KÅNTA : O MI KERIDA

Señora Teresita Flores, a Chamorro language teacher at the University of Guam, heard this song from her grandfather.

It's a flirting song and it definitely goes back to the early 1900s if not earlier. It includes a good deal of Spanish phrases. O mi kerida (oh mi querida), kerida mi amor (querida mi amor), kerida de mi korason (querida de mi corazón) are all taken exactly from the Spanish.


O mi kerida sangåne yo' på'go.
(Oh my darling tell me now.)
O mi kerida sa' guaha lugåt-mo.
(Oh my darling because you have the chance.)
Sangåne yo' på'go håfa malago'-mo.
(Tell me now what is it you want.)
Kao håfa na disposision.
(What is your will.)
O kerida mi amor
(Oh darling of my love)
kerida sen mames na nene hao.
(darling sweet baby you are.)
Chiku, chiku nene åmbre nene åmbre chiku pot fabot.
(Kiss, kiss baby, come on, baby, come on kiss please.)
Sa' estague' na bai apåtta yo'
(Because here I am going to depart)
ya bai hu dingu hao gi fi'on-mo.
(and I will leave your side.)
Adios adios kerida de mi adios
(Farewell farewell darling of my farewell)
kerida de mi korason.
(darling of my heart.)

Was the young man leaving Guam? Is that why he is coaxing her to give him a kiss, since he is leaving the island and will see her no more? Is he leaving in the US Navy? If this song is much older, is he leaving on a whaling ship?

By identifying the melody, which seems adopted from elsewhere, we can get a better idea how old this song is.

NOTES

Kerida. From the Spanish, meaning "loved one" in the feminine gender.

Lugåt. Literally means a physical "place," but can also mean time, opportunity or occasion. This is why, when we ask if someone can do something, we add, "An guaha lugåt-mo." "If you have the chance, opportunity, time."

Disposision. Several meanings are possible, including "will," as in a person's desire.

Åmbre. From the Spanish word hombre, meaning "man." It can be used, as in English, to express a wish. "Stop it, man!" "Båsta, åmbre!"