Language and identity

The following are the winning pieces in the essay contest held by the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs’ Chamorro/Carolinian Policy Commission to promote indigenous languages in the Commonwealth. The contest was held on Feb. 24.

Meta e welepakk sibwe kkepasal Refaluwasch rel?

Mwaliyasch Refalawasch nge eghi prisisu sibwe ghuleey bwe iyel yaasch IDENTITY me kkosch me eew malawasch ghisch aramasal Seipel. Sibwe abwaari me amalawa mwaliyasch leel olighat, fatattaral iimw, gangisch nge mwetelo mmwal nge sibwe kki yaali schagh.

Kkapasal Refalawasch nge eghi ris ngare lling sibwe ghuleey, ewww schagh llingil mille falawasch Seipel. Eyoor malekka re weweti mwaliyasch nge reitto me yeew soobw. Ngare si ataraalo mwaliyasch nge sa yaya amarakanu ebwe maalo mwaliyasch ebwe le totto bwe saabw ghisch lo Refaluwasch, bwal yeew ebwe angawalo kosch, malawasch, mwoliyasch. Eghi ghatch ngare olongeer Refaluwasch re yali mwoliyasch bwe sibwe amalawa me sibwe abwari bwe ghisch aramasal wol Seipel.

Iwe iyel schagh ghulaay yaay rel aiyegh yel, sibwe lol me yaya kkapasal Refaluwasch bwe iyel schagh mille sibwe kki schuu, tipiyeew, abwari, me angula bwe iyel schagh kosch me malawasch nge esoobw kki maa sangi ghisch.

Olomwaay!

Iischiyal: Macheila Kaipat
4th grade, GTC Elementary School
Ms. Serene Kaipat
First place

Eghi prisisu bwe sibwe kke kkepas Refaluwasch bwe ebwe kke malaw schaagh yaasch kko. Nisita bwe sibwe amalawa yaasch kko bwe yaasch aramas rebwe ghi mamaw llol korasonar. Ngare si kke kkepas Refaluwasch llo schaagh nge ghiisch me yaasch maghuf ebwe tumogh sangiir alongeer aramas, bwe ghiisch mile si kke amamaw yaasch kko. Me bwal yaasch aramas alongeer aramas, bwe ghiisch mile si kke amamaw yaasch kko. Me bwal yaasch aramas ebwe mwaal ngaliir bwe rebwe ira bwe iir Refaluwasch nge rebwe ira me yaar PRIDE. Nge ngare si amalawa yaasch kkepas nge ngare re ra mwetsangiighiisch ilaasch me samaasch nge rebwe faaltiiw me weilang nge rebwe amamamaw yaar ira “Ngaang Refaluwasch”. Nge ngare si amalawa yaasch kkepas nge ngare re ra mwetsangiighiisch ilaasch me samaasch nge rebwe faaltiiw me weilang nge rebwe ghi maghuf. Ebwal prisisu bwe subwe kkepasal Refalawasch bwe ghiisch Refaluwasch. Sibwe bwal abwari ngaaliir alongeer aramas bwe eyoor yaasch tchaal Refaluwasch. Nge ebwe kke yoor llo schaagh. Ghiisch Refaluwasch pews sa amamawa meta ghiisch. Sibwe kke aghomwai yaasch kko me kkepas bwe meta ghiisch ngare esa yoor llo yaasch kkepas. Esoor! Ngare si mwuschel bwe yaasch kko ebwe mwetalo mwaal, pews sibwe kke kkepas, mwe bwal abwungiir alongeer bwe mwal akkabwung maas bwe ebwe malaw schaagh yaasch ghukuleiyaal Refaluwasch. Ebwe ghi prisisu sibwe abwari ngaliir alongeer bwe alongeghiisch si nisita bwe sibwe abwari llo me amamaw me atomwagha yaasch kko. Sibwe amamaw yaasch tcha me korason bwe ebwe kke malaw llo schaagh estai esa yoor llo meta wool yaasch faluw. Ebwe kke fefferi-llo schaagh yaasch kkepas bwe ghiisch sibwe ghi ghuleesch yaasch kkepas me kko ebwe allapal llo wool yaasch faluw. Pews mile ike ira nge sibwe amalawa yaasch kko.

Penelope Seman
Hopwood Jr. High School
First place

Hafa Na Prisisu Na Ta Praktika I Fino’ Chamorro?

Kumu uniku yu’ na pagton palao’an gi familia yan todu I dos saina-hu Chamorro, gi anai pa’go mafañagu yu’, hu hungok I sunidon Chamorro despues enao mo’na I fina’na’guen nana-hu yan tata-hu. Este I lengguahen Chamorro impottante na ta tungo’ sa’ I mismo lengguahi-ta dumiklaklara hafa nasion-ta na rasan taotao.

Para un tungo’ para manu hao guato, finene’na debi di un tungo’ ginen man mamanu hao magi. Mayoria na mañaina pa’go na tiemp gi gima’ mafino’ Englelsi I nenen-ñiha kino u mafino’ Chamorruyi I neni. Enao muna’ I famagu’on pa’go na tiemp mas ma praktitika I otro na lengguahhi kino I fino’ Chamorro. Gi magahet, I mañaimu todu I tiempo gi gima’ tumututuhon I fina’na’guen I lengguahen I patgon, pues ginen este nai I patgon nai ha tutuhon prumaktika mo’na I hafa mafa’na’gue-ña. Enao muna’ a’anok na I patgon ni timafa’na’gue nu I fino’ Chamorro, ti ha na’ prisisu I lengguahen Chamorro sa’ ti ha komprende enao na patte. Mampos na’ mamahlao yan na’ piniti sa’ malilingu I lengguahen Chamorro, lao debi ta komprende na I mañaina-ta lokkue hu mana’siguru na I Chamorro na lengguahi u mana’fine’ne’na yan u mana’prisisu gi gima’.

I man amko’ siha mampos ti man mamagof sa’ I lengguahen Chamorro esta malilingu gi kada kinahulo’ I famagu’on siha. I man amko’-ta siha mampos ti ma’a’preba I para u man’fine’ne’na I patgon tumungo’ I otro na lengguahi ki I mismo lengguahi-ta. Lokkue’ mampos yu’ mamagof sa’ siha ya kuanto ha’ tetenan na man amko’ nai para ta hungok siha I man prefekto man fino’ Chamorro. Pues put fabot hita siha na idat famagu’on ta na impottante yan prisisu na ta na’takhilo’ I lengguahen Chamorro.

Pot uttimo, prefekto yu’ na patgon Chamorro ya ti bai hu sedi na bai hu maleffa osino bai hu na’ fo’na I otro lengguahi ki I mismo lengguahi-hu Chamorro.

Tinige’: Maryann Ulloa
7th grade
Rota Jr. High School
First place

Other 1st place winners were Thealanie Mae C. Monkeya-Chamorro-Tinian Elementary School; Penelope Seman-Carolinian-Hopwood Jr. High School; and Kayla Beann Mesngon-Chamorro-Rota High School.