The IAN/ASF also extends a Dångkulu na si Yu’us Ma’åse and Olomwaay to the Legislature, and especially to Sen. Maria Frica T. Pangelinan, Reps. Ray Tebuteb and Justo Quitugua who played a major role in securing funds for the printing of the directory.
Last but not least, the IÅNASF extends a Dångkulu na si Yu’us Ma’åse and Olomwaay to the Marianas Public Land Trust for having funds for this important indigenous project.
“The Directory of Traditional Healers and Medicinal Plants in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands” is published by the Inetnon Åmot Natibu/Ammwelil Safeyal Faluwasch and will be printed in April.
It contains articles on at least 44 healers on Rota, Tinian, and Saipan. It also contains pictures of more than 100 medicinal plants in the CNMI.
This directory is the first of its kind in the CNMI and in it the healers were given the opportunity to share their knowledge and experiences.
With the directory, the IÅN/ASF intends to 1) advocate, recognize, and support traditional medicine and traditional healers who are not normally publicly recognized, 2) help protect habitats of medicinal plants, and 3) document cultural traditions.
The awareness of native medicine is especially important today for the younger generation to know of its value and its role in the indigenous cultures of the Carolinians and the Chamorros.
When we recognize who we are, what we are, and respect and honor the cultural values that we have, this is very healthy.
Native medicine works and it is economical as well, considering the high cost of hospital treatments in the world today.
INETNON ÅMOT NATIBU/
AMMWELIL SAFEYAL
FALUWASCH
