Living with history

A USS Naval Forces chief of staff once said that CNMI children are lucky that they are able to learn about history of the turbulent war years with the most efficient teaching aides.

True enough, the islands of the Northern Marianas served as jungle battle fields where some of the fiercest fighting in history was waged some 54 years ago.

Authentic war remnants and direct historical accounts from indigenous people who actually witnessed the battle here are vivid reminders of World War II on these very islands.

Encouraging students to grasp history more than what’s documented in books and maps, Northern Marianas College resident artist Mark Shafer is facilitating an integrated process of studying history through different forms of media.

A first of its kind in the CNMI, Mr. Shafer with the NMC Extended Programs Office presents “You are here. Retelling the invasions of Saipan and Tinian through art and drama” — an interdisciplinary and innovative approach to teaching the humanities.

Starting today until Aug. 8, 2000, humanities enthusiasts will be exposed to half-day sessions of examining events surrounding the invasions of Saipan and Tinian through drama (role-playing), archeological site visit, videos, photojournalism, and other art forms.

A multicultural perspective on the interpretation of history will be offered through use of first-hand oral accounts, written sources, and interviews with Chamorro, Carolinian, Japanese, Korean, and American survivors.

Students will select a particular historical figure of the period for the focus of their research and role-play.

Ideal for students, this 14-day course is also recommended for teachers, according to Melody Actouka of the NMC Extended Programs Office.

“There would be a lot of different activities that would be conducted during the course that will give them ideas of how they might interpret history in their classrooms through some means other than giving a lecture and pointing things out in the map,” said Ms. Actouka.

The course allows students the flexibility to take a closer look at hard historical facts and explore other possibilities through sequential site visits.

Mr. Shafer will be facilitating the course with assistance from Sam McPhetres, Stephanie Rammacher, the Historic Preservation Office, and the Commonwealth Council for Culture and the Arts.

The program is being funded in part by the University of Cincinnati, Ohio. (MM)