KÅNTA : MUNGNGA MA NA' LÅSTIMA

This song was recorded by Sonny Flores and Joe Norita of Saipan back in the 1980s.

It's a love song, as many Chamorro songs are, with that familiar touch of male insecurity! He promises her true and undying love; he is not totally sure where her heart stands.

LYRICS

Mamaisen yo' keridå-hu nene

kao magåhet na manguaiya hao nu guåho.

(I asked, my beloved baby,

if it is true that you love me.)

Mungnga ma na' låstima i lago'-mo

sa' i tiempo-ko para hågo todo i ora.

(Don't waste your tears,

because my time for you is always.)

Bai hu sungon nene i kontråta,

puede ti manguaiya hao otro mås ke guåho.

(I will endure, baby, the agreement,

hopefully you don't love another more than me.)

NOTES

Kerida. This is borrowed from the Spanish querida, from the verb querer (to love, to wish) and it means "beloved" but can also mean "darling, sweetheart" and every romantic epithet you can think of.

Tiempo-ko. Literally "my time" but he means that he is available to meet her needs at all times.

Todo i ora. Literally means "at all hours" but he means "always, at any and all times."

Sungon. It literally means "to endure" but here he means he will endure any hardship, make any sacrifice, to keep the understanding between him and her that they are a couple.

Kontråta. It sounds like "contract" and it can mean that, but also "agreement, understanding, plan."