The Director for the Northern Marianas Humanities Council, Scott Russell, has embarked on a project to conserve the memory of the Samoan exile to Saipan.
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He is not happy about the outcome of the Pacific Islands Forum summit held in Papua New Guinea last week.
Making reference to the Pacific leaders decision to “agreeing to disagree” on the issue of climate change, Leala said the decision is irresponsible considering the plight of Pacific people.
“I am somewhat disappointed as a politician from the Pacific on the position from New Zealand and Australia (on climate change),” said Leala.
The commemoration activities took place in June this year, in Saipan.
It was designed to educate the public about the Samoan Exile event, collect oral history relating to the event, foster an appreciation and greater understanding of the rich history of the Northern Marianas Islands and how Samoa fits into the larger history of the Pacific Region.
The event was also deigned to make available an instructional resource for use by the public school system and the Northern Marianas College. Member of the Samoan community in Saipan, Maria Yvonne Passi-Camacho, who has lived in the Northern Mariana Islands for over 30 years, believes it is important for the people of the Northern Mariana Islands and Samoa to remember the connection between the two nations.
Mrs. Camacho and her husband Arthur B Camacho would like to see the commemoration ceremony as a regular event.
According to the Northern Marianas Humanities Council in May 1909, a group of 72 Samoans, comprising 10 chiefs, their families and servants were exiled to Saipan by the governor of German Samoa Wilhelm Solf.
These Chiefs were involved in a movement known as the Mau a Pule which sought to reinstate traditional Samoan practices abolished by the German colonial regime in the late nineteenth century.
The leader of the movement was Lauaki Namulau’ulu, an orator of high standing form Safotulafai, Lauaki and his followers, however, failed to secure support from other factions in Samoa and they were subsequently exiled to distant Saipan by Governor Solf.
Yvonne and Arthur Camacho would like to thank the Governor, Lieutenant and Legislature of the Northern Mariana Islands. Along with guest who attended from America, Samoa and New Zealand for their support.
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