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Parade, fashion show close Int’l Festival of Cultures
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Posted on Oct 06 2017
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- Various ethnic communities in The Marianas joined together for the Parade of Cultures and the final night of the 3rd International Festival of Cultures at Garapan Fishing Base in Saipan on Sept. 30, 2017. The annual event is organized by the Marianas Visitors Authority. (Photos by MVA)
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- Members of the Chamorro community display their traditional attire during the 3rd International Festival of Cultures at Garapan Fishing Base in Saipan on Sept. 30, 2017.
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- Members of the Bangladeshi community display their traditional attire including sharees and panjabis during the 3rdInternational Festival of Cultures at Garapan Fishing Base in Saipan on Sept. 30, 2017.
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- Members of the Yapese, Pohnpeian, and Chuukese communities display their traditional attire during the 3rd International Festival of Cultures at Garapan Fishing Base in Saipan on Sept. 30, 2017.
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- Members of the Tongan, Samoan, and Fijian communities display their traditional attire during the 3rd International Festival of Cultures at Garapan Fishing Base in Saipan on Sept. 30, 2017.
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- Members of the Korean community display their traditional attire, casual at left and regal at right, during the 3rd International Festival of Cultures at Garapan Fishing Base in Saipan on Sept. 30, 2017.
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- Members of the Chamorro community perform during the 3rd International Festival of Cultures at Garapan Fishing Base in Saipan on Sept. 30, 2017.
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- Members of the Filipino community perform the “tinikling” bamboo dance during the 3rd International Festival of Cultures at Garapan Fishing Base in Saipan on Sept. 30, 2017.
The Parade of Cultures and fashion show of ethnic attire closed the 3rd Annual International Festival of Cultures on Saipan on its final night last Saturday, Sept. 30.
A few delegations successfully braved the on-again, off-again rain in the Parade of Cultures at 4:30pm from American Memorial Park to the festival grounds at the Garapan Fishing Base. Walking delegations were the Chamorro community, Japanese community, Filipino community, Bangladeshi community, and Yapese community, while the Marianas Visitors Authority’s float carried representatives of various other cultures. The parade was followed by a fashion show on-stage and a full night of entertainment.
The evening also provided the opportunity to see dumpling-making at the Chinese booth, to try on traditional Korean king and queen costumes, to learn origami or play “kadema” at the Japanese booth, and to commemorate the evening at a photo booth.
“A big Si Yu’use Ma’ase, Ghilisou, and thank you to all the cultural groups that came together to help the Marianas Visitors Authority plan and execute this year’s International Festival of Cultures,” said MVA Community Projects specialist Lynn Sablan, lead organizer for the event. “Despite the rain on a few nights, everyone came together to show their support and their pride. The festival was a good example of how the people of our island come together, help each other, and enjoy being together. We look forward to next year’s celebration.”
The festival, organized by the MVA, was held over Saturdays during September and is scheduled from 5pm to 9pm at Garapan Fishing Base and featured ethnic food, hands-on cultural demonstrations, games, ethnic attire, arts and crafts, and more. Other participating communities were Carolinian, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Hawaii, Marshall Islands, Palau, Chuuk, and the Philippines. Additional supporters are Office of the Governor, Indigenous Affairs Office, Carolinian Affairs Office, IT&E, Imperial Pacific Int’l CNMI LLC, Skywalker, PDM Promoters, Power 99, KKMP, and PDI. (MVA)
