All categories in 2017 Governor’s Humanities Awards are filled

The Northern Marianas Humanities Council handed out awards to five individuals out of 12 nominees with the Governor’s Humanities Award last Friday night at the Pacific Islands Club Saipan Charley’s Cabaret. It was the first time in years that all five categories were filled.

According to Northern Marianas Humanities Council executive director Scott Russell at the annual dinner last Friday, this year is significant because there were qualified nominees for each category.

“We have five categories and it’s not every year that we have qualified individuals for each category so it just depends on the year. This year we were pretty much full for each category,” he said.

The categories included Research and Publication, Outstanding Humanities Teacher, Preservation of CNMI History, Preservation of Traditional Cultural Practices, and Lifetime Achievement in the Humanities.

For the Research and Publication category, the award was given to Dr. Miguel Vilar, who, unfortunately, was not present that evening.

Vilar is molecular anthropologist who heads the National Genographic Program. The program aims to better understand the genetic diversity of human populations. Vilar’s personal research includes documentation of early settlement patterns and genetic diversity in the Marianas. Vilar’s research has helped the people of the Marianas to fully understand the origins and evolutions of the indigenous Chamorro.

For the Outstanding Humanities Teacher category, the award was given to Beth Demapan, who was not able to make it to the awarding dinner.

Demapan is the Technical Services librarian of the Joeten-Kiyu Public Library. Through Demapan’s job as assistant Motheread coordinator, she has been able to strengthen her daily activities of promoting essential library programming to underserved communities. Through her efforts to further enhance literary skills among low-income patrons, she has promoted lifelong learning in the humanities.

For the Preservation of CNMI History category, the award was given to former governor Juan N. Babauta.

Babauta has published a memoir that focused on his personal experiences after serving the Commonwealth community for over 30 years. Babauta is the sixth governor of the CNMI and his memoir focused on the challenges confronting the Commonwealth at that time. Babauta’s book will serve as a classroom resource on the recent history of the CNMI.

Babauta said he is working on another book that will be published soon. Babauta said he would keep the public informed in regards to the focus of his upcoming book.

Indigenous cultural advocate Luis John DLG Castro was presented with the award on the Preservation of Traditional Cultural Practices.

For over 15 years, Castro, who is also the chairman of the Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council, has been involved in performing and teaching the art of traditional Chamorro performances through the group, Guma Simiyan Manaina-ta. Castro’s current goal is to promote the uniqueness of the Chamorro culture through visual and performing arts.

The Governor’s Humanities Award under the category of Lifetime Achievement in the Humanities was awarded to the late William Ronald Barrineau.

Barrineau served as the first executive director of the Northern Marianas Humanities Council after retiring as an instructor. Barrineau’s contributions to the humanities span more than four decades.