Fino' Chamoru na Inadaggao Siha

CNMI students win big in Chamorro language competition

By Dennis B. Chan

Posted on Mar 12 2015

The Saipan Tribune

 

CNMI students were some of the top finishers in this week’s Chamorro language competition at the University of Guam from March 9 to 10.
For the middle school sinangan/oratorical category, Chacha Oceanview student Breanna Camacho placed first. In second was a student from Guam. In third was Hopwood Junior High School’s Terry Ann Terry.
The category’s theme was “I Fino- Chamoru.” It required students to write, memorize, and speak on this theme.
For the poetry category, students recited a Chamoru language poem provided by the “Inachaigen Fino’ Chamoru” organizing committee.
In first place was Chacha Oceanview student Genzol Gonzales; a Guam student placed second; Hopwood Junior High School student Joshalyn Flores placed third.
For the Tinaitai Koru/Choral Reading, the Tinian Elementary school team placed third.
For the Lalai/Chant category, Hopwood and Chacha Oceanview, placed second and third, respectively.
For the profisiente (proficiency) category, students competed in reading comprehension, impromptu reading, and oral impromptu task completion rounds. Under this competition, Marianas High School students Balbina Concepcion and Kenaleen Litulomar placed second and third, respectively.
For the reading comprehension round, students read a selection and wrote answers to questions. For impromptu, they read aloud a brief passage or poem given to them 15 minutes before.
For the final impromptu round, a student is given a practical task using Chamoru language and behavior.
For the high school poetry recitation category, Marianas High School student Winfa Rabago placed second.
For the Kakanta na Palao’an/Female singer category, MHS student Riannalyn Manabat placed second.
For the male singing category, MHS student Jose Carreon placed first.
For the singing category, students had to wear their own Chamorro costume. Songs could be original or from another artist, but had to be in Chamorro, not bilingual and not translated from an English song.
For the inentepeten kotturan egge’/dramatic cultural interpretation, MHS placed first. Under this category, students acted out an original skit based on this year’s theme of “The Story of Latte.”
For the kanta yan baila/song with dance category, MHS placed first. Under this category, a group of students sang and danced to a song in the Chamorro language.
For the kantan chamorita/chamorita style of singing category, MHS placed first, beating John F. Kennedy High School from Guam. Under this category, a couple or group of students sang a back and forth between each other. It was a style of singing where a statement is made to be challenged, agreed upon, or rebuttal motivating a response.