Shower fails to dampen Tinian peace ceremony

Despite a sudden downpour during the morning portion of Wednesday’s ceremony, the 6th annual Tinian Hiroshima Nasaki Peace Ceremony went well, an event organizer said.

The ceremony honored the 63rd anniversary of the Enola Gay taking off from Tinian. The aircraft carried “Little Boy,” the atomic bomb used in the attack on Hiroshima.

Approximately 60 people took part in the morning activities, comprised mostly of students from Tinian High School and Koryo High School, and 50 in the evening.

During the Sounding of the Sirens at 9am and moment of silence, the downpour started, event organizer James Mendiola said.

“Actually, it made for a poignant moment,” he said. “It maybe underscored the sadness of the event.”

The organizers decided to move the event from the Children’s Peace Monument to the Kammer Beach main pavilion before the ceremony due to the weather forecast for rain, he said.

“It actually worked out very well,” Mendiola added.

Erica Evangelisa served as the master of ceremony for the morning portion and evening vigil. She conducted the ceremony in English and Japanese to benefit the visiting students and teachers from Japan.

A one-minute moment of silence was observed at 9:15am while sirens from the Tinians’ Department of Public Safety vehicles sounded. A multi-faith prayer followed the moment of silence. Sister Luz from the Catholic Church, Vili A. Villan of the Seventh-Day Adventist, and Pastor Buddy Cunanan of Jesus is Lord conducted the prayers.

A less formal Candlelight Peace Vigil started in the evening. Participants helped light nearly 300 candles decorating the main pavilion.

“It made for a very intimate moment,” Mendiola said.

The 13 students from Hiroshima Koryo High School performed a Japanese song, Peace Loving People, while the Tinian Children’s Choir performed John Lennon’s Imagine. Tinian High School student Alisha Shrestha recited an original poem, Peace, written for the ceremony.

Local recording artists Anthony Aguon and Nikita Mendiola closed the ceremony by performing U2’s One and Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On.

“It wowed everyone. It actually wrapped things up quite nicely,” Mendiola said.

After the event, vigil participants enjoyed refreshments provided by community members.

“I think it was a nice ceremony this year. Although it was small, I think the candles and music were something special, and I hope our guests from Hiroshima enjoyed the event.” said Ann Marie Hocog, one of the organizers of the event. “And we would especially like to thank the many people and businesses that had donated so much to this year’s events; without their help none of this would have been possible.”