It’s been a busy few months for Chamoru creative Saidee Ulloa Garcia. She launched her small business, LeesArrt, she got married and her book “The Legend of Sirena,” based on the well-known Chamoru tale, was published.
Saidee, who is from Guam said she drew inspiration for her new book from the island and her Chamoru culture.
In December 2020, she launched Lees Arrt and made stickers, keychains and clothing.
“In making these designs I just thought to myself that I could create a Chamoru kid’s book. My biggest inspiration for wanting to create a Chamoru kid’s book was truly for representation. I thought how great would it be for not just Chamoru kids, but, any Pacific Islander child to read a book and see a character who is like them, who lives on an island like them or has a chore like 'go and gather coconuts’ like they do,” Saidee said.
Saidee also anticipated other children, not from the islands, who are unfamiliar with Guam could also read the book.
It would open the door for more people to educate themselves and their children about other cultures, Saidee said.
The Legend of Sirena was published in March 2021.
After the book dropped on Amazon, Saidee uploaded a video on her Instagram account, announcing the book’s debut and she previewed it for her audience.
In her announcement video, Saidee said she went with a more modern take on the Chamoru classic.
Holding the book in her hands for the first time left Saidee in awe.
“My husband and I were both very eager to just turn the pages and feel the physical product of something I had been staying up late nights working on,” she said.
With one Chamoru legend done, Saidee is focused on producing more kid’s books based on Chamoru legends. She is currently working on producing a book about the legend of the giant fish that ate Guam. She added she also has plans for other original children’s books and she has a story with a mature plot that’s been living in her mind, which she hopes to write one day.
For those who pick up “The Legend of Sirena,” Saidee hopes her Chamorus readers get a sense of nostalgia. She hopes they get a sense of joy sharing it with their kids.
“I hope anyone who reads it and doesn't know about Guam gets their curiosity piqued and they choose to go and learn more,” she said. “And, although the story is based on Guam and is technically about Chamorro people, I hope anyone who reads it can find their own way to relate to the story or the characters.”
Grab Saidee’s book “The Legend of Sirena” on Amazon now in paperback.
Support Saidee by shopping her Etsy store https://etsy.me/2QgQyME
Follow her on Instagram @leesarrt and Like her Facebook page @leesarrt.
BONUS! Saidee and her husband have a vlog channel on YouTube! Subscribe and follow their videos on their channel, AnS Vlogs.
Thank you, Saidee, for being so wonderful and answering my questions! I encourage everyone to check out Saidee’s work, buy her book and follow her journey. She’s doing a lot of creative things and it’s a joy to witness.
In case you missed it, this month on The Husk it’s all about authors and bookstagrammers and making a Little Free Library in line with May being Get Caught Reading Month. I hope these newsletters motivate you to read, especially read Pasifika authors. There are a lot of recommendations on IG via the #PasifikaReadathonChallenge.
Check out another author profile I wrote of my dear friend, Kelsey Dela Cruz.
Thank you for reading. Write to you again, soon.
Cheers,
Jasmine