THE Northern Marianas Humanities Council proudly represented the CNMI in this year’s National Humanities Conference held in Los Angeles, California, from Nov. 10-12, 2022.
The conference gathers humanities leaders from state and federal levels and leading scholars and historians throughout the United States and its territories.
The CNMI delegation was led by the council’s executive director, Leo Pangelinan, council chairperson, Dr. Bobby Cruz, and board members Tracy Guerrero and Lynette Villagomez and staff Maggie Sablan and Naomi Tudela.
In addition to participating, the CNMI team facilitated three moving sessions that brought more voice and visibility to the Marianas.
The first session was Fakmåta: The Awakening of Pacific Islander Perspectives on the Impact of Colonization on Culture. It was the most attended session of the conference, where Dr. Cruz, Tracy, and Leo grappled with the history of colonization in the Marianas and its impact on Chamorro culture and identity to understand the historical trauma catalyzed by a succession of colonial occupations from the Spanish to the Germans to the Japanese and the American periods of influence.
Dr. Cruz shared, “Tracy, Leo, and I did this to spark discourse and push for greater representation for our people. We wanted to revisit events in our history through the eyes of our Chamorro ancestors, i saina-ta, i tåotåomo’na, i manmofo’na, as much of our history is told through the biased lens of those who colonized us. We started with the questions: Who are we, and what happened to our people? Håyi hit, yan håfa ma susedi ni tåotåo-ta? Unpacking our historical trauma caused by colonization is hard, but when we face it, we can begin to heal and move from a position of victimization to empowerment.”
Tracy shared, “It was so powerful to hear that our work inspired so many scholars and historians and taught them something new. It was an important project for us because it allowed us to reflect on our own personal awakening to the impact of our colonial past as descendants of the indigenous people of the Marianas.”
Leo shared, “Talking to the outside world about who we are as a people has helped deepen my understanding of my personal relationship to our Chamorro cultural heritage.”
Dr. Cruz also shared that this is just the start of more representation. “Our people of Marianas have more lessons to share with the world. We also have our indigenous Carolinian brothers and sister, i manelu-ta, who, while we now stand as one indigenous people, historically have their powerful truths that the world needs to hear about. So, our participation this year is only the story’s beginning of more representation in spaces at that level.”
The council also showcased its film project, Island Time, masterfully presented by its director, Sophia Perez. The lighting round showcased the teaser from the film and allowed the audience to ask questions.
Sophia shared, “Island Time is a Sesame Street-style children’s show pilot that the council is producing as an educational tool meant to help teach CNMI history and culture as well as the Chamorro language. It was a fun, creative project done with our local community members to promote positivity and local values and reach kids where they are.”
The council also helped facilitate collaboration across state and jurisdictional councils in a session entitled Movement Across Oceans Toward Justice working with Humanities Guåhan in partnership with Oregon Humanities in a roundtable session to discuss the “kinetic energy” of a collaborative project that involves movement across the Pacific striving toward justice. The session’s goal is to explore this partnership’s process and content and how it illuminates the powerful way humanities perspectives and approaches can imagine and re-imagine more just, inclusive, and sustainable communities.
The team also met with Shelly Lowe, the chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities to discuss CNMI needs and witnessed the election of Executive Director Leo Pangelinan to the board of directors of the Federation of State Humanities Council.
Dr. Cruz mentioned, “Leo is an extraordinary human being and leader. His election is a monumental event that inevitably would mean greater advocacy at the national level for Pacific Islanders. Leo is also the first person of indigenous Chamorro descent to serve on that body. I am very proud.”
From left, Northern Marianas Humanities Council Executive Director Leo Pangelinan, board member Tracy Guerrero and board chairperson Dr. Bobby Cruz at the National Humanities Conference in Los Angeles, California.
A delegation from the Northern Marianas Humanities Council represented the CNMI in this year’s National Humanities Conference held in Los Angeles, California on Nov. 10-12, 2022.
