IAO hopes to create plan to revive islands’ identity
The Indigenous Affairs Office hopes to come up with a strategic plan within the next six months on how to preserve and make resilient the CNMI’s indigenous culture.
Taking all the suggestions received during the inaugural indigenous conference last week, IAO resident executive Roman Tudela said it would take time before a plan is put into play.
The conference was split into work sessions and Tudela believes it would take quite sometime to collate all the information obtained at the conference.
The biggest struggle at the conference, Tudela said, was first identifying what the indigenous Chamorro identity is. After many cultural and traditional influences, figuring out what the islands’ identity really is has become quite an issue. Once that question has been answered, it is just a matter of time before it is revived and strengthened, Tudela said.
According to Gov. Ralph DLG Torres, who was also present at the conference, he believes that the indigenous culture could be strengthened through language.
Tudela and Carolinian Affairs Office executive assistant John Tagabuel agreed, saying that language is the sole identity of the indigenous islanders.
According to Tagabuel, it falls on whether or not families still practice the language at home. Tagabuel believes that, in order to revive the islands’ identity, the current generation and its families should strive to continue speaking the native language.
One solution that seems popular among those of Northern Marianas descent is the establishment of an indigenous cultural center, Tudela said.
“The center would play a vital role in everything that we plan to do,” he said.
There were many suggestions raised at the conference but, according to Tudela, it would take approximately four to six months to thoroughly go through every suggestion and come up with a plan that will benefit the islands’ future.
IAO Resident Executive Tudela, it should not belabor you to let CAO Executive Assistant John Tagabuel undertand and know that the ONLY INDIGENOUS Cultural Center is the Chamorro Cultural Center.
The CNMI Museum of Arts and Culture has been created to house all cultures of history in the Mariana Islands. Now, if they want to have a Carolinian Cultural Center; then, why not? Go right ahead!
The Carolinians and those included in the definition of “Northern Marianas Descent” Carolinians are from the Caroline Islands; thus, indigenous of their respective Caroline Islands.
Btw, have you figured out what the true meaning of the word “Refaluwash”? I am told by several Carolinian from each of their respective islands that the meaning of Refaluwash is equal to “my island”; “my place”; “my home” – meaning from where their lineage links them.
If to a Refaluwash is to reference as their respective Caroline Islands as their island; then, that is proper to their respective islands/atolls because that is their ancestral lineage. However, if they are to reference that the Mariana Islands is their ancestral lineage island; then, that is totally a different story because this is their skimming venue to be considered indigenous of the Mariana Islands under the eyes of the United Nations definition as “existing only…” so that they can fit into the definition of “indigenous” in the Mariana Islands…how convenient?! To be indigenous to the Mariana Islands, the land of the Chamorros; and indigenous to the Caroline Islands, the atolls of the Carolinians…how crafty?!
The Covenant and the Constitution referenced “Carolinian” not “Refaluwash.” And neither document referenced “indigenous” but “Northern Marianas Descent.” Get it straight! And let’s stop this scientific hoax.
BTW, Roman, the Constitution provides for an impeachment of the REIA if they fail to adhere to the mandates of the office. To acknowledge and to make indigenous the Carolinians of the Mariana Islands that includes Rota, Tinian, Saipan and all islands north would not only be irresponsible, but also insulting and disrespectful to the Chamorros; and is considered dereliction of duty that can be considered an impeachable offense. Stick to your mandates – to improve the lives of the Chamorros, the host culture, the aboriginal, native and indigenous of these islands who have lived and thrived for over 4,000 years. Yet, has been left on the sideline to improve other people but theirs in the name of political coercion.
Don’t be sidelined and don’t treat our cultural and historical heritage as political pawns; and be weighted down by a migrant population of 200 years of history in the Marianas without any contribution to the advancement of the native inhabitants – the Host Culture – the Chamorros.
Enough is Enough! FANOHGI CHAMORU!
Peace!