Carolinian dance troupe Island Warriors, adorned with coconut fronds, perform at the opening of the Gangwon Forestry Exhibition in South Korean on Sept. 23, 2023. The Marianas Visitors Authority attended the exhibition opening.
(MVA) — The Marianas Visitors Authority has helped open the 2023 Gangwon Forestry Exhibition in Gangwon province in South Korea with a taste of indigenous culture from the Marianas.
The exhibit “seeks the future of the world and mankind in the forest” and will be open through Oct. 22, 2023. The exhibit attracted 53,000 visitors on its opening days of Sept. 22-24, 2023. The exhibit opened with a live performance by the coconut-frond adorned Island Warriors, a Carolinian dance group from the Marianas and one of only two overseas performance teams — including Cebu province in the Philippines — featured among the opening performances. The traditional way of life of the indigenous Carolinian and Chamorro cultures of the Marianas is closely tied to both land and sea.
Gangwon Vice Governor Jeong Kwang-Yeol shared his impressions of the culture at a dinner on the night of the performance.
“I am truly amazed by the Island Warriors’ intense energy as I was watching the Carolinian dance,” said Jeong Kwang-Yeol. “Thank you, Island Warriors, for visiting Gangwon province and the 2023 Gangwon Forestry Exhibition and sharing a great power of Saipan, the Marianas.”
Gangwon Governor Kim Jin-Tae was also in attendance at the packed event. MVA also sent two staff members to the event, which included destination photos displayed during the dance performance. Lodging, meals, and ground transportation costs were sponsored by the government of Gangwon Province.
“The Gangwon Forestry Exhibition was an opportunity to promote the culture and stunning natural landscape of our islands,” said MVA Managing Director Christopher A. Concepcion. “Among Koreans, trekking and hiking has become quite popular, and it’s a reminder that conservation of green spaces, trees, and forests must remain a part of our Marianas destination development.”
The main exhibition is being held at Gangwon World Jamboree Center in Goseong County, with smaller venues elsewhere in the province. This inaugural exhibit is anticipated to return every two years.
