Previous Story
October is Humanities Month
Gov. Ralph DLG Torres is joined by Cabinet officials and humanities advocates after signing last week’s proclamation at the conference room of the Office of the Governor on Capital Hill declaring October as CNMI Humanities Month. (Jon Perez)
The Northern Marianas Humanities Council is still accepting nominations for the Governor’s Humanities Awards, which will serve as the highlight of the celebration of the CNMI Humanities Month that starts today.
Gov. Ralph DLG Torres signed last week’s proclamation at the conference room of the Office of the Governor on Capital Hill declaring October as CNMI Humanities Month.
The Humanities Awards have become an annual part of the NMHC to honor individuals or groups for the promotion of the humanities in the Commonwealth.
Research and publication, preservation of traditional cultural practices, preservation of CNMI history, and Outstanding Humanities Teacher (both in classroom and non-classroom settings) are the categories for the awards.
NMHC board chair Polly Masga said they are still encouraging everyone to send in their nominations as the deadline is set on Oct. 12 at 4:30pm. Nominations can be dropped off or sent to the NMHC office at Springs Plaza in Gualo Rai on Middle Road.
“[NMHC has] been around for more than 20 years. We would like to invite you in October and we will have the Governor’s Humanities Award,” said Masga “Humanities are a really broad spectrum. It is of different things. It is not just only about culture but a variety of different things. Whether in poetry, culture, or music.”
Torres, in his brief remarks, said it also takes skill in learning and expressing one’s culture. “Whether in language, music, the arts, not everybody in this room have that skill. If you have that, please participate in expressing our culture.”
“I can’t sing, draw, or paint. I can speak the language and appreciate,” added Torres in jest and said that NMHC will be getting $50,000 from the CNMI 2019 fiscal year budget. “We would like to do more and our doors are always open.”
He also thanked former NMHC executive director Scott Russell, who retired last month, for more than 10 years of service on the council.
