With the theme “Chain of Cultures,” students performed songs, dances and traditional games from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Friday.
School principal Christine T. Masga said the theme “means that by uniting cultures from the different ethnic groups we can achieve change.”
This year’s Cultural Day celebration was participated by hundred of students and visitors, Masga said.
“They prepared hard and got the community involved,” she told Variety.
There were more performances this year, she noted
Donald B. Mendiola, Cultural Day co-chairman, said promoting culture helps children become better citizens.
“There’s harmony and no discrimination — that’s what our culture is,” Mendiola said, as he urged the community and the media to help promote the islands’ variety of cultures.
“Culture should be practiced on a daily basis so that the people can live it more fully despite the many influences from the outside world that try to weaken traditional culture,” he added.
Local culture, he said, is “almost asleep” and there’s a need to “wake up everybody because modern culture is gradually penetrating our traditions.”
Traditional culture should not be exhibited on certain days of the year, but should be practiced daily, he said.
Last Friday’s celebration saw the participation of the Palauan Dancers, the Inatuas Cultural Dancers, the Reraluwasch Warriors, the Filipino Dance Group, Mix Cultures (Team F/Grace S.), the Samoan-Hawaiian Dancers, the Saipan Girls, the Chuukita Girls, the My Wave Club, Crime Stoppers, the Lollipop Girls (Team E), and Project Impact.
The performing singers were Fred, Borja and Ms. Ayuyu, Pinay Pride and Yvonnalynn Salalila and Patricia Metran.
The games included coconut husking, coconut grating, coconut drinking and coconut throwing.
LJ Castro and Vic Borja served as the masters of ceremony.
The sponsors included Saipan Mayor Juan B. Tudela, Sen. Luis P. Crisostomo, Department of Community and Cultural Affairs Secretary Cecilia T. Celes, Frances M. Sablan and the Inatuas, the Historic Preservation Office, the Arts Council, Parker Yobei, the Carolinian Affairs Office, Ike Borja, Manny Borja, Eusebio Borja and family, and HJHS PTSA president Vic Cepeda.
