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Reviving the canoe culture
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Posted on Oct 15 2019
The Humanities Council, in celebration of the month of October as Humanities Month, will be hosting the event “Reviving and Promoting Canoe Culture in the Marianas” on Oct. 30, 6pm, at the American Memorial Park Visitor Center Theater.
Pete Perez, executive director of 500 Sails, will be talking about his work to revive the canoe culture by building traditional sakman (canoe).
Perez, who co-founded the Sakman Chamorro Inc. in 2006, is part of the movement to “restore the Chamorro maritime tradition.”
“[It goes] back to Commodore George Anson, who sailed here and observed, back in the 1700s. They saw all these Chamorro canoes when their big ship came into our islands, and one of their men drew it to scale,” council executive director Leo Pangelinan explained.
The drawing made its way into history books.
“Pete did more research and started to build based on that drawing. He has a process for building so they can build multiple canoes at one time.”
500 Sails has a boat building warehouse in Lower Base.
Aside from Perez’ talk, the Humanities Council is also leading the monthlong celebration of the humanities through educational programs.
Upcoming events include the Sengebau Poetry Competition on Oct. 15; the Humanitini featuring Microchild on Oct. 16; the Governor’s Humanities Awards on Oct. 24; and the Amalawa Mwaliliil Refaluwasch! on Oct. 29.
For more information about the events, contact the council at 235-4785 or email info@nmhcouncil.org.
