NMI delegation to Pacific arts fest to give preview at Lib Fest

The CNMI delegation to the Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture in Palau next month will give a special preview of their performances at the Liberation Festival.

According to Council for Arts and Culture executive director Robert Hunter, the delegation will perform at the Liberation Festival on July 3.

“We have six dance groups who are practicing every Tuesday and Thursday for the fest in Palau, and the groups, along with other artists and members of the delegation will be at the Liberation Fest to give people here a preview of what we’ll be doing in Palau,” he said.

Hunter said all groups in the delegation would be at the site, except the 20 delegates from Rota. The cost of bringing the Rota delegation to Saipan preclude their joining the Liberation Festival performance.

The delegation consists of traditional performers, which makes up the largest part of the group, a contemporary band, contemporary and traditional artists, and members of the Historic Preservation Office, Council for Humanities, and the CNMI Museum of Arts and Culture.

The director said members of the delegation will leave for Palau between July 13 and 21, with the film crew leaving earlier than the rest.

“The film crew, consisting of three delegates, needs to be there early because they will meet with other crews there and will be briefed. The rest of the delegation will leave between July 17 and 21.”

Aside from filming the festival, Hunter said the film crew is also tasked with producing a documentary on the CNMI delegation.

Hunter also disclosed that a crew of eight delegates would set sail for Palau on a canoe for the event. The expected departure of the canoe crew is set for the first week of July.

Details of the sail weren’t available as of press time; however, Hunter said the crew was scheduled to have a meeting last night.

The Pacific festival occurs every four years at different locations depending on which country wins the bid for hosting. The event is expected to play host to about 3,000 delegates and 10,000 visitors.

“This is not only the largest arts and cultural festival in the Pacific, but it is also the largest gathering in all of the Pacific. It’s huge, and it’s a great opportunity to us to take part in,” Hunter said.