Interactive ESL Packets — Semong & Shiro

The Semong Story: How an Island Survived the Tsunami

On the island of Simeulue, off the coast of Sumatra in Indonesia, people have long told the story of the Semong. The story warns that when the earth shakes and the sea pulls back, people must run to higher ground.

In 1907, a powerful earthquake struck Simeulue. The sea rushed away from the beach, leaving fish on the sand. When villagers gathered, a giant wave returned and destroyed villages; more than half the population died that day. The survivors promised to teach their children the warning so it would not be forgotten.

The warning became a song and a poem: if the earth shakes and the sea goes out, run to the hills. Families taught these songs to children and sang them at village gatherings.

On December 26, 2004, a massive earthquake in the Indian Ocean caused tsunamis across many countries. On Simeulue the ground shook and the sea pulled back. People remembered the Semong songs, shouted "Semong! Semong!", and ran to nearby hills. Because the hills were close and the oral warning was strong, only seven people died on the island while thousands died elsewhere.

The Semong story is still told to children today — a powerful example of how local knowledge, memory, and quick action can save lives.

Shiro — The Dog Who Swam for Love

Mr. and Mrs. Nakamura lived on Aka Island, one of the Kerama Islands in Okinawa, Japan. Their dog, Shiro, began to disappear each morning and return late at night — wet and shivering. Curious, Mr. Nakamura followed him one morning.

Shiro ran into the sea and swam for about 2.5 miles (≈4 km) across rough water to Zamami Island. There a dog named Marilyn waited. Marilyn and Shiro played together; she was Shiro's friend (his "girlfriend"). The distance between the islands is not small and the ocean can be rough, so many people thought it impossible for a dog to swim that far. But Shiro did it every day.

The story became famous. Many visitors came to Zamami to see Shiro. A movie called Maririn ni Aitai ("I Want to See Marilyn") was made in 1988. When Marilyn died in 1987, Shiro swam one last time to see her. Shiro later died at about 17 years old, a very old age for a dog. Today there are statues of Shiro on Aka (Nishihama Beach) and Marilyn on Zamami — both looking toward the sea.