Kareran Sirena Tinigi ' Ariah Villagomez , Emma Sablan , yan Serenity Fujihira
Copyright © 2021 Authors: NMI Girl Scouts Ariah Villagomez, Emma Sablan, Serenity Fujihira, assited by 2019 Miss Marianas Shannon T. Sasamoto Illustrator: Mikaela San Nicolas (IG handle: @mikealadraws) funding made possible by support from the Northern Marianas Humanities Council Grant Program. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical without permission in writing from the publisher.
Publisher: Lady Diann Torres Foundation, funding received from the National Endowment for the Humanities, NMI Humanities Council Grant GPH20-00297. First Print: April 2021
Editor: CNMI Indigenous Affairs Office
KAPITULU
MAÑAGÅHA
Put
i
islas
primet siha
nisisita
giya
ha’
Tutuhun si
Sirena
man
lalayak,
siha
na
åpmam
ya
gurupun na
man
si
Mariånas,
siempri
karerå-ña. mañodda’
inadu-ña
na
ha
ayudu esti un
man
gi
na
Sirena sienti esti
ha
na
Carolinians
tungu’-ñiha
taotaoguis
lalayak.
na
i
karerå-ña,
gurupun
ma
put
kumu
man
esti
Esti
siha
Sirena
na
gurupu
lumå’yak
nu
ma i
ma
fa’nå’gui usan
direksion yan taimanu nåpu yan mapagåhis kumu
para i
na
klåsen
gui’
ira
lokkui
ñiñiha rason
yan na
mabira
mamamaila’.
estoria i
sina’pit
nina’
siha
siha
fan
tåtti
put
puti’on
ma
taitai-ña
guaha
Ma i
håfa
sangåni
kareran
lumå’yak
mamagof
gi
i
si
ya
patti
yanggin
familian-ñiha.
na
Åntis
ha’
konni’i para
i
rialisa guaha ta’lu.
si
Sirena
guihan
di
para
familian-ñiha. lokkui
na
u
i
gurupu,
tengguan-ñiha Si
maseha
atungo’-ña
dingu
anai
Sirena
tåtti
dispues
manu
gui’
siña
ha
ha
ha
guatu, bisisita
KAPITULU
PÅGAN
Ñumangu na
isla
ha
sodda’
Tåsi.
si
Sirena
giya
para
Mariånas.
un
påtgon
Uma’achuli
si
i
låhi
Tåsi
i
dos
umadu’
ya
yan
dadalåk-ña esta i diduk gapotilu-ña yan i låmlam epuk
kattan
Guini
i
Uma
san
na i
karerå-ña,
na’ån-ña
Si
Sirena
åtilung na
todu
siha
na
si
ginen kulot
i
go’naf-ña. islan
Mariånas.
Ma
ripåra
milak esta
gi
ginen i
i
tasi.
humihut
distånsia pachut Dispues,
guatu
mumamaipi
i
i
islan
tasi.
i
motmut
ladera anai
todu
sigi
Pågan,
na
ma
i
åsu
yan
påpa’
dos senti
na
mås
I
bunita
guatu
islan
Pågan, islan
hu
sin
Ilek-ña hita islan
islan
Pågan
lågu’ guåfi.
milak
i
na
tumatånges
Anai
Pågan,
si
desnik
Sirena
ha
“Håfa
na
sumuspipidus
Pågan
na
man
malago’-hu si
man
Tåsi,
ya
siña
hugåndu.
Pågan
put
i
ma
i
konni'
i
bai
in
Mumaguf
i
islan
Man
oppi
famagu’on-
ha’
såga
na ya
maisa. ta
sinente-ña
mina’åsi’-ñiha
na
påtgon
faisin
hao?
guåguåhu
ha’
dos
te’uk
i
dos
fan i
påtgon.
Dispues påtgon tasi.
ha
ega’
anai
Nina’
sigi
fan
famagu’on-ña. ma
dingu
islan
islan
Pågan
ta’lu
tåtti.
na
gi i
distånsia dos
hassu
Pågan, siempri
dos
humugåndu
si
Antis
i
Pågan
ha’ ma ha’
i
nu
dos
di
gi i u
asigura u
fåfåttu
KAPITULU
ASUNCION & MAUG
Gume’kattan Anai yan
måttu
un
Tåsi ginin
nu i
i i
dos dos
higånti i ayuyu
gumuaha
islan
na ya
inakå’-ña manera
påtgon
i
para
Asunsion,
ayuyu.
ayuyu.
Lao
muñangu
Asunsion.
man
Hinabao
chumetnudan
ya
islan
dadalåk-
ha’
suetti pues
afakchahi ña
dispues si
Tåsi
na
umeskåpa.
si
Gume’kattan islan
Maug.
ta’lu
i
dos
dos
but’tu
kåntun
tåsi
ya
li’i
gi
na’ån-ña
Tomtum.
besis
esti
malili’i anai
na
disdi
ma
li’i
distånsia,
ma
hobensita tåsi.
Lao
tulaikan para
na
Tomtum ripåra
anai maisa
na
espiritu
Si
humihut gui'
Tomtum
mamumuti
chetnudan.
si
si
nai
tiempu.
Gi
gi
na
bumabaila
nåna.
ripåra
åntis
i
Meggai
but’tun
si
måttu
i
Man
bumabaila si
ya
un
gi i
kåntun dos,
ha
Tomtum lokkui’ Tåsi
ha
sa’
Åntis
ha’
di
ha
chetnot-ña, Tomtum tulaikan
biha.
para
tutuhun
kinenni’ i
maisa
si
umåmti Tåsi
inai
anai
gui
ta’lu
gi
ha para
i as
Dipues
di
adingu,
ha
åmti
ilek-ña
kumarerera
Mariånas,
ha’.”
Man un
si
unu
para
tungu’
hit
familia
Tåsi,
ya
Tomtum,
hamyu
islan
man
si
ha’
hit
in
na
na
para
fan
“Yanggin
protetehi ti
i
huhamyu
Mariånas
todus.
u
yan
KAPITULU
MERMAID CAVE
Ma yan
kontinuha si
Tåsi
Mariånas på’gu. estoria, Sirena,
i
prumutehi
disdi
Guaha na na
Mariånas.
kareran-ñiha
ma
åntis siha
siha na
i
si
Sirena
islas
tiempu
esta
sumåsangan
huhunguk
lumililiku’
gui’
ginin
as
oriyan
i
tåsin
chungi’ esta i gapotilu-ña, makalelu i fasu-ña, Anåkku’
yan
yan
difirentis
dadalåk-ña. humuhunguk todu
i
I
si
buniton
taotao
estorian
tiempu
estoria-ña na
na
ha
na’
Sirena
sinangan...
kulot
siha
nai
Sirena, fåfåkpu’ gi
taiguini
i
“I
tanu’
tachu’ put
ya
man
in
ginin
Kunsidera ta,
Gi li’i
parehu
islan si
bunitu, pues fan na’ fan banidosu hamyu
sumen
i
manu
hamyu
kuminidåt ha’
yan
Saipan
Sirena.
mågi.
kumu
familiå-
guåhu.”
ottimu
biahi
anai
ma
Glossary adingu åntis åsu ayuyu banidosu
part ways
gurupu
group
long ago
higånti
giant
smoke coconut crab take pride
hobensita hugåndu inadu
biha
old lady
Karera
bumabaila
dancing
kuminidåt
bunitu but’tu chetnudan chungi’
beautiful silhouette
ladera lågu’
cliff tears
låmlam
shiny
distance
mapagåhis
gapotilu
community
white hair
distånsia
familia
journey
navigator
makalelu
famagu’on
adventrue
lalayak
direction
faisin
play
wounded
direksion
estoria
young lady
wrinkle sky
story
nåna
mother
ask
nåpu
waves
children familiy hair
ñumangu primet protetehi
guåfi
fire
sumuspipidus
guihan
fish
tumatånges
swim primet protect crying too hard crying
Mañagaha Chapter With this being her first time exploring the Marianas, Sirena knew she needed help. She found traveling Carolinians known as the earliest traditional navigators. They taught Sirena how to navigate by using the stars and how to read the waves and clouds to know what kind of weather is approaching. They told her stories of their journeys and how treacherous sailing can be, and that is why they are always grateful to come back to their families. Before saying her goodbyes, she caught them fish to bring back to their homes. She realized that wherever she goes, she’ll always have a family to come back to.
Pagan Chapter Sirena swims up north to explore other islands and finds a boy named Tåsi who was similar to her with fins and a tail with dark black hair. They go on an adventure and head out on a long treacherous voyage through the Marianas. They noticed on the horizon large smoke caused by magma touching the ocean. The cool ocean grew warm as they drew closer to Pagan. The Queen Island Pagan was crying tears of magma. The two mermaids approached carefully. Sirena asked Pagan, ‘Why are you crying so painfully?’ Pagan replied, ‘I am lonely, my children have been taken away.’ The boy said, ‘We can stay and play with you.’ Pagan was grateful for the gesture and watched as the two mermaids played joyfully in the ocean, reminding her of her children. Before Sirena and the boy left, they promised the Queen of Pagan they would come and visit her once again.
Asuncion & Maug Sirena and Tåsi made their way to the island of Asuncion. Sirena and Tåsi reached the shore and they encountered a giant coconut crab. The coconut crab clawed Tåsi and injured his fins. Luckily, they managed to escape the attack of the giant coconut crab. They were able to reach the southern part of the Maug Islands, where they came across a spirit dancing on the beach. The spirit’s name was Tomtom. She appeared at various ages. When they first saw her, she was a joyful child dancing in the ocean. When they approached her she soon became a woman in her adult age who noticed the boy was in pain. Tomtom brought Tåsi to shore and quickly became an elder while mending his wounds. Before parting ways, the elderly woman gave her words of wisdom “As you travel the ocean and protect the Marianas, know you are never alone. We are one Marianas and we are one family.”
Saipan: Mermaid cave Sirena and Tåsi’s journey continued on, protecting the Marianas for years and till this day. Some say they heard these very stories from herself while roaming the oceans and shores with her hair long and gray, her face with wrinkles, and her tail with beautiful and mesmerizing colors. People who have heard her stories always say she ends them by saying “The world is remarkable, but always be proud of where you come from. Your community is your family and so am I.” The last known sight of Sirena was on Saipan …
Hinanoa Sirena Aria Villagomez, Emma Sablan, Serenity Fujihira Lady Diann Torres Foundation
The LDTF Young Author's Language in Literacy program is designed to promote the use of our indigenous Chamorro and Carolinian Languages.