Gi Talo Gi Halom Tasi

Gi Talo Gi Halom Tasi

English: In the Middle of the Sea
Regional anthem of the  Northern Mariana Islands
Also known as	Satil matawal Pacifico
Lyrics	David Kapileo Taulamwaar Peter, 1976 (Chamorro lyrics: Jose and Joaqin Pangelinan, 1940s)
Music	Wilhelm Ganzhorn, 1851
Adopted	1996; 25 years ago (1996)
Audio sample
Menu 0:00 "Gi Talo Gi Halom Tasi" (instrumental) file help

"Gi Talo Gi Halom Tasi" (English: "In the Middle of the Sea") is the regional anthem of the Northern Mariana Islands.

History[]

The Chamorro lyrics for the official territorial anthem of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) was jointly written by the brothers Jose and Joaquin Pangelinan presumably around the time after the Second World War had ended. The Carolinian lyrics for the CNMI's territorial 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 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 territorial anthem of the soon to be created Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. In 1996, it became the official territorial 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 territorial anthem are taught to students as well as displayed prominently in official programs and posters as both versions make up the one territorial anthem - not one or the other. The melody of the song is taken from the 19th century German tune "Im schönsten Wiesengrunde", written by Wilhelm Ganzhorn. 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 afterwards in the raising of the territorial flag.

Lyrics[]