Five honored during Governor’s Humanities Awards

Pioneering clergyman Bishop Tomas A. Camacho was presented the Lifetime Achievement in the Humanities Award during ceremonies held at the Pacific Islands Club last week.

Camacho received the prestigious award during the Governor’s Humanities Awards ceremony co-sponsored by the Office of the Governor and the NMI Council for the Humanities.

This annual event recognizes individuals, organizations and businesses for their outstanding contributions to the humanities.

Four other individuals also received Governor’s Humanities Awards from Gov. Benigno R. Fitial and Council board chair Dr. Debra T. Cabrera during the two-hour ceremony. They included genealogist Herman T. Guerrero, archaeologist Herman C. Tudela, historian Carlos Madrid, and educator Stephen B. Smith.

Camacho, who was ordained a priest in 1961 and consecrated the first Bishop of the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa in1985, was recognized for outstanding contributions made during his nearly half-century of service. Fitial made special note of Camacho’s contributions as a teacher at some of the top academic institutions in the region and his longstanding efforts to preserve the Chamorro language.

Herman T. Guerrero, better known as “Jun Pan”, received the Preservation of CNMI History Award for developing a comprehensive genealogy database for the Mariana Islands, which currently includes 112,200 individuals, 113 generations, and 11,000 surnames.

Herman C. Tudela, a staff member of the CNMI Division of Historic Preservation, received the Preservation of Traditional Cultural Practices Award in recognition of his efforts to perpetuate traditional Chamorro fishing and conservation practices.

Spanish historian Carlos Madrid, received the Research and Publication in the Humanities Award for a project that resulted in the publication of a book documenting the events surrounding the deportation of hundreds of Spanish political prisoners to the Mariana Islands in the 1870s.

Longtime PSS teacher and administrator Stephen B. Smith received the Outstanding Humanities Teacher Award for establishing a number of humanities-based programs, including the popular forensic competitions in which hundreds of Commonwealth students participate annually.

The Humanities Council also recognized a variety of key supporters including financial donors, humanities partners, and former board and staff members including Lynnette F. Tenorio, Robert T. Torres, Rosemond B. Santos and Paz C. Younis.

Also recognized were student winners in the recently held “My Photo, My Culture” competition, an event sponsored by the Council utilizing funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities. (PR)