contents 4
july 2011
ON THE COVER Fun Summer
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TALK OF THE TOWN Games, fun and teamwork at SCC Corporate Challenge
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WAY OFF BROADWAY Saipan grooves with Philippine pop star Geneva Cruz
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FEATURE Double trouble and fun in this year’s BRM Car Rally
12
SPORTS PAGE 10th Annual Hanmi Charity Golf Tournament Old warehouse turned into a sports complex
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CRUISIN’ ON BEACH ROAD
16
FEATURE Tokuko Mojica: Jewelry maker and artist
COMMUNITY WATCH 25 Ways to make kids safer
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FEATURE Facebook leads New Zealand Maori artists to Flame Tree Arts Festival
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HEALTH WATCH ABS-olutely Fabulous Abs!!
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A DAY IN THE LIFE
ABOUT THE COVER Five local students who excel in different fields share their summer plans and future dreams. The girls, from left, Scarlet Chen, Emma McCullough-Stearns and Lani Nicole Russell, playfully pour water on Nathanael D. Borromeo and Kenneth Vincent Cruz Domingo. Find out what these teens are up to this summer and how they see it linked to their future. Photos shot on location at Pacific Islands Club (Saipan) Waterpark.
of Richard Ruhalla Making a Living Behind the Wheels
22
OUR ENVIRONMENT
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HOROSCOPE / TIDE CHART
Photography by Hideo Honda www.marianas-way.com
Publisher
Maureen N. Maratita BRM Manager
Gemma Q. Casas Graphic Artists
Rudy L. Armenta Monie B. Erasga Account Manager
Beach Road Magazine, Vol. X, No. 09 July 2011. Entire contents copyrighted 2011 by Glimpses of Saipan, Inc. Beach Road Magazine is published monthly by Glimpses of Saipan, Inc. P.O. Box 502080, Saipan, MP 96950 2/F Transpac Business Center Gualo Rai, Saipan Tel: (670) 235-7645 | Fax: (670) 234-1801 E-mail: saipan@glimpsesofguam.com All rights reserved. No material may be printed in part or in whole without written permission from the publisher.
Susan Marchitti
Vol. X No. 09
Sales Manager
Annie San Nicolas Contributor
Susan Marchitti Managing Director
Marcos Fong
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JULY 2011
Glimpses Publications include Guam Business Magazine, Marianas Business Journal, Marine Drive Magazine, Beach Road Magazine and R&R Pacific.
ON THE COVER
Fun summer
While charting the future BY GEMMA Q. CASAS
S
UMMER IS IN —once again—
says Emma, 18, the daughter of Janet Mc-
As children, the two spent their
giving students more free time
Cullough and Dr. Anthony Stearns who is set
summers in the mainland or elsewhere
for themselves.
to leave the island for her pre-med studies.
with their relatives.
With school out, there’s no
reason to rush things. There is a lot of idle time to kill and enjoy the idyllic lifestyle in the CNMI with all its many beaches to swim and all year-round sunny weather to do outdoor and sporty activities.
Like McCullough-Stearns, her friend Lani
“Some of my most memorable sum-
Nicole Russell also sees summer as an
mers from my childhood were traveling
opportune time to further improve herself
to different countries, visiting relatives
and serve their community.
who live in the mainland, and rafting
The two are volunteers at the Coastal
the Colorado River,” says McCulloughStearns who adds she wants to some-
Resources Management. Russell says they are excited to partici-
day revisit Eastern Europe.
Well, not quite true for all students.
pate in the works that CRM do for the ma-
Russell says, “Well, every summer
For five Beach Road models gracing
rine and coastal environment of the CNMI.
since the seventh grade, my parents
our cover this month, summer is not just
“Emma and I get to take part in a very
would send me to Hawaii for vacation
about bumming around and spending
important regulatory agency. CRM allows
to spend time with my grandparents,
days dreaming—it’s also a time to give
us to see how they work and contribute
aunts, uncles and cousins. There are a
back to their community and chartering
to our environment, we get to see the
lot of fun stories and great memories
their future paths.
activities on how CRM functions,” says
while I was there.”
Emma McCullough-Stearns, a graduate of the Saipan International School, says
This time, the choice is entirely up
Russell, 16. An incoming senior at SIS, Russell says
summer is a time to prepare for her
she’ll also spend summer preparing for her
future career in the medical field.
college admission.
“This summer, I will be working part-
to them. For Scarlet Chen, 13, whose parents are from China’s Fujian province,
“I plan to spend my summer partially
summer means more time to learn
time, getting ready to move to Mount
studying and preparing for the SAT’s and
Chinese poems, Chinese calligraphy,
Holyoke College in Massachusetts in
ACT’s as well as for my senior year, and
swimming, reading and singing.
the fall, hanging out with friends, and
partially hanging out with my friends and
spending time with my family,”
A student at the Marianas Baptist
family. It will be my
Academy, Chen says she has to
last lazy summer
memorize one Chinese poem and
with them before
write one page of Chinese calligraphy
I graduate,” says
each day—self-imposed tasks that she
Russell, the only
thinks will help realize her dream of
daughter of
becoming a lawyer someday.
Commonwealth
Born and raised on Saipan, Chen
Ports Authority
speaks fluent English and Mandarin
Saipan seaport
and is very opinionated even at a
manager MaryAnn
young age.
Lizama and
“I always join debate contests and
Humanities
land in the top three places. I enjoy
Council Director
debating very much because it will
Scott Russell.
help me become confident about myself and that will help me in many ways,” she says.
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JULY 2011
Cover story photo
“College education is a must for people today. The economy has gotten more complex, and more boundaries are being broken every day. Smart, fresh new minds are what people are looking for now, and if one wants to live well nowadays, they’ll have to work harder and know what they’re doing. I believe college education provides that security,” says Russell. JULY 2011
5
ON THE COVER {continued from page 4}
“I want to be a lawyer in the future. I
He’s still unsure
also love singing and modeling. I’m still
what career to pursue
young so I also want to try to become
but sees himself
a singer or a model. Then, when I
spending time working
am older I will go to a law school to
with numbers.
become a lawyer,” she adds.
Kenneth Vincent
Art Nathanael D. Borromeo, 14, a
Cruz Domingo, 16, a
student at Hopwood Jr. High School is
Marianas High School
into music.
student is into sports. An avid soccer fan, Domingo is a
All five believe a college education is very
time to play his drums and guitar
midfielder at the CNMI U15 Football
important and spending summer worthwhile
as well as learning how to play other
Team and wants to become a
makes it more fun.
musical instruments.
professional soccer player someday.
He says summer means having more
His interest also lies in math having
He’s spending his summer playing
“College education is a must for people today. The economy has gotten more complex, and
tasted many winnings in different
soccer with other players in their
more boundaries are being broken every day.
competitions about numbers.
team in preparation for an upcoming
Smart, fresh new minds are what people are
competition in Taipei.
looking for now, and if one wants to live well
A member of their school’s Math Olympiad Club, Borromeo says their
The U15 players are scheduled to
nowadays, they’ll have to work harder and know
group also plans to spend the summer
leave for Japan for a training before
what they’re doing. I believe college education
doing more math drills.
competing in Taipei, Taiwan.
provides that security,” says Russell.
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JULY 2011
JULY 2011
7
TALK OF THE TOWN
Games, fun and teamwork at SCC Corporate Challenge BY GEMMA Q. CASAS
G
AMES, FUN, GOOD FOOD and teamwork marked the May 29 10th Saipan Chamber of Commerce Corporate Challenge, with hundreds of employees and their families joining the annual event. Dozens of employees and executives representing various companies and corporations didn’t mind sweating it out, eating exotic food the fastest way they can, running or rolling on the beach ground and getting wet while paddling and kayaking, all in the name of team spirit. The six-man team of Marianas Pacific Distributors, Inc. or MarPac topped the Corporate Challenge games. “We’re the best,” says Tom Basa Jr., MarPac beverage sales team leader, and the team captain of the group. “We didn’t expect to win but we made it.”
The Marianas Pacific Distributors, Inc. winning team with officials of the Saipan Chamber of Commerce.
He hopes MarPac will maintain its lead in the next Corporate Challenge. “This is for our company. We want to thank all our families and friends who came for the Corporate Challenge,” he says. SCC President Doug Brennan says next year’s Corporate Challenge will have a “family fun day” concept. “While it is enjoyable to watch us adults run around, it is equally enjoyable to watch our children have a great time. Your thoughts and ideas on how to accomplish that plan are welcome,” says Brennan in his message to Chamber members.
Coca-Cola wins Spirit Award Out of the 14 booths representing various companies that competed for the Corporate Challenge’s theme Island Style Recyclable Products, the Coca-Cola Beverage Co.’s entry was chosen for the “Spirit Award.” Its booth was decorated with empty Coke cans loosely hanging like chained curtains. A small plane dancing in the wind made of flattened Coke cans also hangs notably at the entryway of its booth.
Inside, more practical uses for the discarded cans and empty plastic bottles are displayed – colorful and useful vases, pen holders, plant pots, etc., in the spirit of the Saipan Chamber of Commerce’s 2011 Corporate Challenge theme Island Style Recyclable Products. Coca-Cola also won second place in the overall game competitions after MarPac. The Pacific Islands Club team won third place. Fourteen teams competed in this year’s 10th Corporate Challenge— Coca-Cola Beverage Co. & Glimpses of Saipan, DFS Saipan Limited, Docomo Pacific, First Hawaiian Bank, Fiesta Resort & Spa, G4S Security Services, IT&E, Marianas Pacific Distributors, Inc., Marianas Cable Vision, Microl Corp., PIC, Delta Management Corp., TakeCare Insurance and Triple J Corporate Office.
Hooray for the Coca-Cola team for winning the Spirit Award!
Team Coca-Cola.
Employees from different companies race against each other to get first to the finish line.
Team Pacific Islands Club.
The MCV team.
Lannie Salvani, administrative and human resources manager of the Transpacific International Group of Companies, of which Coca-Cola is a part, says the team spent many hours to come up with the best possible recycling ideas for discarded cans and bottles in time for the event, which is a gathering of businesses on the islands to promote camaraderie and support good causes.
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JULY 2011
More than 70 Transpacific employees representing Coca-Cola, Foremost, Subway, Glimpses Advertising and Glimpses Publications and their families showed up at the event. Through the Corporate Challenge, SCC managed to raise funds for different projects like the college scholarship for Marianas High School seniors Marie Fraince Javier and Grace Less, Kevin Harvey Bautista and Maria Kristina Balajadia, both from Mount Carmel School; and Alexis Rochelle Hofschneider of Kagman High School.
WAY OFF BROADWAY
Saipan grooves with Philippine pop star Geneva Cruz
G
ENEVA CRUZ HAS BEEN a familiar face on Philippine television since 1988. A member of the legendary showbiz clan in the country, the multi-awarded Cruz has been singing professionally since age 12 as one of the lead singers of the popular youth band Smokey Mountain. Cruz scored big with hit songs like “Anak ng Pasig,” which is about a child who grew up by the riverbank and laments how the neighborhood has turned it into a dump, thus, throwing away her environmental future. She won at Goldie Castro of the Restrospect Band wows the crowd with her rendition of popular TV series theme songs.
least 11 awards, but the band later disbanded and Geneva went solo—to her advantage, as she won more recognition both locally and internationally. In 1992, Geneva won the grand prize in the Voice of Asia competition held in Kazakhstan. As an international young singer, Geneva also traveled the world with the United Nations International Children’s Fund or UNICEF along with other artists. She also won an international award from the Filipino Academy of Movies and Sciences (FAMAS) in 2001 and the list goes on. More than two decades after her singing career began, the petite singer continues to be one of the most sought after in the music industry. On June 11, she showed off her talent in a concert at the Fiesta Resort & Spa’s Hibiscus Hall before a packed audience. The concert is made possible through the Tan Siu Lin Foundation and held in time for the Philippine Independence Day celebration on June 12. With the Guam-based band The Restrospect, Geneva wowed the audience with her rendition of her hit songs, a dance medley of Beyonce’s songs and other popular hits. “I enjoyed the show. I like her as a performer,”
Geneva Cruz with a poster promoting her concert on Saipan.
says Rowena Relado who works for Bridge Capital, LLC. The hip singer, who is actually a mother of a 15-year-old teenage boy, whom she and former beau musician Paco Arespacochaga named Heaven, also engaged the audience with her antics. “She’s funny. She’s one of my favorite singers,” says a beautician at Alexia’s Beauty Touch who bought a VIP seat for $25 to watch Geneva perform. “The show was good,” adds Oscar Jalandoni, a steelman at GPPC, who also bought a VIP ticket. (continued to page 13)
SUBWAY HALF
JULY 2011
9
FEATURE
Double trouble and fun in this year’s
BRM Car Rally
Steele-White and Kebukawa-Policare teams lead BY GEMMA Q. CASAS
N
INETEEN TEAMS OF enthusiastic drivers and navigators joined the 5th Annual Beach Road Magazine Car Rally enduring hours of more thrilling and tricky scavenger hunt and longer and confusing circuitous course around Saipan amid a drizzling morning and a humid afternoon on June 18. The team of Triple J Motors Vice President Randy Steele and Atty. Michael White, also the president of the Northern Marianas Amateur Sports Association, tied the first place with defending champions Mayuki Kebukawa and Pacific Islands Club Activities Manager Glenn Policare. White, Steele’s navigator for car no. 12, first joined a car rally 40 years ago in the U.S. mainland. He says Saipan’s version is as fun and thrilling as those in the states and finds the little street curbs with dead-ends the most difficult part of the 52-mile course. Steele whose company paid for the entry fees of 10 cars in what is so far the biggest car rally on the island described White as a “great navigator.”
FIRST TO THE FINISH LINE. Triple J Motors Vice President Randy Steele, right, drove this Mazda in the 5th BRM Car Rally with Atty. Mike White as his navigator. The two were the first to the finish line but tied the first prize with another couple after the scores were tallied.
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JULY 2011
TWO THUMBS UP. The winning teams of, from left, Atty. Mike White and Triple J Motors Vice President Randy Steele, and Glenn Policare and Mayuki Kebukawa, flash thumbs up sign and big smiles after tying the first place in the 5th Annual Beach Road Magazine Car Rally on June 18.
“The main thing is how to interpret symbolisms and he’s very good at that,” says Steele whose company sells Mazda, Hyundai, Mitsubishi and Suzuki cars. Kebukawa, who drove car no. 13 with Policare as navigator, got lost but still managed to be on the lead. Both said this year’s rally proved to be the most difficult with tricky directions. This is the couple’s 4th try. Amanda Hayes who works at the U.S. District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands finished second. She drove car no. 19. Car no. 2 driven by Dolly Jean Tkel with Glenn Deleon Guerrero as navigator finished third. Michelle Brel, a paralegal at the Law Offices of Joshua Berger, who joined the rally for the first time with legal secretary Shine Soalablai as co-navigator and accountant Ricky Custodio, says the streets are complicated to track down because some don’t even have names. “It’s time consuming and you need presence of mind. We were led to little roads that we didn’t even know exist,” she says. Berger, who drove car no. 18, with his son, Gabriel as navigator, says, “It was really fun. The only problem is it’s (the course) too long.” But he says he’ll do it again for fun. Jewel Maeda whose family also joined the rally for the first time says they enjoyed it though the course was. Jacob Muna says it’s about experience
WORTH THE TROUBLE. Paralegal Micheline Brel, left, legal secretary Shine Soalablai, middle, and accountant Ricky Custodio of the Law Offices of Joshua Berger, rest after making a long round en route to the finish line. The three say the car rally led them to little roads that they never thought exist.
and fun. Three of his girl friends joined him as navigators whom he calls the “Google Girls.” “We had a great turnout. Most of the teams were brand-new and everybody seemed to have a good time. Most of the cars got lost but they all finished the course,” Car Rally master and BRM Account Manager Susan Marchitti concludes. The top winners got cash prizes and corporate gifts. Other participants got consolation prices from sponsors—Triple J Motors, Coca-Cola, Foremost, Ideal Signs, Subway, Oleai Beach Bar and Grill, Scoops, Docomo, KZMI, Fiesta Resort & Spa, Saipan Advertising, Pacific Islands Club, Coral Ocean Point, Megabyte, T&L Get Covered, Saipan Grand Hotel, Cool Steam Car Wash, Scoops and Micronesian Brokers (CNMI), Inc.
JULY 2011
11
SPORTS PAGE
10th Annual HANMI Charity Golf Classic Tournament draws 140 golfers BY GEMMA Q. CASAS
M
ORE THAN 100 golfers in the CNMI competed against each other in the 10th Annual HANMI Charity Golf Classic Tournament raising about $10,000 for different community projects that the Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands (HANMI) supports. Hyatt Regency Saipan General Manager Nick Nishikawa, the current chairman of
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JULY 2011
HANMI, says the June 4 golf tournament was a success despite the islands’ economic crunch. He says some of the money HANMI raised will go to the Crime Stoppers and the beautification of Mt. Tapochao, the highest elevated point on Saipan frequented by tourists to get a 360 degree view of the island. Each golfer paid a registration fee of $120 to compete, which include the green fee and the awards banquet held on the same day at the Saipan Grand Hotel. Nishikawa says the tournament was divided into six categories — Championship Flight, A Flight, B Flight, C Flight, Seniors (55 years-andover), and Ladies. The golfers had a field day at the Coral Ocean Point on the morning of June 4 until all of the races for the different categories ended. The event was capped at the banquet awarding ceremony where all first place winners of all flights received $500, a trophy and a night’s stay at a HANMI-member hotel. Second and third place winners also received a cash reward and a trophy.
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2010 runner-up Jason Yi topped the Championship Flight tournament while former Superior Court Associate Judge Edward Manibusan scored the highest in the Seniors Flight. Vacationer Leina Lim won the Ladies Flight category. JJ Atalig, John Cepeda and Suk Joo Park won in the A,B & C Flights, respectively. Other golfers who did not win in the tournament, including guests, however, got lucky and took home raffle prizes like bags, gift certificates, and complimentary hotel accommodation at HANMImember hotels, among other things.
WAY OFF BROADWAY
Old warehouse turned into a sports complex
Saipan grooves with Philippine pop star Geneva Cruz
STORY AND PHOTOS BY GEMMA Q. CASAS
A
SPRAWLING 24,000 square feet old garment warehouse in Gualo Rai has been turned into a useful sports complex boasting of badminton, basketball and futsal courts. The Tan Siu Lin Sports Complex, named after the patriarch and chairman of Tan Holdings Corp., Tan Siu Lin, was inaugurated on June 11 along with the official launching of the Saipan Soccer School. Jerry Tan, president of THC, says sports are important to stay healthy and create wealth. “I love sports. I feel that it’s always important to be active. Health is wealth. You deserve to be rich,” says Jerry, who also notes that turning the old garment warehouse into a sports complex is a long time project of his to contribute to the community. Saipan’s Ada Gymnasium is currently undergoing renovation and the newly opened TSL Sports Complex is a timely alternative for the public.
An avid soccer fan, Jerry says the sports complex is dedicated to their father who taught them at an early age the importance of staying active and working hard. Jerry and his Hong Kong-based twin brother Raymond, who was also present at the inauguration ceremony, first relocated to Guam at age 14. The two say sports played a huge role on how they were able to blend in with their new environment. Now 50, the two add it’s never too late for anyone to engage in sports. Raymond, who partly owns the Chelsea FC Soccer School (Hong Kong), says he began playing again soccer at age 39 and continues to do so. “People think I was crazy because as you age, you’re supposed to play small balls (like golf) right?” he says. The two hope the sports complex, which is their family’s latest community project, would encourage more residents to actively engage in sports. “Our father always taught us to give back to the community and we hope that through supporting sports and building these facilities, we are able to follow his example,” says Raymond in his speech. Guam Barrigada Mayor Jessie Palican, 2nd right, reads a portion of the plaque of appreciation conferred to THC Chairman Tan Siu Lin, 2nd left during the inauguration ceremony for the newly opened TSL Sports Complex. Also in photo are Tan’s sons--twin brothers Jerry and Raymond, who are the president of Tan Holdings Corp. and part-owner of the Chelsea FC Soccer School (Hong Kong), respectively.
The Tan family poses with the visiting coaches and officials of the Chelsea FC Soccer School (Hong Kong). From left, the school’s Public Relations Officer Sue Sze, technical coaches Koo, Luam Chen and Tsui, Kwok On David, THC President Jerry Tan, THC Chairman Tan Siu Lin, Lt. Governor Eloy Inos, former Hong Kong football star and now Chelsea coach Leslie George Santos, Chelsea FC Soccer School part-owner Raymond Tan and his son.
Young soccer enthusiasts gather around the newly opened Saipan Soccer School in Gualo Rai.
NMASA President Michael White thanked the Tan family for their generous help to the local community. “This is a wonderful facility that is going to provide so much for the people of Saipan. Thank you so much for this facility and for everything that you did for the local sports,” says White referring to the Tan family. Local officials, including Guam’s Barrigada Mayor Jessie B. Palican, and coaches from the Chelsea FC Soccer School (Hong Kong), attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the TSL Sports Complex. Chairman Tan, now in his 80s, received a plaque of appreciation from the Guam mayor who happens to be a childhood friend of his sons.
{continued from page 9}
Geneva Cruz, center, belts out a medley with the Restrospect Band.
Geneva who married FilipinoAmerican MTV VJ KC Montero in 2004 says it was great to have performed for the first time on Saipan. During the show, the singer also promoted her upcoming album with the signature track “To Manila,” scheduled to be released in August. The signature song, which she wrote while living in Seattle, Washington, talks about how Filipinos feel about their home. “It’s about the place which we love coming back despite the smog, the traffic, the dirt and pollution. It’s like missing a person, actually,” says the singer who is also producing the album. Born in Gagalangin, Tondo, Manila, Geneva says she’s proud of her roots and her fellow countrymen working overseas. “I am a proud Filipino,” says the vegetarian singer who had posed for the popular magazine Maxim for the animal rights advocacy group PETA.
JULY 2011
13
CRUISIN’ ON BEACH ROAD BON VOYAGE. Kieran Daly,
MORE DONATIONS FOR JAPAN. President KJ Kim of Laolao Bay Golf Resort in Saipan, in white, presents a $10,000 donation to the Northern Mariana Islands (NMI) Japan Relief Committee for disaster relief in Japan. Accepting the donation on June 10, 2011, at the Marianas Visitors Authority office was committee chairman Nick Nishikawa, third from left, joined by other committee members and golf resort management and staff. The presentation follows a $50,000 donation made by the committee to the Japanese consul of the NMI in April 2011.
former General Manager of Pacific Islands Club (PIC) Saipan, in blue, was presented a plaque of appreciation by the Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands for his support of Northern Marianas ’ tourism during his tenure at PIC from 2002 to 2011, including several terms on the HANMI Board of Directors. The presentation was made on June 10, 2011, at PIC. Pictured from left are Director Ivan Quichocho, Vice Chairman BK Park, Chairman Nick Nishikawa, Secretary Hiroki Sugie, Daly, Treasurer Mike Johnson, and Legal Counsel Marcia Schultz.
MODEL SCOUT. Boy Scout Harrison Smith primes a wall facing the east side of the tennis practice wall near the American Memorial Park for an environmental mural. Currently holding the rank of Life Scout, Smith was the leader of a small band of amateur artists that began the environmental mural project.
CHAMPIONS. Area 1 players pose for a group shot after winning
the championship match of the Iglesia Ni Cristo 2011 Christian Family Organization’s basketball tournament held at the Tan Holdings Basketball court, June 12.
LUCKY MUSE. Ericka Armia, Area 1 team’s muse, proudly shows off their championship trophy with her dad, Eduard Armia.
FAREWELL TREAT. Kieran Daly, in red cap standing from left, poses with his fellow bikers in a sending off party they held for him.
PATRIOTS. Overseas Filipino workers on Saipan sing their national anthem during a flag ceremony to mark the 113th Philippine Independence Day, June 12 on the grounds of the Marianas Business Plaza.
RP INDEPENDENCE DAY. Philippine Consul General to
the CNMI Medardo Macaraig, 6th from left, and his wife are joined by Lt. Governor Eloy Inos, 6th right, Northern Marianas Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, 3rd right, with his wife Andrea, United Workers Movement-NMI President Rabby Syed, right, Health Secretary Joseph Kevin Villagomez, 5th right, and other guests, during the country’s celebration of its 113th Independence Day on June 12.
COME BACK AGAIN! Gary
Rogeness, commander of the nuclear attack submarine USS Cheyenne, receives a plaque of appreciation from Saipan Mayor Donald Flores, for choosing the island for their latest R&R.
Beach Road Magazine is accepting photo contributions from the community for FREE. Kindly e-mail the photos with captions identifying the people in the photo from left to right position, to reporter2@glimpsesofguam.com. For photos to appear in the coming issue, due to limited slots, we encourage submissions on or before the 15th of every month.
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JULY 2011
LOCAL ART PATRON. Andrea Carr shows her neatly designed stingray-inspired hand-crafted jewelry that jewelers at Fina’Tinas Animas make on site at their booth at the 30th Annual Flame Tree Arts Festival held June 9 to 12 at the American Memorial Park west of the Bell Tower.
WINNER! Saipan Tribune Reporter Clarissa David, 3rd right,
gets a big surprise when her ticket was picked as the 1st prize winner ($2,500) at the Rotary Club’s annual Las Vegas Night fundraiser event held on June 18 at the Saipan World Resort’s Taga Hall. From left—Rotarians Christal Leon Guerrero, Farrah Younis, David Igitol, David, DFS General Manager Vorasuda Luna and Blue Continent Communications, Inc. General Manager Curtis Dancoe.
NEW NURSING ASSISTANTS. Health Secretary Joseph Kevin Villagomez, seated 4th left, joins other local officials in the graduation ceremony for the pioneering graduates of the Saipan Southern High School’s 1st Nursing Assistant program, June 16 at the PIC.
TAKE 25 CAMPAIGN. U.S. Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the CNMI Alicia Limtiaco, right, with Division of Youth Services Director Laura Ogumoro, explaining the importance of empowering children with skills to protect themselves against potential abductors covered under the Take 25 Campaign, June 8 at Northern Marianas College.
GET TOGETHER.
(Clockwise from left) Friends Lynn Tangonan, Liezl Artango, Lita Silanga and Rose Lantin, at the Rotary Club’s Annual Las Vegas Night fundraiser, June 18 at the Saipan World Resort’s Taga Hall.
NEW FLAVORS & DELIGHTS. Kotwal Singh, regional executive chef of Hard Rock Café Micronesia, mixes flavors at the launch of their new menu and drinks at Hard Rock Café Saipan, June 22..
BALLET PERFORMANCE.
The students of Glushko’s Academy of Performing Arts with ballet instructor Anna Glushko and academy president Dr. Gene Sylvester Eagle-Oden pose for a souvenir photo after the group’s performance at the 30th Annual Flame Tree Arts Festival, June 9-12, at the American Memorial Park.
PROUD TO BE FROM WOLEAI. Nelson
Ebilane of the outer island of Yap known as Woleai mans their booth showcasing different woven materials. On the far left is his wife Mariana and their niece busy sorting out plants and flowers to be made as leis.
WELCOME RECEPTION.
HENNA ART. Henna
From left—Tan Holdings Corp. Senior Vice President Eli Arago, Saipan Tribune Head Accountant Mirasol Dayao, THC Legal Secretary Susan Espanillo, Annamae Adaza of Luen Fung Enterprises and Mr. & Mrs. Ed Salas, June 17 at the welcome reception for the new management of the Pacific Islands Club.
artist Ginni A. Bachani carefully tattoos a child’s hand using the plant-based dye Henna lasts up to two weeks.
JULY 2011
15
FEATURE
Tokuko Mojica, jewelry maker and artist BY SUSAN MARCHITTI
Can you tell us how you started making jewelry? At first, I made jewelry just for myself. But people started to make enthusiastic comments on how my work has touched their hearts and asked if I could make something for them. It opened the door to go deeper into myself. I am a strong believer in my culture (Marshall Islands). I wanted to be me and tell the story of who I am and where I came from. My husband bought me beautiful jewelry which I enjoy wearing. But I knew, I could design my own, as well as one-of-a-kind jewelry. As the creator, I can put my thoughts into reality, show something unique that represents me, therefore, sharing this gift that God has given me.
Your mother passed on this craft to you and she learned it from her mother. Have you also taught your daughter how to do it? In the old days, certain traits were required for us to master at certain ages of our lives family tradition. Weaving, for instance, was a must for a girl, taught by a mother, aunt or grandmother. These women are responsible to make sure I am well prepared in weaving before I become someone’s wife, otherwise, they will lose face and I might not be an acceptable candidate for marriage. I am teaching my daughter not just about weaving but everything I know about my culture. Creating herbal medicine is another important skill I would love to have my daughter pass on to her kids. I am making sure she learns that too.
How long does it take to prepare the materials and what are they made of? With local materials, I use dried coconut/bandana leaves and shells. We first hunt for the right coconut leaves, walking on foot for many miles to find the right trees. Then we cut and carry the leaves home. We take the coconut leaves apart and separate them into individual pieces, then cut them with a sharp knife into pieces. Only the outer part of the leaves are kept to be cooked, hung to dry for one day, then sun dried for another, often up to two months.
How do you come up with ideas for your artwork? A true artist doesn’t need to wait to come up with an idea. So ideas will never end and that is why I enjoy my work because I probably will never run out of ideas, although there is never enough time. What is the price range for your pieces? My prices range from $1up to $600, and it is always an issue because of the time and work spent and the cost. But for now, I think of what people can afford.
Tokuko Mojica prepares to make yet another original creation using indigenous materials.
Is there anything else you can tell us about your craft? A talent is not wasted unless it is not shared. I want to reach out mostly toward our young generation. Our cultures are dying. Again and again I remind my kids, no matter what, never forget who you are, what you are and where you came from. We identify ourselves with our cultures (crafts are cultures). My kids are not raised within my culture so I have to introduce them to it. Working with my artwork is a blessing that I can offer and share with my kids - they really see me for who I am. When I hear them talking to their friends they speak proudly of their mom (me). Why? They see interest among their friends toward what I do. These other kids are amazed by my handicrafts when they come to our home. When invited to talk to schools about my work, I always tell the students, believe in yourself, discover your passion and do the best you can, reach out and make a difference in this world with that gift God has given you.
COMMUNITY WATCH
25 ways to make kids safer At Home 1. Teach your children their full names, address, and home telephone number. Make sure they know your full name. 2. Make sure your children know how to reach you at work or on your cell phone. 3. Teach your children how and when to use 911 and make sure your children have a trusted adult to call if they’re scared or have an emergency. 4. Instruct children to keep the door locked and not to open the door to talk to anyone when they are home alone. Set rules with your children about having visitors over when you’re not home and how to answer the telephone. 5. Choose babysitters with care. Obtain references from family, friends, and neighbors. 16
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Once you have chosen the caregiver, drop in unexpectedly to see how your children are doing. Ask children how the experience with the caregiver was and listen carefully to their responses.
On the Net 6. Learn about the Internet. The more you know about how the Web works, the better prepared you are to teach your children about potential risks. Visitwww.NetSmartz.org for more information about Internet safety. 7. Place the family computer in a common area, rather than a child’s bedroom. Also, monitor their time spent online and the websites they’ve visited and establish rules for Internet use.
8. Know what other access your child may have to the Internet at school, libraries, or friends’ homes. 9. Use privacy settings on social networking sites to limit contact with unknown users and make sure screen names don’t reveal too much about your children. 10. Encourage your children to tell you if anything they encounter online makes them feel sad, scared, or confused. 11. Caution children not to post revealing information or inappropriate photos of themselves or their friends online. (continued to page 20)
FEATURE
Facebook leads New Zealand Maori artists to Flame Tree Arts Festival STORY AND PHOTOS BY GEMMA Q. CASAS
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ITH OVER HALF A BILLION active users from more than 190 countries, the popular social networking site Facebook has surely brought the world closer, particularly, remote Pacific islands. Through Facebook, the four-day 30th Annual Flame Tree Arts Festival in June with the theme “30 Years of Uniting Cultures and Traditions” welcomed for the first time a delegation of artists from a Maori tribe in Rotorua, New Zealand. The globetrotting group of sisters Vicki, Ryl and Candi Pirihi, their nephew Ruakiri Fairhall and their cousins Hereana Roberts, Leonie Rorason, Te Wha Whanga Williams, Hamiora Werahiko and Paora Biddios, livened up the June 9 to 12 festival with traditional Maori dances and singing performances, filling in the void for other Pacific islanders who couldn’t make it due to cash crunch.
GRACEFUL. Members of the Hula Dream Team from Fussa City, Japan, wow the audience with their graceful moves.
The visiting Maori artists paid $1,400 each for their airfare to visit Saipan and perform at the festival, says Vicki. The CNMI government, in turn, provided them accommodation and food. Fairhall says they don’t mind spending time and money sharing their culture to neighboring islands like the CNMI. “I think at the end of the day it’s not about money. It’s about being able to retain our culture. The CNMI is absolutely beautiful. The people are so friendly. We’ve been well looked after,” says Fairhall who studied political science and international business at Missouri’s Westminster College. Fairhall, who has performed in New York, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and elsewhere in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, among other countries, says Saipan is a charming little island and he’s glad that they made it here. “I think the most fulfilling part of my job is seeing how much others appreciate our culture and seeing them enjoy the performance that we do,” he says. Arts Council Executive Director Angel Hocog tells Beach Road Magazine they thank Facebook for bringing the New Zealand artists here.
WAKA WAKA DANCE STEPS. Male artists from a Maori tribe in Rotorua, New Zealand teach men from the audience a few simple Waka Waka dance steps.
PREP TIME. Local dancers get a last minute instruction before their performance on stage. BONDING TIME. Members of the Camacho family gather around their booth, Gancho Marianas, which sells hand-crafted jewelry and other handicraft made of indigenous materials.
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“I met Vicki Pirihi on Facebook and then we started communicating. I spoke about our arts event, and lo and behold, they turned out to be artists and they gave us a glimpse of their culture,” he says. Vicki says they didn’t know what to expect but for the love of art, they traveled for 18 hours from their home to Auckland to Fiji to Guam before reaching Saipan. “We didn’t quite know what to expect. This is our first time here but we love it,” she says. Also at the festival for the first time was the 36-member Dream Hula group from Fussa City in Japan whose majority of members are aged 80 and above. The group performed traditional Japanese folk and Polynesian dances much to the delight of the audience who were amazed at their graceful moves despite their age. The 70 booths at the festival were shared by food vendors and artists who showcased different arts works and crafts. Artists from Palau, American Samoa, the Marshall Islands, including Rota and Tinian failed to make it this year due to budget constraints. WORLD�CLASS GLOBE�TROTTING PERFORMERS. Members of the Pirihi family who belong to a Maori tribe from Rotorua, New Zealand pose for a photo before a performance at the 30th Annual Flame Tree Arts Festival.
HEALTH WATCH
ABS-olutely Fabulous Abs!! BY CARMEN ROJAS
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VERYONE WANTS ‘EM, but so few seem to be able to get and maintain them. What am I talking about? Only, those oh so elusive abdominals. First, the good news. You want abs? You already have them!! Everyone has the basic anatomy of the abdominals. Without them you wouldn’t be able to sit, stand, breath, jump, run, pretty much anything. What you need is a way to get your abs noticed! Here is the tough part. A “six pack” is not necessarily the ideal muscle condition for most people. For most of us a smooth, toned, and firm appearance is what the body becomes comfortable with and will be hard pressed to go farther than that. The six-pack look is the result of very low body fat, and balanced muscular growth. This type of appearance is usually found in elite athletes, a few models, and body builders (and a few creative computer graphic artists to help enhance the look on paper.)
What you eat is what you’ll get So where do we begin? The most critical part is diet. It is more important than the type of crunch or the number of sits ups you do every day. This part of the anatomy is also home to one of the body ‘s main fat storage centers. And without reducing the amount of body fat found all over the body and particularly in this area you wouldn’t see those abs. This area responds particularly well to carb-reduced diets. One of the most productive ways that my clients have seen reduction in both overall body fat, and the measurements in this area was to reduce their carbohydrate intake. This is not a matter of subbing brown rice for white rice. It means very little if any rice is consumed, for a given period of time. Watch out for all those hidden carbohydrates found in alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, candy, some fruits, and other sneaky places. Become a skeptic and a label reader. Ask the waiter at your favorite restaurant questions and get to the bottom of what’s in your food.
Reducing fat is also key. If you want to target this specific area it means eating a lean diet with high quality proteins. Get some good recipes for lean cuts of red beef, fish, and plenty of chicken breasts. It sounds bland and boring compared to the rich cuts of meat that are a large part of the Chamorro diet we enjoy. But learn about marinating, and grilling meats and figure out those foods that will satisfy your craving and keep everything in line One of the most overlooked dietary issues with the abs is the importance of drinking water. Water will help you feel full, but will also help keep your digestive track moving and reduce that “bloated” feeling that sometimes comes with high protein diets. You will also move impurities out of your system that will also help you to trim this area down. If you are taking any supplements, drinking plenty of water is extremely important.
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A DAY IN THE LIFE of Richard Ruhalla
Making a living behind the wheels BY GEMMA Q. CASAS
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MAGINE YOURSELF TEACHING teenagers and adults with different nationalities and languages how to drive responsibly and learning the CNMI road rules so they can get their driver’s license and the freedom to roam around. Tough job. Well, not for Richard J. Puhalla, the only certified driving instructor in Saipan, who also owns the only driving school in the CNMI, the Instructional Support Training Services, LLC which operates the Driver Training Academy located on Saipan. Public Law 15-25, enacted in 2006, requires a mandatory driver’s education course for every new driver seeking to get a license in the CNMI. Ruhalla opened his driving school in 2007. It remains the only one in operation since then. An educator and administrator for four decades, Ruhalla says he takes his job very seriously. “Failure is not an option,” he says in an interview with Beach Road Magazine when asked about the success rate of his students. Read on the rest of our conversation.
How long have you been doing this line of work? I’ve been a schoolteacher for 40 years and also an administrator. My background is in education. I have a master’s degree in education administration. I came to Saipan to be principal of the (Northern Marianas College’s) Lab School. When the Lab School closed, I switched over to the Community Development Institute at the College. At some point there was no more school so I went to PSS for a while. And the story of this little position here is that, I happened to be reading the paper one day, and the (government) passed the driving education law and I had driving education in my teaching credentials.… This is an opportunity for me to continue to teach and also to run my own business. How is the driving school different from a regular school? This is more like a college class. I present this school as if it is a three-semester college course. In that context, it has a classroom portion and laboratory portion and the classroom hours are pretty much what you would have in a three-semester college course.
COMMUNITY WATCH
Faloma was last seen wearing a white blouse with a pair of jeans on May 25th 2011 at around 6:00 a.m. in As Teo. Maleina was last seen wearing a light green shirt, with a butterfly design on the front with blue jeans on May 25th 2011 at around 6:00 a.m. in As Teo.
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At School
Out and About 15. Take your children on a walking tour of the neighborhood and tell them whose homes they may visit without you. 16. Remind your children it’s OK to say NO to anything that makes them feel scared, uncomfortable, or confused and teach your children to tell you if anything or anyone makes them feel this way. 20
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What would you say are the challenges of this job? The hours are long and hard. I have a 14hour workday. The hours are very difficult. Then there are some issues you have with the amount of risks that you take as a driving instructor. Have you had any difficulty dealing and communicating with students from different Asian countries? No. We figure a way to work it out. The entire realm of what we do is education in terms of cognitive acquisition of the things that they need to know. What would you say is the most fulfilling part of your job? What’s fulfilling for me is the relationship that I built with my students. I get a lot of great feedback from my students and that keeps me going. And I can look at myself in the mirror, at the end of the day, and say, ‘We’ve made a positive contribution to the CNMI.’ We are making Saipan safer one driver at a time; that’s our motto.
Please Help Find Them.
25 ways to make kids safer 12. Walk the route to and from school with your children, pointing out landmarks and safe places to go if they’re being followed or need help. If your children ride a bus, visit the bus stop with them to make sure they know which bus to take. 13. Remind kids to take a friend whenever they walk or bike to school. Remind them to stay with a group if they’re waiting at the bus stop. 14. Caution children never to accept a ride from anyone unless you have told them it is OK to do so in each instance.
TOUGH JOB. The islands’ only certified driving instructor, second left, with some of his students.
NAME: Luhk, Faloma AGE: 10 yrs. old
NAME: Luhk, Maleina AGE: 9 yrs. Old
17. Teach your children to ask permission before leaving home. 18. Remind your children not to walk or play alone outside. 19. Teach your children to never approach a vehicle, occupied or not, unless they know the owner and are accompanied by a parent, guardian, or other trusted adult. 20. “what if” situations and ask your children how they would respond. “What if you fell off your bike and you needed help? Who would you ask?” 21. Teach your children to check in with you if there is a change of plans. 22. During family outings, establish a central, easy-to-locate spot to meet for check-
DPS is seeking help from the public. Please call 911 or contact the Crime Stoppers hotline at 234-7272 should you want to remain anonymous or use our website at www.nmicrimestoppers.com. Crime stoppers pays up to $1,000.00 for any information leading to an arrest. It pays to call.
ins or should you get separated. 23. Teach your children how to locate help at theme parks, sports stadiums, shopping malls, and other public places. Also, identify those people who they can ask for help, such as uniformed law enforcement, security guards and store clerks with nametags. 24. Help your children learn to recognize and avoid potential risks, so that they can deal with them if they happen. 25. Teach your children that if anyone tries to grab them, they should make a scene and make every effort to get away by kicking, screaming, and resisting. Source: www.take25.org
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HOROSCOPE ARIES: Even someone who is agreeable and charming may have some devious intentions. Do not let yourself trust people just because they seem trustworthy -- wait for proof! Watch for people who are smiling broadly -- they may have something to hide. TAURUS: Beware of people who are using sex appeal to get what they want. You may find yourself competing with someone whose coy flirting is winning more points than your well-reasoned ideas. GEMINI: The dictionary may define an obstacle as ‘a person or thing that obstructs progress,’ but this month any obstacles you face will have quite the opposite effect. When someone tells you no, all you’ll hear is a challenge to change this person’s mind. CANCER: Past family disagreements are evolving into comfortable understandings now, and you might want to consider integrating some family members into your social circle a bit more. LEO: Are you growing unhappy with your career options? It’s time to use some of your fabulous creativity to either brighten up your daily routine or find some new options. You might be missing an obvious solution. In the romance arena, the ball is in your. VIRGO: Someone with whom you often disagree will see things your way. In fact, this person is going to jump to your defense and help you win a heated, fun debate. You two are more compatible than you ever realized, and maybe it’s time you discovered just how much. LIBRA: You will be graced with a huge dose of beautiful, magnetic energy. In a crowd, you’ll be able to draw people around you
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in a supportive way. People will feel especially safe and confident around you, and will be ready to divulge some critical information. But this is not a day to use your charms to get something out of someone. Rather, it is a day to just be yourself -- let people open up to you when and how they want. SCORPIO: Watch out for some abrasive personalities who are trying to stir up a great big pot of mayhem. They understand that when chaos reigns, people get distracted -- and power can be grabbed. SAGITTARIUS: Your life is made up of many small details that add up to something lovely. But as with that painting, what you see when you focus closely is a bunch of unrelated pieces. Try not to be too caught up in your life’s details today. CAPRICORN: Your life is moving from a time of extreme highs and lows to a time of middle-of-the-road smoothness. There will be no dramatic shifts right now, and what happens today will be mostly positive. AQUARIUS: Family history can help you deal with your family’s future, so get in touch with some older relatives to get the answers and insight you need right now. This questioning is a good sign, because it shows that you want to improve yourself. PISCES: As you are well aware, communication involves more than just talking and listening. Thinking is a big part of it, too. And right now, you need to work on your thinking skills. Other people have your best interests at heart.