The Directory of Traditional Healers and Medicinal Plants in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, published by the Inetnon Amot Natibu/Ammwelil Safeyal Faluwasch in 2009 and received the NMI Humanities Council's 2009 Governor's Award for Research and Publication, is available at the following:

• Online at www.mytenda.com
• On Saipanat the Saipan Chamorro-Carolinian Village Cultural Centers Headquarters on Capital Hill, the Chamorro and Carolinian Language Policy commission, the CNMI Museum of History and Culture, the Joeten-Kiyu Public Library, Joeten Shopping Center in Susupe, Tendan Natibu (Departure Terminal, Francisco C. Ada International Airport), Tun Goru Snack Bar, Kagman Mobil Station, and Fu Dogs & Qi (First Floor, Nauru Building, Susupe).
• On Tinian at Fleming's Store.
• On Rota at the Rota Chamorro Village Cultural Center (Community and Cultural Affairs Office).

The following is a short introductory chapter of the book. You can also download it below.

To read more, please download the  file (13 Mb)

(Carolinian)

Abwelebwel:Aellet Reel Safeyal Faluwasch Kka CNMI

Sibwe bwel reel eew aellet, bwe abwelebwelil tiliigh ye yaasch.Mellól aellet yeel, nge sibwe ghuleey reel alongal yaasch wooló reer aramas, ur kka e ghal yoor me schowar kka e toolong ngare peighil mwóghutughutul safeyal faluwasch igha e ghal aserághiir ló aramas. Sibwe bwúlúúw yaasch aellet reel eew titillapal amwútchúl 1940s. Llól mwey laal nge eghi welepakk reel uruwowul malaweer aramasal falúw kka Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI). Mwey yeel, igha ebwele mwutchuló 1940s mwet ngáli bweletáál 1950s, nge bweletáál, mwóghutul "political", "social", "economic," me "educatio-nal system" mewóól falúw kka Luuta, Tchúlúyól, Seipél, me falúw kka efángetáál Seipél mellól Marianas.

Rágh ye 1944, nge World War II aa gholaato falúw kkeey iye ighila nge siya ira bwe CNMI. Aighúúghúl World War II, nge amwútchúl lemelemil Sepaan wóól falúw kkeey. Sepaan e lemelil falúw kkeey sángi 1914, ngáli 1944. Mmwal lemelemil Sepaan nge lemelemil Alimaan. Alimaan e lemelil falúw kkeey sángi 1899, mwútchúlóól Spanish American War, lóffósch ngáli 1914. Mmwal lemelemil Alimaan nge lemelemil Espayool, iwe e bweletá llól mángemáng bwe ighiwe Magellan e toolong wóól falúw kka Marianas me e bwáliiy falúw reel yaal sey fetál. Nge mmwal, igha Magellan e tooto Mótso 6, 1521, nge aramasal falúw kka Pacific raa fasúl lo nge ghuleyeer reel safey me úllúwal kka safey ikka si schuungi mewóól falúw kkeey, nge ikkaal bweletáál schimángiir sóusafey ikka relo ighila wóól falúw kka CNMI.

E ssogh fféér kkewe aramasal falúw ighiwe re ghukkule me féérú, nge aa mwóóló me rese schiwel féérúúlo ighila. Sibwe ira bwe, aramasal ighila nge resaa fféérelo me waawa waa sserágh, iwe re ira bwe eghi mwetemwet llól sáát meleyil alongal ló seyil leeset mewóól falúw mwey laal. Ighila nge aramas resaa falafal lo faay bwe úúr, iye ighila nge raa ghuleey ngare fayúl Tagga'. Aramas resaa ghi sów féérúúlo mille rebwe akkásch fengál "throw,""manayotte" kkéélúl Chamorritas, iwe bwal eew tappal atti mereer Remeraalis. Nge reel asseráágh me fféérúl safey iwe aramasal lóómw (Refaluwasch me Remeraalis) re ghukkule me yááyá nge re bwal kke féérú schagh---ghilissow igha eweey me e mwólomwól fféérúl me yáyáál ngáli falúw kka "lúghúl" ighiwe relo bwe re lemelem, bwe rese ghi mataf reel.

Eweey eghi arrúúrú bwe mille e lúghúúw fischiiy safeyal faluwasch ighiwe, nge igha aramasal falúw reghi lúghúúw ghatchúúw, nge ighila igha aa eew táttáliir aramasal falúw nge rese ghi ghuleey (ese weer aramasal ighiwe iwe reghi metaf) reel tappal fféér kkaal, nge bwelle igha sibwe lúghúúw fischiiy abwungu-bwung me fféér kkaal ighila nge sibwele fangawow bwe sibwele aghuleey ngáliir mwo nge bwal aramasal lúghúl me ngare falúw kka "lúghúl".

Ighilangeakkááwmeleyil abungubwung me fféér kkaal nge aa ischiitiw llól schéél tiliigh, nge aa mmwel bwe toulap rebwele areghi, eweey directory/tiliigh yeel e isáliiwow. Ighiwe, nge, ese ischitiw arongorong me fféér kkaal, nge ese bwal yoor ipital bwe aramas toulap raa ghuleey me aa fasúl lo llól mángemángiir sóusafey me alúghú- lúghúúw bwe rebwe atééw ngáli iyo ye filiyeer (ghal yáá schóó schagh llól iimw). Máli mille sikke súll ngáli ighila, nge bwal eew tappal fféér, iye e ffé nge e mwetemwet mereel fasúl kko iwe kkepas schagh mwet ngáli kkól iisch (eweey schagh kkasal Refaluwasch me Remeraalis, iwe ighiwe nge ssoghul schagh kkepas, ighila nge ssoghul ikka aa ischitiw).

Igha e ischiitiw nge aa bwal eew tappal arongorong, tiliigh ye yaasch e alúghúlúghúúw bwe tittillapal me abwungubwungul safeyal faluwasch mellól CNMI ebwe bwááló me sóbwósóbwoló schagh yáyáál bwe rebwe awóóy, ghuleey, me attabweey fféérúl ngáliir aramas kka re ttabweto mwurisch.Igha si ghuleey, sibwe ira, bwe fasúl kko reel Chamorritas reel manayotte (akkásch fengál tapalal verses), bwelle igha tos ha' tåtåya' tinige' asta ki guaha mås tinige' (taiguihi i lengguåhen Carolinian yan Chamorro ni gi tutuhon puru pinat kuentos tåtåya' tinige' asta ki guaha esta på'go bula tinige' siha gi fino' Carolinian yan Chamorro).

Komu pot tinige' este i lepblo, este na lepblo ha ofrefresi para u adahi i tiningo'potåmotnatibugiyaCNMI, kosa ki siña u matutu-ngo' ha', u mapraktitika ha', yan u ma'o'onra ha', gi manmamamaila siha na henerasión. Komu esta ta li'e' ha' gi tiempon Chamorrita siha, na pot ti manmatuge' påpa, ti ta tungo' mås pot este sa' ti manmatuge' ya i tumungo' mås pot este siha esta manmåtai. Este på'go na lepblo, era pot para ta onra i manmanå'åmte på'go, ya ta tuge' pot siha kosa ki siña u fanma'o'onra ha' yan u fan-matutungo' ha' gi manmamamaila na henerasión siha.

Ginen i håfa esta ta sångan gi sanhilo', håfa na impottånte na ta tutuhon i estoria-ta, i testimoniu-ta, gi1947?Estenatiempoerai tinituhon i nuebu ta'lo na lina'la taotao tåno guine gi islå-ta siha ni ta tutungo'på'gokomu"U. S...

(Chamorro)

Tinituhon I Lepblo:Testa-mento pot Åmot Natibu giya CNMI

Ta tutuhon hit gi un testimoniu, komu i tinituhon-ña i lepblo-ta. Guini na testimoniu, ta lili'e' i taotao, sinesedi, yan kosas siha ni manggaige gi litråtu pot åmot natibu. Ta tutuhon i testimoniu gi un estoria ni masusedi gi uttimon i 1940 siha na sakkan. Este na såkkan siha manggai-siknifikasión gi lina'la' i taotao tåno' giya "Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI)." Este na tiempo, gi uttimon i sakkan siha gi 1940 (1945-1949) yan gi tinituhon i sakkan siha gi 1950 (1950-1955), era i tinituhon i nuebu na sisteman polítiku, sosiåt, ekonomiha yan edukasión gi islan Luta, Tinian, Saipan, yan gi sankattan na isla siha.

Gi1944, måtto i geran "World War II" guine gi på'go ta å'ålok CNMI. Anai måkpo' i geran "World War II," måkpo' lokkue' i atministra-siónHaponésguinegiislasiha.I Haponés ha tutuhon i atministra-sión-ña gi 1914asta i 1944.Åntesdii atministrasión Haponés, i atmi-nistrasión Alimån gaige. I Alimån ha tutuhon i atministrasión-ña gi 1899 (despues di i finakpo' i geran i Españót yan i Amerikånu) asta i 1914. Ya åntes di i atministrasión Alimån, era i atministrasión Españót gaige, anai ha tutuhon gue' gi, siña ta ålok, anai måtto si Magayånes (Magellan) gi tano'-ta anai ha liliku'i i tano' gi batko-ña. Lao åntes di u fåtto si Magayånes gi Måtso 6, 1521, guaha esta taotao ni mañåsaga guini na isla siha ni matungo' pot åmot natibu, ya ginen este siha na taotao ni gumuaha tiningo'-ta, ni taotao tåno på'go, pot åmot natibu guine giya CNMI.

Bula na tiningo' taotao tåno' manmalingu esta. Pot i hemplo, esta ti mafa'titinas ya ma'u'usa i boten låyak ni matungo' komu i mås chaddek na boten låyak gi tano' gi tiempo-ña. Esta i taotao siha på'go ti manmama'titinas ya ti ma'u'usa i acho' taiguihi i ta tungo' på'go komu acho' Tagga'. Esta i taotao siha på'go ti maná'áyotte nu i Chamorrita. Lao i tiningo' åmot natibu ginen i antigu na taotao siha (Carolinian yan Chamorro) manmatutungo' ha' yan manmacho'cho'gue ha' asta på'go sa' este na tiningo' kalang sikretu ya ti magef tungo' ni taotao hiyong siha.

Kalang otro på'go hit ni mang-gaige na situasión, sa' håfa muna'lå'la' i amot natibu gi manmaloffan na tiempo, era i proteksión ginen i taotao tåno. Lao på'go na tiempo, i nuebu na henerasión taotao tåno', ti magef tungo' pot åmot natibu, ya yanggen para ta na'lålå'la' ha' este i amot natibu, kulang debi på'go di para ta na'huyong gi pupbliku ya despues kontodu i ti taotao tåno' u tiningo'. Ya gi pot este, på'go siempre guaha tiningo' pot åmot ni gaige gi papet, tåt komu ginen este na lepblo, para u fanmataitai nu i pupbliku.

Gi manmå'pos na tiempo, este na infotmasión siha ti nisisårio na u fanmatuge' sa' manmakomprende nu i taotao gi komunidå ya i tiningo' manmadimimoria gi ilun-ñiha i man-manå'åmte siha, ya mana'siguguru na guaha u chinile' este na tiningo' (ya sesso i miembro gi familia manånå'i).

Kåsi siña ta ålok na håfa ta lili'e' guine, ta'lo, era otro ta'lo na klåsen kinalamten lina'la--adyo i ginen kuen-...

(English)

 Introduction:A Testament to CNMI Native Medicine

We start with a testimonial, as our book introduction. In this testimo-nial, we can see a general picture of people, events, and things that play a part in traditional native medicine healing processes. We start our testimonial with a story in the late 1940s. This particular time period is significant in the life history of the indigenous people of the Common-wealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). This period, the late 1940s to the beginning of the 1950s, was the start of another new political, social, economic, and educational systems on the islands of Rota, Tinian, Saipan, and the islands north of Saipan in the Marianas.

In 1944, World War II came to these islands we now call the CNMI.With the end of World War II,cametheendoftheJapanese administrationontheseislands.

Japan administered the islands from 1914 until 1944. Prior to the Japanese administration was the German administration. Germany adminis-tered the islands from 1899 (after the end of the Spanish-American War) until 1914. And prior to the German administration was the Spanish administration, which began, theo-retically, when Magellan landed on the shores of the Marianas during his voyage around the world. But prior, still, to Magellan's landing on March 6, 1521, there were islanders who lived on these Pacific islands and whose skills for healing and knowledge of medicinal plants found on the islands are the sources for the knowledge of our present day CNMI native healers.

Much of the other knowledge that the indigenous islanders possessed and practiced had been lost and is not practiced today. For example, people now do not make and use the "flying proa," known to be the fastest sea vessel in the world during its time. People now do not carve out large stones to make latte pillars, now also known as Tagga' stones. People now do not commonly recite and "throw" at each other verses of the traditional Chamorritas, an art form of the Chamorros. But the native healing knowledge and practices that these ancient people (Carolinians and Chamorros) knew and practiced are still known and practiced today--thanks to the almost secret nature of this knowledge and practice to the "outside" world of their foreign administrators.

It is somewhat ironic that what kept the native healing practices going in the past was the protection that it received from the indigenous population, and now that a new generation of indigenous people are not very much aware (unlike the older generations of the past who were very much aware) of these practices, it appears that to protect these native knowledge and practices now means bringing them out even to the non-natives, or to the "outside" world.

Now, some of these knowledge and practices are recorded in paper, ready to be read by the general public, as this directory/book offers. In the past, however, these infor-mationandknowledgewerenot written, and it was not necessary that they be written, because they were understood by the community members, and were recorded by the healers in their heads, and healers made sure that that knowledge was passed down to whom they chose to give (usually family members).Perhaps what we are witnessing here, once more, is the use of yet another new realm of cultural practice, that is, from oral tradition to written tradition as well (as our Carolinian and Chamorro languages were once mostly oral but now a lot of it is also written).

As a written form of communi-cation, our book offers a preservation of the information and knowledge of the CNMI's native medicine so that they may continue to be known, practiced, and honored for genera-tions to come. As we can see, for example, in the oral tradition of the traditional Chamorritas of manayotte (exchanging rhythmic verses with one another), that because it was not written, it is now not practiced cul-turally and this art form is lost, just as we have lost those who knew it andpracticeditbecausetheyhave now