6 named recipients of Governor’s Humanities Awards

The Northern Marianas Humanities Council would like to announce the 2023 Governor’s Humanities Awards recipients.

Each year, as part of CNMI Humanities Month in October, the Humanities Council partners with the CNMI Office of the Governor to recognize outstanding contributions to the humanities by individuals and organizations in the community across six award categories. Awardees are selected based on nominations submitted by members of the community.

This year’s recipients are:

Ajani S. Burrell: For Research and Publication in the Humanities

Burrell was recognized for his editorial work and contribution of essays and articles to the book, “Marianas Mosaic: Signs and Shifts in Contemporary Island Life.”

William J. Fife, III: For Outstanding Humanities Teacher in a classroom setting

Fife was recognized for his impactful teaching methods and for connecting students to the importance of their cultural identities.

Carmen S. Taimanao: For Outstanding Humanities Teacher in a non-classroom setting

Taimanao was recognized for her efforts to promote Chamorro language and culture by translating and writing an array of books in Chamorro that is used in the Chamorro and Carolinian Language and Heritage Studies and Motheread/Fatheread CNMI programs.

Deborah A. Fleming: For Preservation of CNMI History

Fleming was recognized for her role as a cultural advisor and historian on various archeological, infrastructure, and humanities projects on Tinian.

Milton F. Coleman Jr.: For Preservation of Traditional Cultural Practices

Coleman was recognized for building various styles of sailing and voyaging canoes and sharing his knowledge and passion for cultural seafaring traditions throughout the Pacific.

Donald B. Mendiola: For a Lifetime of Achievement in the Humanities

Mendiola was recognized for dedicating 50 years of practice in medicinal healing and for enriching the community with his knowledge of language and culture.

For more information about each awardee’s contributions to the humanities and photos of the 2023 Governor’s Humanities Awards reception on Oct. 17, 2023, visit www.nmhcouncil.org/GHA2023. (PR)