Tag: Jay Che'le

The Canary and The Chungi’

On By Schyuler LujanIn Chamorro Stories1 Comment

Here is a charming tale of friendship between the canary and the chungi’, which in English is known as the white tern. I’m excited for our Saturday practice group to read this story because it really made me smile, and it reads like a happy folktale telling us how the two birds became friends. This story is from the book Istreyas MariÃ¥nas: Chamorro, written by Joaquin Flores Borja, Manuel Flores Borja, and Sandra Chung. Physical copies may be scarce, but thankfully we are able to access a digital copy on the Inetnun Kutturan Natibun Marianas website.

This post includes the Chamorro text, a Chamorro audio narration by Jay Che’le, and an English translation. Please also note that this story follows the CNMI orthography. I have also added stress marks to some words, to make it easier for learners to see the stress placement. Happy reading!

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The Beautiful Woman at the Well

On By Schyuler LujanIn Chamorro StoriesLeave a comment

This story evokes elements of the legend of the scented woman or the white lady, and we’ll be reading it this Saturday in our morning practice group. It’s another story from the KPV Collection (details below) which has been an invaluable resource for our practice groups. I’ve marked this story at the Intermediate Level, but the grammar isn’t too complex, so it’s also great for upper-level beginners who know a fair amount of common vocabulary and have famliarity with reduplication and plural man- prefixes.

As always, this post includes the Chamorro text, an audio narration in Chamorro by Jay Che’le, and an English translation. Happy reading!

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The Girl Who Turned Into Ash

On By Schyuler LujanIn Chamorro StoriesLeave a comment

Here is a Chamorro story about a girl named Rita who turned into ash. In this story we read a cautionary tale about making sure we understand what is actually important in life. Our actions ultimately reveal what we hold dear, and sometimes it can be too late to take things back once they have been said or done.

This post includes the Chamorro text, a Chamorro audio narration by Jay Che’le, and an English translation. Happy reading!

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Legend: How the Young Women of Guam Saved the Island

On By Schyuler LujanIn Chamorro Legends, Chamorro StoriesLeave a comment

Here is a Chamorro legend that tells us why the middle of the island of Guam is so skinny. It is definitely a beloved legend, as it celebrates the intelligence and courage of Chamorro women. This version combines storytelling from two different versions of this legend I found in the KPV Collection in their Education & Culture Content section (sources detailed below). But the majority uses the version from Dolores I. Marciano.

In this post you’ll find the Chamorro text, a Chamorro audio narration by Jay Che’le, an English translation, and a Quizlet flashcard set for learning the affixed words. Happy reading!

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Legend: The Story of the Coconut

On By Schyuler LujanIn Chamorro Legends, Chamorro StoriesLeave a comment

March is Mes Chamoru on Guam, so Biba Mes Chamoru! What do you all have planned for celebrating Chamorro culture and language this March? On this blog, I’m hoping to share some new Chamorro stories, in addition to the weekly stories I post here for our Saturday practice group. For me, this month is all about trying to spark our imaginations in the Chamorro language 🙂

To get us started for Mes Chamoru, here is the Legend of the Coconut, which we will be reading and translating in our morning practice group this Saturday. This post includes the Chamorro text, Chamorro audio narration by Jay Che’le, an English translation, and two Quizlet flashcard decks – one for learning affixed words, and another to learn the phrase chunks. Happy reading!

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