Inetnun Kutturan Natibun Marianas/Kkoor Aramasal Marianas launches latest book, 'Kantan Chamorrita giya Marianas'

On behalf of the Inetnun Kutturan Natibun Marianas/Kkoor Aramasal Marianas (IKNM/KAM), the association President, Alejandro Agulto, is happy to announce the launching of the association’s latest book, Kantan Chamorrita giya Marianas (KantanChamorrita in the Mariana Islands), co authored by Carmen S. Taimanao (Nan Ammi’) and Manny F. Borja (Uncle Manny). The launching will take place at the Joeten-Kiyu Public library in Susupe, at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, January 30, 2026. It will end at 7 p.m.

The interviewees in the book are requested to come so that they can pick up their courtesy copy, as well as to meet attendees at the launching.

On this day, the 383-page book (soft-cover) will have a special launching price of $25.00. Regular price is $30. All proceeds from the book returns to IKNM/KAM, a non-profit organization, chartered in the CNMI and whose mission is to preserve and promote the indigenous Chamorro and Carolinian cultures, languages, traditional healing practices, and history of the Northern Mariana Islands through projects like language revitalization, documenting cultural icons, and creating cultural resources for the community, ensuring these traditions thrive.

The first publication of IKNM/KAM was the trilingual (Carolinian, Chamorro, English) Directory of Traditional Healers and Medicinal Plants in the CNMI, co-authored by Joe S. Roppul and Manny F. Borja, published in 2009, and reprinted in 2022.

For the bilingual (Chamorro and English) book, Kantan Chamorrita giya Marianas, the authors researched, and interviewed more than 70 people (mostly elders) on Guam, Rota, Tinian and Saipan, about their experiences hearing kantan Chamorrita, and collected old and new song verses from many different sources. Altogether, more than 600 older song verses, dating back to 1924, and an additional 100 more new song verses that have not been published (nor sung in public), written after 2010, are included in the book. Almost all new song compositions were intended for inclusion in the book.

The Association will also be launching the book on Tinian, Rota, and Guam, in the coming weeks. For more information, you may contact Manny Borja at (670) 256-2562, mannyfb2670@gmail.com, or Frances Sablan at (670) 783-5512, francessablan@gmail.com, or email IKNM/KAM at iknmkam21@gmail.com.