NOW is the time to highlight the stories and talents in the Marianas, said Sophia Perez, the creator, writer, editor, director and producer of “Island Time.”
The Northern Marianas Humanities Council, which helped fund the children’s show, said it “centers around Fu’una, a young Chamorro woman living on Saipan who wants to learn more about her culture.”
The show begins when Fu’una’s grandmother, Nåna, leaves for a motorcycle road trip across the United States.
“When Nåna leaves, her pets transform from live-action animals to Chamorro-speaking puppets who build robots, hold public office, sing songs, and fully expect Fu’una to keep up,” the Humanities Council said.
The first episode is available online and free to watch on the Humanities Council’s YouTube Channel, 670 Humanities.
Perez said the project was a long time coming. When she was a reporter for Variety, she had the opportunity to brainstorm with video editor and animator Jack Doyle. Based on their conversations, Perez thought it would be fun to create a children’s show based on the Chamorro culture.
She said she was also inspired after seeing “We Drank Our Tears” of local filmmaker and Northern Marianas College President Galvin Deleon Guerrero.
But there was more than just the enjoyment of art that motivated Perez to create “Island Time.”
After speaking to members of the Indigenous Affairs Office as well as the teachers of the Public School System’s Chamorro and Carolinian Language & Heritage Studies Program, she said it became clear that educators all over the CNMI were in need of class curriculum materials.
“There needed to be more educational language media for Chamorro kids, and that was all the validation I really needed,” Perez said. “There are some amazing educators who are trailblazing right now, and they’re really hurting for educational resources.”
A descendant of a Chamorro war survivor from Guam, Perez believes that “Island Time” is one of the ways she can honor her roots.
“If the Chamorro people did not have a very uniquely strong culture and social fabric there is no way that this thing could even exist,” Perez said. “Don’t let anyone say Chamorro culture is dead. If it was dead this thing could have never happened.”
She hopes the project will help enrich the lives of the Chamorro youth. She wants the Chamorro children of the Marianas and the Chamorro diaspora to “understand that their culture is important, they’re important, and their community is just as talented and funny and entertaining as everyone else.”
Perez aims to turn “Island Time” into a series. She and other collaborators are now pursuing funding and sponsors to accomplish this.
“I think the space for Marianas-based media is rapidly expanding,” Perez said. “If there’s one additional thing that I hope the people can take away from ‘Island Time,’ it is how much potential the storytellers and actors and artists and videographers of this island have to offer.”
In 2022, Perez and the Humanities Council hosted a public screening for “Island Time” at American Memorial Park. Perez has also hosted numerous private screenings. She said she’s been humbled by the positive response to the show on which she has worked so hard.
“To see the crowd start singing along or laugh or some people even tear up at the end — it’s more than I could have ever imagined in terms of the response. I’m super grateful that it seems to be landing with the community,” Perez said.
The Instagram account for “Island Time” is @islandtime670.
In “Island Time,” Shannon Sasamoto plays the role of Fu’una, a young Chamorro woman on Saipan who wants to learn more about her culture.