(DCCA) — The Department of Community and Cultural Affairs and the Office of the Mayor of Rota held a two-day cultural activity that started with the traditional medicine conference event at Mochong Historical Latte Site on Thursday.
The sightseeing activity at herbal plants area the next day attracted approximately 300 participants from the local community, students, and neighboring islands.
The theme of the conference was “Tungo’ Sumostieni i Amot-ta.”
Mochong is one of the places on Rota that the local people’s early ancestors once lived.
The knowledge in herbal plants and the making of herbal medicines came from these ancestors and passed down from generation to generation.
The two-day medicinal event aimed to strengthen, promote, and preserve traditional medicine knowledge; and to advocate protection of herbal plants through education, community awareness, presentations, live demonstrations, questions/answers, recipes, sampling medicines, display of live herbal plants and seeds available.
The event also discussed future planning on medicinal seminars and other related projects.
Organizers would like to give their sincere appreciation to the following: The Library Friends/Children of Our Homeland Center — Maureen Sebangiol, president, Jose Sablan, vice president, Dr. Liz Rechebei, Anicia Tomokane; NMI Council for the Humanities Executive Dirctor Paz Younis; Senator and Mrs. Paul A. Manglona; the Rota legislative delegation; the 11th Rota Municipal Council; Washington Rep. Pete A. Tenorio; Council of Arts & Culture Director Cecil Celes; Chamorro/Carolinian Language Policy Commission Director David Omar, Alijandro Agulto; the Division of Youth Services; the Department of Lands and Natural Resources — Resident Director Herman Apatang, James Manglona and Forestry staff; Department of Public Works Resident Director Martin Atalig and staff; Indegenous Affairs Office — Gonzalo Santos; traditional healers Fermina Blas, Rebecca Norita, Timothy San Nicolas, Juliana Toves, Carmen Toves, Fermina Atalig, Emilio Ayuyu, Donald Mendiola; the Amot Natibu Association; the Historic Preservation Office; the Rota Aging Program — the manamko’; the Department of Public Safety; the Rota Public School System and Eskuelan San Francisco De Borja; community volunteer Fidel Manglona Jr.; Channel 5; Konferensian Amot Committee members; the Rota Mayor’s Office staff; Dr. Rita Inos; and DCCA staff.