# Gi Talo Gi Halom Tasi

"Gi Talo Gi Halom Tasi" (Chamorro pronunciation:; English: "In the Middle of the Sea"), also known as "Satil matawal Pacifico" (Carolinian pronunciation:), is the regional anthem of the Northern Mariana Islands, a commonwealth of the United States.

## History

The Chamorro lyrics for the official commonwealth anthem of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) were jointly written by brothers Jose and Joaquin Pangelinan, presumably around the time after the Second World War had ended. The Carolinian lyrics for the CNMI's commonwealth anthem were written by David Kapileo Peter "Taulamwaar" the day before the signing of the Covenant in 1976. David Marciano assisted with parts of the Carolinian version of the lyrics, and his contributions were incorporated before being sang for the first time on the day that the Covenant with the United States of America was signed. Vicente "Kilili" Sablan Sr., former mayor of the Northern Mariana Islands capital, Saipan, assisted by translating the lyrics into English and Japanese. The Rematau band was the first group to sing and record the "Commonwealth National Anthem".
During the First Constitutional Convention, a resolution was introduced to compel the new government to proclaim the song as the official anthem of the soon-to-be-created Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. In 1996, it became the official commonwealth anthem by virtue of Public Law 10-28, authored in the Tenth CNMI Legislature and signed by then Governor Froilan Cruz Tenorio into law. Both versions of the commonwealth anthem are taught to students as well as displayed prominently in official programs and posters, as both versions make up the one commonwealth anthem – not one or the other. The melody of the song is taken from the 19th-century German tune "Im schönsten Wiesengrunde" (with lyrics written by Wilhelm Ganzhorn in 1851), which in turn is based on the older folk tune "Drei Lilien, drei Lilien". Coincidentally, the national anthem of the neighboring Federated States of Micronesia is derived from a 19th-century German song.
Since the islands are a U.S. dependency, the national anthem is still the U.S. one, "The Star-Spangled Banner", and the anthem is played after "The Star-Spangled Banner" in the raising of the commonwealth flag.

## Lyrics

| Chamorro lyrics | Chamorro IPA transcription as sung | Carolinian (Refalawasch) lyrics | Carolinian IPA transcription as sung | English translation of Chamorro lyrics |
| I Gi talo' gi halom tåsi Nai gaigi tano' hu Ayo nai siempre hu såga Malago' hu. Ya un dia bai u hånao Bai fåttu ha' ta'lu Ti siña håo hu dingu O tano' hu. Chorus I: 𝄆 Mit beses yan mås Hu saluda hao Gåtbo na islas Mariånas Hu tuna hao 𝄇 | 1 [gi tæ.lo(ʔ) gi‿(h)ɑ.lum tɑ.si] [næ(.)i gæ(.)i.gi tæ.no(ʔ) hu] [æ.d̪͡z̪o næ(.)i s(j)ɛm.pre(‿)(h)u sɑ.gæ] [mæ.læ.go(ʔ).hu] [d̪͡z̪æ un di.æ bæ(.)i hu hɑ.nɑo̯] [bæ(.)i fɑt.tu hæ(ʔ) tæ(ʔ).lu] [ti si.ɲæ hɑo̯ (h)u di.ŋu] [o tæ.no(ʔ) hu]   𝄆 [mid‿be.sez‿d̪͡z̪æn mɑs] [hu sæ.lu.dæ hɑo̯] [gɑd.bo næ iz.læs mæ.ri(.)ɑ.næs] [hu tu.næ hɑo̯] 𝄇 | 2 Satil matawal Pacifico Igha elo falawééy iye Ighilal igha ebwe lootiw Tipééy iye. Eew ráál nge ibwe mwetesangi Nge ibwal sefáálitiiy Ese mmwel bwe ibwe lighiti Bwe falawééy. Chorus II: 𝄆 Sangaras faal bwughuwal Ay tirow ngalugh Ling ghatchul téél falúw Mariånas Ay Mwareiti 𝄇 | 2 [sæ.til mɐ.tɐ.wɐl pɐ.si.fi.ku] [(i.)xɐ‿e.lo fɐ.lɐ.weː(j) i.je] [i.xi.lɐl (i.)xɐ e.bʷˠe lo(ː)(t).tiw] [ti.peː(j) i.je] [eːw ræːl ŋe i.bʷˠe mʷˠet(e).sæ.ŋi] [ŋe(‿)i.bʷˠɐl se.fæː.li.tiː(j)] [e.se mʷˠːel bʷˠe i.bʷˠe li.xi.ti] [bʷˠe fɐ.lɐ.weː(j)]   𝄆 [sɐŋ(ɐ).rɐs fɐ(l) bʷˠu.xu.wɐl] [æj ti.row ŋæ.lʉ(w)x] [liŋ xɐ.ʈ͡ʂːʲʉ(w)l teːl fɐ.lʉw mɐ.rjɒ.nɐs] [ɐj mʷˠɐ.re(i̯).ti] 𝄇 | In the middle of the sea Is where my home is That is where I will spend my days It is my desire. If I ever leave this place One day I will return For I can never leave you O land of mine. Chorus: 𝄆 A thousand times and more I will honor and salute you Beautiful islands of the Marianas Glory be to you 𝄇 |