In earlier times, when death came to a Chamorro family, it was met at home—with prayer, care, and community. One important custom was the bella (or bela), the overnight vigil held at the home of the deceased. In my own life, I’ve never attended a bella, and neither has Jay—in his family, the last one was held when his grandfather passed away. Have you ever attended a bella, or heard about this tradition from your elders? In this post, we share a story about this traditional practice in Chamorro culture, along with the Chamorro text, an English translation, language footnotes, and an audio narration by Jay Che’le. Happy reading!
Lengguahi-ta 