Bweletáál Wischiirá, eew kkol Refaluwasch The Stick Dance, A Carolinian Tradition

Copyright ©2019 by Jude Litulumar All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by any electronic or mechanical means without permission in writing from the publisher.

Publisher: Lady Diann Torres Foundation First Print: May 2019 Illustrator: Sinåhi Nation Editor: Chamorro & Carolinian Language Policy Commission and the Carolinian Affair’s Office

Tittillap ye yááy nge bweletáál wischiirá. Akkááschay toulap re mángiiy bwe wischiirá nge eew tappal bweila nge esóór mwirimwiril, nge ngaang I ghuleey welelwelil bweletáál wischiirá.

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My story is about the Carolinian tradition, “The Stick Dance.�

Some people think that a stick dance is just a dance, but I know the truth behind it.

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E bwáá ngáli relóómw kkewe re lollo wóól eew téé me Schuugh.

It came in a dream to one of our early ancestors who lived on the outer island of Chuuk.

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Ara mesagh aramas reel alongal fiyoow me llimalaw leepateer aramas. Aa ghitighiitilĂł aar ailang aramas kkewe.

With all the fighting and killing that has been done, it has frightened the people. The clan’s population quickly declined.

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Llól ttal yeel, ara aronga ngáliir aramas bwe rebwe úútá rebwe akkabwung me ppomwoli bweila kkal reel rebwe tepengi aar ailáng.

In the dream, the clan was told to stand up and learn these dances, for it will protect their clan.

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Iwe, ngéél aa bwel le abwunguur mwáál maamaaw kkewe. Aa ppomw le abwunguw ngáliir efaisúl kkéélúl, efaisúl mwóghutughutúl bwurágherágh, me álélléschúúl irá. Ara ppomw fengál ngéél me mwáál kkewe reel bweila we, toowowul nge ra aita bwe wischiirá. Ngéél we aa óóleghi ngáliir bwe mwáál maamaaw schagh mille emmwel rebwe akkabwung bweila yeel bwe iir schagh mille emmwelil rebwe tepengi aramaseer me aar ailáng.

The spirits began teaching the warriors. It taught the warriors how to chant, stomp their feet, and ways of hitting their sticks together. Together, the spirits and warriors danced what is now called the stick dance. The spirits then explained to them that only the strongest men can learn this dance because only the strongest can protect their clan.

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Eew ráál nge ra sááyló wóól falúw kkela elo efáng loll Marianas. Ara ppomw rebwe fiyoow nge ra weriló bwe essogh aramasal falúw we me aa ghatch tomwóghol falúw we.

One day they sailed to the Mariana Islands. They were ready to fight but realized that they didn’t have to worry about other people on the island because it was a large island.

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Igha re sa tipetchówló ra abwunguw ngáliir aramasal falúw we bweilal wischiirá.

Since they didn’t have to worry, they began to teach the stick dance to the islanders.

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Ngáre aa tooto bwe mwáál rebwe ppomwoli bweilal wischiirá, ngéél kkewe re schewel mángiiy schagh ppomw we re aiti ngáliir. Re bwal ghi meseigh igha re weri bwe mwáál kkewe re bwal kke ppomwoli schagh bweila yeel.

When the men came around to dancing the stick dance, the spirits were overjoyed seeing this and knowing that the men remembered the ways of the dance.

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Toorito ighila reghi maamaaw Refaluwasch le amwuschú ghatchúw kko yeel me e bwááng ngáliir rebwe aiti ngáli layúr ikka rebwe bwal aiti ngáli akkááscháy olighát. Iwe, iyeel tittilapal bweletáál wischiirá.

Til this day, the Carolinian people stay strong in practicing the stick dance which has been passed down from generation to generation. This is the story about the origin of the stick dance.

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