs Trongkon Niyok and Åchu’ Natibu. In this post, you’ll find the Chamorro lyrics and an English translation of the song Puntan Yan Fu’una by Daniel De Leon Guerrero. Happy listening!

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