In the early nineties, I had the privilege to serve as the governor’s official delegate to the South Pacific Commission for several years.<\/p>\n
The commission approved the Pacific Festival of Arts that is held annually, boasting arts and crafts and music from north and south of the equator.<\/p>\n
I recall the participation of the NMI and our southern neighbor of Guam. At the music festival one evening, both groups started their presentation with “Hafadai todo mauleg….” This was followed by Polynesian dances from guess where–the NMI and Guam.<\/p>\n
Yes, there were several local numbers choreographed by directors from both groups. But most of their music and dances were Polynesian. I found an excuse in my quiet embarrassment: “Don’t worry, be happy, it must be acculturation!”<\/p>\n
The festival was to encourage perpetuation of local arts and culture. It’s a good effort which displays the pride of islanders in what makes them unique. However, I still find it bothersome that both the NMI and Guam came out singing “Hafadai, todo mauleg, how are you….” Next, came a mix of local music and dances still dominated by Polynesian numbers.<\/p>\n
A real kahuna or master of music and dances from Hawaii died in recent weeks on Guam (last name Kanehele). He’s recognized and revered among Polynesians for pushing, in the fifties, that Hawaiian culture be made a part of the tourism industry. It did and it is for this reason that tourism in the Aloha State has been and continues to thrive even at the peak of the Asian crisis.<\/p>\n
The Aloha State has a very distinct identity that is found in its Polynesian music and dances. This aspect of the tourism industry is further reinforced by the Polynesian Cultural Center where students from all over the Pacific take part in the nightly shows at the venue. Students who graduate are replaced by new enrollees. Around the Polynesian Cultural Center are villages from the various island nations from the Pacific area.<\/p>\n
I’m not sure how do we wish to address this issue so that hotel entertainment focuses on the cultural music and dances of Chamorros and Carolinians. Right now, Polynesian entertainers still dominate this area of the tourism industry. It even involves locals who have learned Tahitian and fire dances. Yes, tourists love it but is it really a cultural display of who and what we are in these isles? It’s a tough issue to overcome and it takes more than the usual lip service to get over this hurdle.<\/p>\n
If in fact we decide to make local music and dances a part of the nightly tourist entertainment, then the next query (and a bit thorny too) is how far do we wish to commercialize our cultural music and dances? Let’s hear it from one and all. It’s either we resolve this issue now or forever display and hide behind someone else’s cultural music and dances. It’s all up to us to make it or forever hold our breath. Si Yuus Maase` yan ghilisow!<\/p>\n
\u2022 \u2022 \u2022 \u2022 \u2022<\/p>\n
The one not so very nice thing about being a Chamolinian is that I only know where a part of my roots came from. The other side is at best a quiz in perpetuity. So much for culture origin, yeah? I couldn’t be a Malaysian or my last name would be Muslim. It’s more like Pinoy and damn proud of it. Salamat, Si Yuus Maase` yan ghilisow!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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