Isaiah Taimanao in the Luta episode of the Marianas Cousins webshow.
NIHI Indigenous Media released the Luta episode of the Marianas Cousins webshow on YouTube, Thursday, Oct. 19, according to a media release from the Guam-based organization.
The webshow features a child from each main island of the Marianas “as they take you through their daily lives, capturing the simple joys and timeless beauty of homeland and the village,” the release added.
The producers filmed on Luta or Rota from April 27 to 29, and the episode stars Sinapalo Elementary School student Isaiah Taimanao.
“It’s fun,” Taimanao said. “I get to show you some of the best places,” which include the Rota Swimming Hole, his grandparents’ farm, and the famous giant trongkonnunu or banyan tree.
The episode can be viewed on the Nihi Indigenous Media YouTube channel, KUAM and on Docomo Cable TV.
Follow @nihiindigenousmedia on Instagram for more information.
Cara Flores, project director, said Nihi Indigenous Media was founded in 2013 “to equip and empower the next generation of [island resource] protectors and to nurture a deep love for our land, ocean and people.”
“Our land connections begin in childhood with simple joys: the tree that we planted with our nåna, our grandpa’s farm, the beach that dad taught us to fish at, the swimming spot where we first jumped into the ocean with our friends.” Flores said. “This series celebrates those connections to the land and to each other, across our islands.”
Siobhon McManus, the series co-producer, said the series is about the Marianas at its best.
“This series is a reminder that our people across the islands are beautiful, thriving, and kind. There’s nothing more special than belonging to the Marianas,” she said.
Aside from filming on Luta, Nihi Indigenous Media also filmed on Guam, Tinian, and Saipan. The Guam episode of Marianas Cousins is currently available online, while the release of the Tinian and Saipan episodes are forthcoming.
