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Young people support Festival of Cultures
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- The Japanese community shares ethnic cuisine and the game kadema with children at the Marianas Visitors Authority’s 3rd Annual International Festival of Cultures on Sept. 16, 2017, at the Garapan Fishing Base. (MVA)
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- Children of the Saipan Awaodori Team represents the Japanese community at the Marianas Visitors Authority’s 3rd Annual International Festival of Cultures on Sept. 16, 2017, at the Garapan Fishing Base. The festival will be held every Saturday evening throughout September. (MVA)
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- Marnickka, right, and Mercilia Villagomez Teigita are adorned with Yapese floral leis at the Marianas Visitors Authority’s 3rd Annual International Festival of Cultures on Sept. 16, 2017, at the Garapan Fishing Base. (MVA)
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- Northern Marianas College Korean language class students display traditional Korean attire at the Marianas Visitors Authority’s 3rd Annual International Festival of Cultures on Sept. 16, 2017, at the Garapan Fishing Base. (MVA)
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- Rexzon Calage, left, and Ethan Somol prepare to perform as part of the Chamorro community at the Marianas Visitors Authority’s 3rd Annual International Festival of Cultures on Sept. 16, 2017, at the Garapan Fishing Base. (MVA)
The 3rd Annual International Festival of Cultures continues for two more Saturdays this month, highlighted by the participation of young people.
On Sept. 16, the Chinese Association brought in dozens of young people from their school to perform songs and demonstrate martial arts. The Chamorro Association booth featured young members preparing attire made from coconut fronds and other natural material for their stage performance.
Six-year-old Marianas-chan Jebro Leon and his partner Aliya Pua shared the song and dance “Jet Plane” that they will perform later this week at the JATA Tourism Expo in Japan.
Korean language class students of Northern Marianas College donned traditional attire for the Korean community, and young people of other cultural communities participated throughout the evening.
The festival continues this Saturday, Sept. 23, with another lineup of entertainers: the Chamorro community at 5:30pm, the Japanese community with a kendo demonstration at 6pm, the Filipino community at 6:30pm, the Chinese community at 6:45pm, the Korean community at 7pm, the Chuuk and Pohnpeian community at 7:45pm, the Hawaiian community at 8pm, the Bangladeshi community at 8:30pm, the Filipino community at 8:45pm, and the Refaluwasch community at 9pm.
Food sales, arts and crafts sales, photo booth, free roast pig, and hands-on cultural demonstrations at the various ethnic booths will be held from 5pm to 9pm.
“This year’s festival is meeting our mark to create more cultural exchange, and we’re happy to see that,” said MVA managing director Christopher A. Concepcion. “Whether its young people proudly wearing the traditional attire of other cultures or people being adventurous and trying new ethnic foods, it is a true celebration of mutual respect and appreciation.”
Slated to participate in the festival are the communities of Korea, China, Japan, Chamorro, Carolinian, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Hawaii, Marshall Islands, Palau, Bangladesh, Chuuk, Pohnpei, and the Philippines.
Additional supporters are Office of the Governor, Indigenous Affairs Office, Carolinian Affairs Office, IT&E, Imperial Pacific International CNMI LLC, Skywalker, PDM Promoters, Power 99, KKMP, and PDI.
For more information, contact MVA Community Projects coordinator Lynn Seman Sablan at jsablan@mymarianas.com or 664-3210. (MVA)
