TIEMPON ALEMAN Reliving the past

It was a hot evening, but close to a hundred people crowding the NMI Museum in Garapan didn’t mind the heat. It might be a little bit cooler back then exactly 100 years ago on that Thursday night, which was being marked as historical event on the island.

On November 17, 1899, “a small contingent of German officials took formal possession of the Mariana Islands, an event marked by a flag raising ceremony held on the main street in Garapan Village on the island of Saipan,” thus says one historical account.

“As bands played and soldiers fired salutes,” it adds, “hundreds of Chamorro and Carolinian residents looked on, no doubt concerned about how these newcomers were to affect their lives.”

That day was the beginning of the 15-year period called Tiempon Aleman, or German Times, whose centennial anniversary is being celebrated in the Northern Marianas with a year-long exhibit at the Commonwealth Museum of History and Culture.

At the opening ceremony held Thursday night, both CNMI and German officials underscored the historical, cultural and spiritual ties linking them despite being thousands of miles away from each other.

Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio encouraged island residents to relive such relations, inviting them to see the exhibit which showcase old photographs, historic documents and artifacts from that German occupation that lasted until 1914.

Dr. Wolfgang Gottelman, ambassador of Germany to the Republic of the Philippines and Micronesia, flew to Saipan last Sunday to officially open the exhibit entitled Tiempon Aleman: German Rule of the Northern Marianas 1899-1914.

While it was some 85 years ago since the last time the NMI and German peoples had an official relations, Gottelman expressed desire to strengthen the partnership, especially now that Asia-Pacific region is being looked at as the world’s economic center by the next century.

“We want to enhance our dialogue with the Asia-Pacific nations, not only with the United States where we have diplomatic relations, but all the islands in the Pacific,” he said in an interview.

Both NMI and German officials also wish to boost tourism trade by tapping travelers. “Nowadays we live in the global village with transportation and communication not a problem here, we have to bring together both our peoples. That’s in the heart of our endeavors,” added Gottelman.

But the travel costs, such as airfare, may hinder growth of that market, particularly divers who regularly come to Pacific islands to explore their marine resources.

Nevertheless, Gottelman hailed efforts by island leaders to develop the NMI. “I was very impressed because these independent island states where I have visited, they lag considerably behind, but this is a U.S. territory where there is much more opportunity here,” said the first-time Saipan visitor.

The exhibit will run until May 2000 on Saipan, and then move to Tinian for three months and to Rota in September next year.