This story was written by Magdelena Iguel Lieto, where she tells the story, as told to her by her elders, of how their people (the Carolinians) came to Saipan. This is part of a workbook of short stories that I found in the KPV Collection. This post includes the Chamorro text, a Chamorro audio narration by Jay Che’le, and an English translation. Happy reading! (UPDATE 9/24/2024: A note has been added at the bottom of this post about the word gupallao, which is used in this story.)

Annai På’go Manmåtto Ham Saipan

Tinige’ as Magdalena Iguel Lieto

Gi antes na tiempo annai på’go manmåtto ham Saipan, trabiha didide’ ha’ na taotao maneståtåba. Despues ti meggai lokkue’ gi bandan i tano’ ma sagågåyi. Manhålom hami gi ayu i mafa’nána’an på’go “Charlie Dock.” Boti ma’udai-måmåmi mågi ginen Tinian. Lámeggai ha’ lokkue’ manma’udai boten layak mågi.

Tinian fine’nina nai mañåsaga hami åntes di bai in fanhånao mågi Saipan. Sigun gi manmasangånen-måmi ni manåmko’ siha, mangginen Carolinas i fine’nina na mañainan-måmi esta guatu Tinian. Púruru ha’ Gupallao¹ magåhet maneståtåba Tinian åntes. Guihi na tiempo trabiha Alimån ha’ mumantéteni i interu Marianas. Pues, put ha disidi i Alimån na para u famoksai gå’ga’ Tinian muna’mana’fanmåtto hami mågi Saipan.

Gi antes ha’ lokkue’ di bai in fanmåtto mågi Saipan, guaha ha’ Gupallao esta mañåsaga guihi. Pues gi kada bai in fanbisisita mågi Saipan, manmañúñule’ hami mågi kantidan boka siha. Magåhet na gi kada para bai in ipos entalo’ Tinian yan Saipan na tåsi, in yititi’i påpa’ esta guaha nai un babui, chiba, yan aggon tåno’ siha. Tåya’ ni nunka nai guaha dumesgrasiao gi tasi guini na tiempo, sa’ guáguaha respetu gi maskeseha månu na lugåt. Maskeseha tåsi pat tåno’ kumu in fattoigue, debi di bai in fanmannå’i boka pat bai in fanmanggagao dispenso sa’ in háhasso ha’ na guaha dipotsi manggailugåt, ni manmeffe’na ki hami. Estegue’ siha manmafa’någuen-måmåmi ni mañainan-måmi siha. Ya sén magåhet, ni un biåhi nai guaha aksidente gi tasi pat mana’malångu gi halom tåno’.

Ti parehu yan på’go na tiempo.

Annai esta todu manmåtto hami mågi Saipan, ilek-ña ayu i gobietnadot Ålimån nu hami, “Desde Såddok Tåsi para kattan songsong Tanapag. Ayu nai para en fañåga todu.”

Pues, manhånao kattan ya mana’ayuda hami unu yan otro muna’ tachu guma’-måmi siha. I kanton unai ha’ lokkue’ nai na’tacho siha i gima’-måmi.

Ai na bulan minagof guihi na tiempo. Kada puengi manhuyong todúdus hami ni famalao’an yan lalåhi gi inai ya duru ham di mambaila, manmagof esta ki manana. Ayu ha’ in chéche’gue åntes an puengi.

An ha’åni på’go manárikohi ham ni lalåhi yan famalao’an para bai in fanéboka. Ma fotma på’go gurupon tres ya kadakuat yan tareå-ña. Guaha para u fanpeska, guaha para u fanéboka Makpe’, guaha lokkue’ para u fanmama’tinas korona yan tråstes baila siha. Todu i tiempo mémeggai-ña lalåhi para pumeska ki para u fanéboka Makpe’.

Put i taya’ transpottasion guihi na tiempo, magåhet na in í’ima ha’ i katgan-måmi.

Todu i tiempo yanggen esta para bai in fanhalom Makpe’ in pribeniniyi ham boka pat kosas siha ni para bai in po’luyi lokkue’ i lugåt. Taiguini ha’ kostumbren-måmi åntes. Yanggen esta manmåtto hami halom, manmanggágagao ham fine’nina, åntes di bai in fanéboka. Sufisiente nengkånno’ Makpe’ åntes na tiempo. Ti nisisårio un hånao chågo’ hålom gi halomtåno’ esta un sósodda’ ha’ siha i malago’-mu.

Todu klåsen boka guaha. Åntes magåhet ti nisisårio u masåpet i taotao manaligao, ma á’ayek ha’ i malago’-ñiha para katgan-ñiha. Desde dågu, nika, kamuti, suni, gaddo’, ayuyu yan fanihi. Ayu ha’ magåhet in chíchile’ i in langak. Ti hu tungo’ kabåles håyi tumanumi Makpe’ nu este siha na kantidan nengkånno’.

Gi kada manhalom i taotao peska, esta lokkue’ ayu i ti manhånao manmanónokne guafi gi inai para u fanmanunu. Sahnge ha’ i para u fanmatunu, sahnge ha’ lokkue’ i para påtten taotao gi sengsong. Manggefafa’maolek magåhet i taotao Tanapag guini na tiempo.

Bula huegon-måmåmi siha an puengi. Gof ná’magof magåhet i tiempon-måmi guihi na tiempo.

When we first arrived on Saipan

Written by Magdalena Iguel Lieto

In the past, when we first arrived on Saipan, there were still only a few people who were there. Afterwards, there weren’t many who lived on that part of the land. We came in at that place they now call “Charlie Dock.” We came by boat from Tinian. Many also road sailboats here.

Tinian was the first place where we lived before we came to Saipan. According to what we’re told by our elders, our first ancestors sailed to Tinian from the Carolines. Truly, back then it was entirely foreigners who were on Tinian. At that time, the Germans still held the entirety of the Marianas. So, because the Germans had decided to raise animals on Tinian, we were made to come here to Saipan.

Even before we came here to Saipan, there were foreigners already living there. So each time we were going to visit Saipan, we brought large amounts of food. In truth, each time were going to pass the sea between Tinian and Saipan, we were throwing things down to them, there was already a pig, goat, and starchy plants. Not once was there ever a disaster at sea at this time, because there was always respect, regardless of the place. Whether it was sea or land, if we were visiting a place, we must give food or ask for forgiveness, because we know that there are those who should have a place, those who were before us. These are the things that are taught to us by our elders. And it’s absolutely true, not once was there an accident at sea or someone who was made sick in the jungle.

It wasn’t the same as it is now.

When we had all arrived here on Saipan, the German governor said to us, “From Såddok Tåsi north to Tanapag village. That’s where you will all live.”

And so, we all went north and helped one another to raise our houses. It was just on the beach, too, that we raised our houses.

Oh, there was so much joy back then. Every night, we would all come out, the women and men, to the beach and we would dance and have fun until morning. That’s what we did back then at night.

And then, in the day, we would gather together the men and women so that we could look for food. They formed into groups of three and each had their task. Some would fish/hunt, some would look for food at Makpe’, and some would make flower crowns and things for dancing. There were always more men fishing than looking for food at Makpe’.

Since we didn’t have any transportation in those days, we truly had to just carry our loads.

Every time when we were entering Makpe’, we would rid ourselves of food and things that we would leave there. This was our custom in the past. When we had entered, we would ask first, before we would go looking for food. Makpe’ had sufficient food back then. It wasn’t necessary to go far into the jungle before finding what you wanted.

There were all kinds of food. Truly, back then it wasn’t necessary for a person to endure a hard time searching, they would choose what they wanted to carry. From yams, sweet potatoes, taro, thorny yams, coconut crabs, to fruit bats. We would really just take what we could handle. I don’t really know who exactly planted all of this large quantity of food in Makpe’.

Every time the people would come in from hunting or fishing, those who didn’t go would already be starting the fire on the beach to barbecue. What was to be barbecued was separate from that which was to be shared with the people of the village. The people of Tanapag at this time were truly taking care of one another.

We had so many games at night. We had such joyous times back then.

Notes

¹ Gupallao: The root of this word is palao, which means “other.” We get gupallao from the combination of the gi’- prefix (from) and palao (other), which makes this word literally translate to “foreigner.” I have heard this word used in the context of “foreigner” and for some people this word has a neutral meaning. And the writer of this story may have also seen this as a more neutral term, since she used it to describe her people and her ancestors. But it is important to note that in recent times, in some areas this word has taken on a negative and derogatory context to refer to people of darker skin. We heard this perspective from several people in our practice group, from both Guam and the CNMI. If you are a learner, I would caution against using this term generally.

A big thank-you to our Praktikan Ogga’an group, for their discussion on this topic this week. Particular thanks to Sus for clarifying the origin of the word, and for Aric, Jojo, Naomi and Aunty Chris for sharing more of the different contexts surrounding its usage.

( back to story )

References

KPV Collection, and Magdalena Iguel Lieto. 1977. E-3. PDF. Chamorro Stories w/Worksheets & Questions. Saipan Title VII Chamorro Bilingual Project. 
https://airtable.com/appU43QeD409YS6Hl/shrXhl6F1kRn9xx1H/tblN01VTDCNtsL5Er/viweMEfQRRSfWjSvi?blocks=hide.