Study identifies 3 strategies to preserve NMI’s cultural collections

Mutual sharing and understanding of knowledge and information, a holistic cultural heritage system, and advanced training and education in archival concepts and principles are needed to effectively preserve and maintain the Commonwealth’s cultural heritage collections and resources.

These were the three major findings and recommendations identified in her final narrative report by Dr. Cecilia Lizama Salvatore, consultant for the CNMI Cultural Assets Restoration and Education Strategy or CNMI CARES project of the Joeten-Kiyu Public Library.

Funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services Connecting to Collections or C2C Planning Grant, the CNMI CARES project aims to formulate a plan for the preservation and protection of the Commonwealth’s cultural heritage.

The IMLS C2C Planning Grant was prompted by the Heritage Health Index Report on the State of America’s Collections, the first comprehensive survey that captured the current conditions and preservation needs of cultural heritage collections across the nation and its territories.

Salvatore, an associate professor at the Dominican University School of Library & Information Science, was actively involved in the assessment, review, identification, and development of a plan for effective management, maintenance, and preservation of the CNMI’s cultural heritage.

Salvatore worked with the CNMI C2C Planning Project Task Force, composed of stakeholder agencies and institutions and other community members from Saipan, Tinian, and Rota, which was created specifically for the project and “provided valuable input and feedback on various activities and discussions.”

Methods used included site visits to cultural heritage institutions, offices, and agencies, including physical inspection and survey of resources, collections, and facilities; survey/interview of staff at cultural heritage agencies, offices, and institutions; focus group sessions integrated with workshops; additional focus group sessions with the man’amko and the manhoben or youth; and visits to the governor and the mayors of Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.

Salvatore said “mutual sharing and understanding” is needed so that agencies, offices, and institutions can “share knowledge of their mission, scope of collection, and specific holdings and to share knowledge of how they can complement and supplement each other.”

According to Salvatore, the mission and scope of collection of each agency, office, and institution should be stated publicly for accessibility.

“This will greatly help the agencies, offices, and institutions themselves so that-and especially with a poor economy-unnecessary duplication of holdings and improper acquisitions are avoided,” she said, adding that accessibility of mission and scope of collection will be beneficial to the community.

Salvatore explained that a “holistic cultural heritage system” refers to “a consensus about what constitutes cultural heritage collections and resources, and consequently, the need for a consensus as to how to prioritize these collections and resources,” including who will be responsible for their “systematic and formal recordkeeping.”

Salvatore emphasized that cultural heritage is an “evolving concept.” “As the community changes, so does its culture,” she said. She called on leaders and stakeholders to pay attention to the “significant immigrant population” in the CNMI, which has impacted its cultural heritage.

Meanwhile, Salvatore said there is also a need for advanced training and education in archival concepts and principles, practices and preservation strategies for effective and sustainable preservation of written and recorded materials about the indigenous culture.

While Salvatore pointed out the need for proper storage facilities for cultural heritage resources and collections, she recognized that funding is an issue to realize this necessity and so the three recommendations are highly endorsed.

“In fact, the accomplishment of these things may well facilitate the building of more ideal storage facilities,” concluded Salvatore.

JKPL executive director John Oliver Gonzales, when asked for comment, told Saipan Tribune that Salvatore’s report confirmed the “sad and perilous state of affairs” of CNMI’s cultural heritage collections, describing it as “ill-equipped, resource challenged, local capacity and capability deficit, exposed to extreme and volatile natural and man-made security hazards and, therefore, unprioritized.”

Gonzales urged the community to “meaningfully engage” in addressing the challenges that have plagued the CNMI for its cultural heritage to survive and its cultural-tourism industry to thrive.

“It starts with each of us and we must all believe that we-our people, our culture, our heritage-are a priority,” said Gonzales.