Put Hami

Håfa adai! My name is Schyuler Lujan and I am the creator behind Bula Guinaiya.

The idea for Bula Guinaiya began during the pandemic, when a friend asked our language group if we could email each other in Chamorro as a way to practice. Wanting more time away from screens, I asked if anyone wanted to send letters through the postal service instead. A large number of people signed up, so I decided to send postcards. A week later I designed my first card with Bula Guinaiya (lots of love) as the sentiment.

After that first design, I continued making cards as a hobby and was astonished by people’s reactions. One favorite moment was watching my aunt in her 80s laugh in wide-eyed disbelief as she read Hu guaiya hao mås ki råmen (I love you more than ramen) on a card illustrated with a ramen bowl. Another was hearing the excitement as my younger cousins saw cards with beloved items and characters from their childhood. I will also never forget the big smile on her face as a speaker from our language group held up a card featuring her favorite word, toktoktoggak.

As I watched people across different generations connect with our language through the greeting cards, I realized I was onto something special and wanted to make my cards available to everyone. With support from my partner Jay and encouragement from family and friends, I launched Bula Guinaiya in August 2024 at the Marianas Festival.