500 Sails continues to create traditional Chamorro canoes right here on-island, and the latest canoe in their ever growing fleet will launch on Oct. 10 at 9 a.m. in San Jose, across from the Bank of Saipan. The public is warmly invited to witness this event.
The canoe is named Animuyi and is a painted, 15-foot Chamorro sailing canoe fabricated at the 500 Sails boatyard facility in Lower Base. Her main hull and outrigger are made out of fiberglass, while her spars are bamboo. For the past month or so, she has been on display at the Bank of Saipan branch located in San Jose. Prior to that, her finishing touches were skillfully created in the busy 500 Sails boatyard, where she was made by a crew of local craftsmen and craftswomen. Animuyi was part of the Liberation Day parade aboard Triple J Enterprises’ official float, but Monday’s boat launch is her official welcoming ceremony into 500 Sails’ sailing fleet.
After a brief launch commemoration, Animuyi and the canoes Richard Seman, Ladahao, Aunty Oba, and Didi will sail from San Jose, across the Bank of Saipan, landing at the Guma Sakman. Please show support for this event with your attendance, or simply honk your car horn if you pass by while driving on Beach Road.
500 Sails Director of Community Programs Andrew Roberto underscored why this event is so special.
“Canoes are the lifeblood of Pacific cultures,” Roberto said. “It’s in our DNA to be sailors and fishermen and women. These canoes let us go past the reef or around the lagoon without the need to purchase fuel — after all, the wind is free. Our health, our wellness, our spirit, and our joy in life is tied to these boats. 500 Sails is happy to launch Animuyi and we invite the public to come celebrate as well.”
Roberto further stated that the entire process to build Animuyi is part of the Traditional Canoe Fabrication and Maintainance program of the 500 Sails Cultural Maritime Training Center or CMTC, in partnership with Northern Marianas College-Community Development Institute.
The CMTC project was made possible by support from the Administration for Children and Families, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as part of the Administration for Native Americans Social and Economic Development Strategies grant. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the funders.
500 Sails is a 501(c)(3) and CNMI tax-exempt nonprofit organization dedicated to reviving, promoting, and preserving the maritime cultural traditions of the Mariana Islands through community engagement in canoe cultural values and activities. 500 Sails’ vision is a healthy thriving native community that has successfully integrated traditional cultural values into modern life. Major supporting partners include the CNMI Office of Indigenous Affairs and the Bank of Saipan.
Animuyi canoe launch takes place on Oct. 10 at 9 a.m. in San Jose across from the Bank of Saipan to mark CNMI Culture Day.
