(MVA) — The 4th Annual Rota Gilita Chamorro Festival will be held on April 21-23, 2022, in the Marianas.
A craftsman weaves coconut fronds at the 2019 Gilita Chamorro Festival. The 4th Annual Rota Gilita Chamorro Festival will be held on April 21-23, 2022 in the Marianas.
The festival will feature food, music, and handicrafts inspired by Chamorro culture and will be held at the Chamorro Village Learning Center in Songsong village. The event is organized and sponsored by the Rota Mayor’s Office, Office of the CNMI Governor, the 18th Rota Municipal Council, Marianas Visitors Authority, and Aloha Maid in collaboration with all municipal departments and the Filipino Community of Rota or FILCOR.
“Gilita” is Chamorro slang for “ginen Luta” or “from Lua,” referring to people from Rota.
“We are very excited to reinstate our Gilita Chamorro Festival as we have a diverse group of practitioners with many talents and skills, and we would love to showcase their work to our local residents, friends and neighbors in the Marianas, as well as invite our visitors from other parts of the region,” said Rota Mayor Efraim Atalig. “This is a great way to see the uniqueness of Rota’s ‘gilitas’ and the talents they have learned from their parents and grandparents. We want to ensure that we continue to preserve and practice our Chamorro traditions and promote our Chamorro heritage.”
The festival will open on April 21 from 9-11 a.m. with a proclamation signing to signify the revival of the event and to highlight the grant funding received from the Office of the Governor to support and create our Chamorro Village Learning Center. This facility will be used to educate and inform others of the various cultural practices and traditions exhibited by the Chamorro people most specifically how the “gilitas” on Rota have preserved their cultural heritage. There will also be an island tour to unveil new signage at significant sites around Rota. On April 22, Chamorrita Day will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., educating youth, residents and tourists with demonstrations and games. Live entertainment and food competitions begin at 6 p.m. On April 23, a cultural exhibition will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., while an evening concert feature Northern Star Band and Jay Selepeo will begin at 6 p.m.
Demonstrations will include weaving, medicine making, sling shot throwing, spear throwing, arts and crafts, and cooking. There will also be cooking classes available to share the process of cooking local delicacies. Entertainment will feature local artists and bands promoting Chamorro music.
“Part of MVA’s 10-year Strategic Plan Toward Sustainable Tourism includes more emphasis on indigenous Chamorro and Carolinian culture, so we are very excited about what Gilita Chamorro Festival has to offer visitors in terms of authentic experiences,” said MVA Managing Director Priscilla M. Iakopo. “It’s going to be an extraordinary three days of protecting, preserving, and promoting some of the key practices of the culture, and MVA is happy to again support this event.”
Vendors will also be selling food, handcrafts, Chamorro medicine, and other items during the festival.
For more information, contact the Rota Mayor’s Office Program and Grants Division at (670) 532-9451 ext. 105. For more information on Rota, visit www.mymarianas.com
