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Torres eyes more funding to promote culture
Marianas High School students of Carolinian decent weave headgear made out of coconut fronds during their cultural day early this year. (Jon Perez)
Gov. Ralph DLG Torres is hoping to provide additional funding to support programs that would promote and bring back awareness to the local indigenous cultures of both the Chamorro and Carolinian or Refaluwasch communities.
The arrival of the traditional navigators from Satawal Island in Yap State of the Federated States of Micronesia and Guam’s hosting of the 12th Festival of the Pacific Arts buoyed Torres’ plan.
“I would like to create and support a program to bring back awareness of the traditional culture. Both the Carolinian and Chamorro. Teach the kids of their history,” said Torres.
Torres said that having classes or teaching the traditional way of navigating the seas, as used by their ancestors, to the youth would keep the tradition going.
“This are good programs and programs like this need to be supported in order for our youth to learn about the past,” said Torres.
Sesario Sewralur, the son of legendary master traditional navigator Pius Mau Piailug, and several others from Satawal held some lessons for school kids and interested individuals when they made a two-week long stop on Saipan on their way to Guam.
Sewralur is the captain of the Alingano Maisu, a double-hulled voyaging canoe that traveled for 54 days from Koror, Palau to Saipan. They made brief stops in Ngulu Atoll, Woleai, Ifaluk, Elato, Lamotrek, and Satawal to pick up supplies.
They again took a break on Saipan after attending the FestPac and gave a traditional canoe, Makali’i, to the CNMI before heading back to Satawal. Piailug formerly commanded the said canoe.
Torres said he wants the offices of the Indigenous and Carolinian Affairs to receive the additional funding. “We wanted to prioritize these offices, these organizations that promote cultural heritage to build stronger relationship in the community.”
He added that the veterans, women’s, and youth are the other offices that he wanted to get more funding and support.
