THE government should create a Chamorro Affairs Office to oversee the proposed Chamorro Village—a permanent site designed to show the different aspects of indigenous culture, according to Noel Quitugua, special community development specialist.
He said the proposed office is needed to ensure that the village would be preserved and serve its purpose.
Quitugua unveiled yesterday a miniature model of the proposed Chamorro Village or Sengsong Chamorro.
He said the public property between Castaways Bar & Grill and Tronkon Da’Ok Children Playground is ideal for the project. He identified the former Nakamoto across DFS as an alternative site.
Under his plan, Quitugua wants different traditional dwellings to be constructed on the site, the biggest of which will be called the Guma Magalahi or Guma Chamorri.
This house will be constructed with latte stone columns and designed to be the main feature of all traditional thatch-roofed dwellings. It will be the first of its kind, if the project pushes through.
The proposed village includes huts where salt, pottery and oil-making will be taught.
Quitugua also wants to build a large canoe house called Guma Sakmang to shelter “sakman, lelek, duding and duduli as well as the paddling canoes—panga and galaide.”
“Another hut nearby is for various cultural activities relevant to maritime practices: canoe carving, rope-making, processing and weaving of canoe sail, various net weaving, fish trap making and making of various fishing implements,” Quitugua said.
He said the village could also be utilized for cultural and tour programs to educate the community and visitors about Chamorro culture.
“The primary audience is the CNMI public,” he said. “The secondary audience includes visitors from Japan, Korea, China, Thailand, the Philippines, Australia and Europe,” he added.
Quitugua is calling for a meeting on Friday to discuss his proposal with the local community. “The purpose of this meeting is to present to the public the future development of Sengsong Chamorro which also includes the establishment of a non-profit organization to oversee it.”
