Here is the legend of Alupang Rock, written by Simon Camacho. We have been reading and translating Chamorro stories during one of our practice groups, and we did this one a couple months back. The Chamorro text, a Chamorro audio narration by Jay Che’le, and an English translation are in this post. The original illustrations were done by Rogelio G. Faustino, but I’ve refreshed it with this illustration generated by the Midjourney art AI. Happy reading!

I Acho’ Alupang

Sinangan as Simon Camacho
Pinentan as Rogelio G. Faustino

Åntes na tiempo manestǻtåba i Taotaomo’na giya Guam. Guaha siha inetnon Taotaomo’na gi difirentes na lugåt. Guaha Må’gas gi kada inetnon. I Ma’gas i mas dangkulu, mås metgot, yan mås malåte’ na Taotaomo’na.

Gi sanlagu giya Guam eståba i Ma’gas as Pang. Hinasso-ña si Pang na tåya’ siña gumånna gue’ sa’ guiya mås dångkulu, mås metgot, yan mås malåte. Gi sanhaya giya Guam eståba lokkue’ i Ma’gas as Alu. Hinasso-ña lokkue’ si Alu na tåya’ siña gumånna gue’ sa’ guiya mås dångkulu, mås metgot, yan mås malåte’.

Un diha humånao un kákanta ginen i sanlagu giya Guam. Guiya si Kantot, ni kumantǻtåyi i taotao siha put i minaolek i Ma’gas as Pang. Måtto si Kantot håya gi sagan i Ma’gas as Alu. Ha na’hungok todu i taotao håya put si Pang. Malago’ si Alu na u kuentusi si Kantot. Ma’ågang si Kantot guatu gi as Alu. 

“Håyi este na dångkulun taotao as Pang? Månu na gaige?” finaisen si Kantot as Alu.

“Guiya i Ma’gas ni mas dangkulu, mås metgot, yan mås malåte’ gi todu i tano’,” bumanidosu si Kantot.

“Na’manman, magåhet,” ilek i Ma’gas as Alu. “Bai hånao ya bai átungo’ yan si Pang.”

Gi hinanao-ña si Alu, umásodda’ yan un påtgon. “Månu, låhi-hu, na siña hu sodda’ i Ma’gas as Pang?” finaisen i patgon as Alu.

“Nihi ya bai fanui hao,” ineppe’ si Alu nu i patgon.

Måtto i dos giya Puntan Satpon. Eståba si Pang na ha na’lǻlågu i na’-ña fanihi.

“Håfa adai, abok-hu!” umessalao si Alu.

Tumalak tåtte si Pang, ya gos manman annai ha li’e’ un dångkulun taotao.

“Maila’ ya un deskånsa. Buente ginen i chago’ na tåno’ hao, no? Maila!” si Pang ha agångi i dangkulu na taotao.

Ha tutuhon ta’lo si Pang kumuentos. “Håfa adai na måtto hao mågi? Ti hu tungo’ håyi hao, lao guahu si Pang.”

Manoppe’ si Alu, “Hunggan, abok-hu, esta hu tungo’ na hågu si Pang, i Ma’gas este i sanlagu giya Guam. Hu hungok ginen as Kantot na hågu mås dångkulu, mås metgot yan mås malåte’. Guahu si Alu ni sumǻsåga gi sanhaya giya Guam. Malago’ yu’ na ta átungo’ na dos,” ilek-ña ta’lo si Alu.

“Maolek, maolek. Magof yu’ na ta átungo’ na dos,” ha sangåni si Pang i bisitå-ña. “Såganñaihon ya ta chocho, sa’ esta para bai nå’yi niyok i fanihi. Nangga ya bai chule’ i niyok.”

Ha yengyong si Pang un trongkon niyok, ya mambasnak manadan pontan. Ha saggue’ ni kalulot-ña i pinot un niyok, ya ha bira gue’ para u chule’ i kamyo. Ayu na ha chule’ si Alu i niyok ya ha tiges ha’ nu i kalulot-ña. Humuyong ha’ kalan kinamyon niyok ya ayu manåyi i fanihi.

Despues di chumocho i dos, sigi kumuentos i dos put i tano’-ñiha. Ti apmam ilek-ña si Alu, “På’go bai sangåni hao, ga’chong, håfa magåhet na måtto yu’ mågi.”

“Håfa nai, adai?” finaisen as Pang si Alu.

“Malago’ yu’ hu prueba *håfa achametgot hit na dos. Håfa mohon?” ilek-ña si Alu.

“Ti mappot enao, Alu. Nihi ya ta afulo’.” bumanidosu si Pang.

Umáfulo’ i dos gos apmam, lao ti siña umáganna. Annai esta para u machom i atdao, sumen yayas si Pang, lao ti malago’ na u hinilat as Alu. Sigi ha’ ha fuetsåyi si Alu. Para u bira gue’ si Pang para u goppe i sagua’ para Hagåtña. Pues para u ta’lo tåtte, ya u na’fonhåyan i afulo’-ña yan si Alu. Lao si Ålu chaddek kumalamten. Ha hokka’ un sen dångkulu na åcho’ ya ha dekes guatu talolo’ gi as Pang. Poddong papa gi halom tåsi si Pang. Sigi di inespiha as Alu. Ti sinedda’ sa’ henekse nu i dangkulun åcho’.

Sigi ha’ si Alu di lumíliko’ gi halom hånom esta ki humuyong mama’guihan. Guiya ayu i alu ni mafananá’an i barracuda. Ya i acho’ ni esta på’go gágaige ha’ gi hiyong Apotguan, mafananá’an Åcho’ Alupang, put si Alu yan si Pang.

Alupang Rock

Told by Simon Camacho
Illustrated by Rogelio G. Faustino

In the times before, there used to be Taotaomo’na on Guam. There were groups of Taotaomo’na in different places. There was a chief in every group. The chief was the biggest, the strongest, and the smartest Taotaomo’na.

In the west of Guam, there was a chief named Pang. Pang thought that there was nobody who could beat him because he was the one who was the biggest, the strongest, and the smartest. In the east of Guam there was also the chief named Alu. He also thought that there was nobody who could beat him because he was the one who was the biggest, the strongest, and the smartest.

One day, a singer went from the west of Guam. He was Kantot, and he was singing to the people of the goodness/greatness of the chief Pang. Kantot arrived east at the place of chief Ålu. He made all the people of the east hear about Pang. Ålu wanted to talk to Kantot. Kantot was called there to Alu’s place.

“Who is this big person, Pang? Where is he?” Ålu asked Kantot.

“He is the chief who is the biggest, strongest, and smartest in all the land,” Kantot boasted.

“Amazing, truly,” the chief Ålu said. “I will go and me and Pang will get to know each other.”

In Ålu’s journey, he and a child met each other. “Where, my boy, can I find the chief Pang?” Ålu asked the child.

“Let’s go and I will show you,” the child answered Ålu.

The two arrived at Satpon Point. Pang was there and he was cooking fruitbat.

“Hello my friend!” Ålu shouted.

Pang faced back, and he was very surprised when he saw a big person.

“Come and you will rest. You are probably from a land that is farwaway, right? Come!” Pang called the big person.

Pang started to talk again. “Why did you come here? I don’t know who you are, but I am Pang.”

Ålu answered, “Yes, my friend, I already know that you are Pang, the chief of the west of Guam. I heard from Kantot that you are the one who is the biggest, the strongest, and the smartest. I am Ålu who stays in the east of Guam. I want the two of us to get to know each other,” Ålu said again.

“Good, good. I am happy that the two of us will get to know each other,” Pang said to his visitor. “Stay for a while and we will eat, because I already will add the coconut to the fruitbat. Wait and I will get the coconut.”

Pang shook a coconut tree, and the ripe coconuts fell down. He pulled the husk of a coconut with his finger, and he turned to get the coconut grater. That is then why Ålu took the coconut and crushed it with his fingers. It came out like grated coconut and that is what was added to the fruitbat.

After the two ate, the two continued to talk about their land. Before long Ålu said, “Now I will tell you, partner, why I really came here.”

“Why?” Pang asked Ålu.

“I want to prove *if the two of us are of the same strength. What do you think?” Ålu said.

“That is not difficult, Ålu. Let’s go and we will wrestle.” boasted Pang.

The two wrestled for a long time, but they could not beat each other. When the sun was already going to set, Pang became very tired, but he did not want to be beaten by Ålu. He continued to exert his strength onto Ålu. Pang was going to turn to jump over the channel to Hagåtña. Then, he would turn back and end his wrestling with Ålu. But Ålu moved quickly. He picked up an extremely big rock and he threw it towards Pang’s center, to knock him down. Pang fell down into the ocean. Ålu continued to look for him. But he was not found because he was pinned down and covered by the big rock.

Ålu continued to go around and around inside the water until ultimately he turned into a fish. He is the alu (fish), that is called the barracuda. And the rock that up until this day is still there outside of Apotguan, is called Alupang Rock, for Ålu and Pang.

Notes

Malago’ yu’ hu prueba håfa achametgot hit na dos: The word achametgot is a construction of the acha- similative prefix + the word metgot which means “strong.” The word can be understood as “of the same strength.” In the entire context of the story, this is understood as a challenge of strength between the two chiefs.

Abok: This word translates to “friend” and it may be an older word that is not often used today. Most people today may use the word “ga’chong.” I’ve seen Påle’ Eric Forbes use the word abok in his storytelling, and it also appears in religious texts that are written in Chamorro which tend to use older words and structures.