JAPANESE dancers from Guma Famagu’on Tano’ Yan I Tasi spoke positively about their experience in collaborating with the Chamolinian Cultural Village’s CNMI Domatsuri team at the 26th Annual Nippon Domannaka Festival in Nagoya, Japan.
The festival took place on Aug. 23-25 and brought together 202 groups and over 20,000 dancers from all over Japan. It is the largest annual dance festival in central Japan.
At the Nippon Domannaka Festival, Guma Famagu’on Tano’ Yan I Tasi and their CNMI Domatsuri partners performed dances they first learned from Gordon Marciano, CCVI’s chairman, in August when they visited Saipan.
Guma Famagu’on Tano’ Yan I Tasi has been a Chamorro dance troupe since 2009 when it was established by fa’fa’nague, or dance troupe instructor Kyoko Nakayama. She is a student of Guam-based fa’fa’nague Frank Rabon.
Nakayama, a professor at Teikyo University, first took an interest in the cultures of the Marianas in the 2000s. She established her dance troupe after becoming greatly interested in Chamorro culture and the connections between the Marianas and Japan.
She and Famagu’on Tano’ Yan I Tasi have begun learning more about the Carolinian culture in the Marianas. In an August lecture on Saipan, she said her dance troupe’s “new challenge” will be to include Carolinian dances into their repertoire.
Nakayama said she hopes the collaboration will build goodwill.
“I had known for some years that the Saipan team was performing at the Domannaka Festival,” she said. “There weren’t many of them available to participate. I offered to help in any way I could, as we live in Japan and wanted to contribute to the good relationship between the CNMI and Japan.”
Dancer Kyoko Hara is a junior high school teacher in Japan. She said she wants to deepen her understanding of Marianas cultures so she can share the knowledge with her students.
She called the collaboration “valuable.”
“I’m really glad to be involved with the [CNMI Domatsuri] through dancing,” she said. “I am interested in the history and culture of the Mariana Islands. Because I want to understand what this performance expresses, I am learning the history of Saipan. Mr. Gordon I. Marciano taught me how to show respect in Saipan, and he taught me Carolinian words and how to greet.”
Dancer Yuya Azuma has a decade of experience with Guma Famagu’on Tano’ Yan I Tasi.
He said the group of Japanese and CNMI dancers performed at the Hisaya Ohdori park main stage, the Aeon Mall, Ohsu Kannon, and Oasis 21 in Nagoya.
He said he feels he has a responsibility to let the Japanese people know about their country’s connection to the Marianas.
“We have continued international cultural activity … but there’s not only Chamorro people and culture but also Carolinian people and culture in the Marianas,” he said. “Through this event or cultural exchange with CNMI Domatsuri members, I could open my eyes and heart, expand my perspective of the Mariana Islands. … There are beautiful people and cultures in the Marianas. I want to continue our activity with passion and responsibility for sharing it in Japan.”
He added: “It was such a beautiful gathering. I spent valuable time with our CNMI family. I was so honored to be part of the CNMI Domatsuri.”
Dianna Kubo, a Chamorro who now lives in Tokyo, said: “These past couple of days has been a world of experience I thought I’ll never do in my lifetime as we headed to Nagoya [to participate in an] elaborate summer festival. As a Chamorro from Guam, taking part in cultural experience with the folks of Carolinian culture from Saipan … is indeed an unforgettable moment of a real treasure. Si yuus maase hamyu todos!”
Nakayama said the event synergized CNMI Domatsuri and Guma Famagu’on Tano’ Yan I Tasi, and has opened more opportunity to learn about the Marianas.
“Now that our Guma has been welcomed into the CCVI family, I have more opportunities to learn about Chamolinian and Carolinian culture,” she said. “During the festival, in hot Nagoya, we sweated profusely together, walked a lot, shared bento boxes, and danced, which strengthened our bond.”
Members of the CNMI Domatsuri, Guma Famagu’on Tano’ Yan I Tasi, and other members of the CNMI delegation to the 26th Annual Nippon Domannaka Festival in Nagoya, Japan pose for a photo. The event, which took place from Aug. 23 to 25, brought together 202 groups and over 20,000 dancers from throughout Japan.
CNMI Domatsuri and Guma Famagu’on Tano’ Yan I Tasi members perform at the Nippon Domannaka Festival in Nagoya, Japan.
Japanese and CNMI dancers perform at the Nippon Domannaka Festival in Nagoya, Japan.
