THE chairman of the CNMI Museum of Culture and History board of governors says the proposed Chamorro Village could be a joint effort of the government and its proponent.
Herman T. Guerrero said the museum is also interested in the alternative site for the proposed Sengsong Chamorro—the former Nakamoto across DFS.
He said the board wants to build an extended park on that site for the museum.
“It can be a good joint effort. Not a separate one, especially since we are under an economic crisis, but the area that they are asking for is a big one,” Guerrero said.
He said the museum’s planned park would also have the same houses that Chamorro advocate Noel Quitugua is proposing.
The only difference is that the museum’s project would use the houses to sell hand-crafted materials made in the CNMI such as baskets, huts, fans, among other things.
Since the museum’s proposed location is within the tourist belt area, Guerrero said there is a good chance that it could be another attraction for the visitors.
“It certainly is a nice concept to have a museum and a park at the Nakamoto area,” he said.
“We are thinking that if we can get that one, we can make a park and these are exactly the things that we can include in the museum,” he added.
Quitugua is proposing the construction of a Chamorro Village on a 23,836 sq.. m. property near Ada Gym.
He said the Nakamoto area can be an alternative site.
The village is envisioned to be made up of different traditional dwellings where different artifacts, crafts and other aspects of Chamorro culture will be displayed and taught.
Moreover, Quitugua is proposing to make the project self-sustaining by charging an affordable annual membership fee to visitors using the facilities.
He also wants to introduce a “community partnership program” to maintain and repair the proposed village huts.
Under this plan, the village will implement the “Adopt-A-Hut” program for the community and schools to actively participate in maintaining the huts.
“For example, one hut will be assigned to the community of Afetna/San Antonio and/or San Antonio Elementary School to maintain their hut and its 30-ft. parameter boundary on a scheduled basis,” Quitugua said.
