Museum aims to generate more contributions

By Marian A. Maraya

Staff Reporter

Still a work in progress, the CNMI Museum of History and Culture’s ongoing Japanese exhibit continues to welcome leads to polish its eight-month history exhibit showcasing the Japanese administration in the Marianas which opened its doors to the community last Friday.

Executive Director Paul C. Oberg said yesterday the current exhibit will be subject to considerable changes throughout the succeeding months, depending on additional information that will surface from time to time.

“The changes will not be dramatic but we anticipate to inject some new life and refresh some materials. . .to provide something new for the visitors to look at,” he said.

In this light, Mr. Oberg has called on the community to share more items or information that survived the conflict between Japan and the United States during the period covering 1914 to 1941 to enrich the museum’s biggest artifacts display of the year.

Majority of the materials that existed during the Japanese period were obliterated during the war, leaving the museum with little to work with to prepare for the major exhibit.

Historical items now on display at the museum are either donated or on loan from community supporters as efforts were also made to reproduce some artifacts the depicted life during the Japanese administration.

“A community-wide effort has been made to involve diverse organizations such as the Japanese Society of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Hotel Association, the Friends of the Museum and local businesses,” said Mr. Oberg.

Aside from reproductions, the displays also consist of photographs, artifacts including a replica of the Ota Confectionery storefront which used to be on Garapan, the Kristo Rai bell tower, and the Hachiman Jinja tonii.

Also featured are sports model railroad with an operating locomotive that closely resembles the original “choo choo train” of the former sugar cane economy, a mural size replica of a 1935 Japanese postcard of the Sugar King statue, among others.

Meanwhile, the museum also continues to receive valuable assistance from volunteer historian and translator Noriyasu Horiguchi, who has personally contributed his knowledge and expertise to ensure that the exhibit and any interest it generates will not be lost to future generations.