KÅNTA BABUE

One of the most famous Chamorro songs, recorded by the late, one and only Mike Laguaña.

It's a humorous song, a kassi na kånta (teasing song), making fun of a guy who is overly solicitous concerning his pig.  But many people don't know what he's singing, not making out some of the Chamorro words and others not understanding what the Chamorro words mean.

So, here goes...

KÅNTA BABUE

Tengnga ilek-mo ga’-mo i babue

(You often say the pig belongs to you)

Sige hao tengnga chinatge

(You keep getting laughed at)

Yanggen måtto hao an pupuenge

(Whenever you come at night)

Para guiya un asiste

(It's the pig you attend to)

Annai un hålla i tappe’-ña

(When you pull his trough)

Ya un fa’gåsi i fache’-ña

(and wash away the mud)

Ya despues de un nå’e na’-ña

(and after you feed it)

Chinatge hao sa’ låmlåm nifen-ña 

(they laugh at you because its teeth shine.)

I wonder where the yellow went

When you brush your teeth with Pepsodent.

Yanggen måtto hao an pupuenge che’lu-ho

(Whenever, brother, you come at night)

Tunanas hao asta i lancho

(you go straight to the ranch)

Ni sikiera un sugo’ nai nåya

(not even to stop by a while)

Ya un ago’ i magågo

(and change your clothes)

Annai humånao hao u mamåsto

(When you go to pasture)

Binatångga hao asta i bañadero

(You're dragged through the muddy puddle)

Annai applacha’ i magågo  

(When your clothes get dirty)

Ilek-mo “Ai lokkue’ che’lo!” 

(You say, "Oh brother!")

 

NOTES

~~~This is not a literal translation, because some things are just understood and not spelled out.

~~~Some things are best translated giving the English colloquial equivalent, not necessarily the literal equivalent.

 

~~~The banter before and after the song is also part of the context.  The first guy is saying how noisy these pigs are.  Mike then says the pigs are his; he has many pigs and he'll sing the story now.

 

~~~The particular pig he's talking about in the song has a name : Nena', which some people might take exception to because Nena' is a nickname for Ana.  But some Chamorros call out "nena', nena'" to their pigs.  It's our equivalent to "Oink, oink!"

 

~~~The main jibe is that the man pays so much attention taking care of his pig that even the pig's teeth are shiny white.  The implication is that the guy brushes the pig's teeth with Pepsodent.  You can see that in the closing banter when Mike says, "Na' gueguesgues, na' åpaka'!"  (Brush!  Make it white!)

 

~~~The refrain is based on an actual Pepsodent commercial :