500 Sails

THIS EDA INVESTMENT SUPPORTS THE RENOVATION AND EXPANSION OF THE 500 SAILS BOATYARD IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS (CNMI). THE PROJECT WILL TRANSFORM THE BUILDING FROM A SMALL TEACHING BOATYARD TO A MODERN MARITIME TRAINING FACILITY (MTC). THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS MARITIME TRAINING CENTER WILL PROVIDE FORMAL, HANDS-ON TRAINING TO A GROWING WORKFORCE FOR CNMI'S EMERGING MARITIME INDUSTRY. THE MARITIME INDUSTRY WILL BRING DIVERSITY TO THE CNMI'S ECONOMY THAT IS CURRENTLY DOMINATED BY ONE INDUSTRY, TOURISM. THE MTC WILL HELP THE CNMI COMMUNITIES ACCELERATE ECONOMIC RECOVERY FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND BUILD AN ECONOMY THAT WILL BE RESILIENT TO FUTURE ECONOMIC SHOCKS, WHICH WILL HELP BOOST THE MARITIME WORKFORCE THROUGHOUT THE REGION.

TAOTAL TASI (PEOPLE OF THE OCEAN) - MARITIME CAREER PATHWAYS

500 SAILS - LAUNCHING CULTURAL CAREERS THROUGH APPRENTICESHIPS

500 SAILS - IMPROVING HEALTH OUTCOMES THROUGH TRADITIONAL MARITIME ACTIVITIES

OUR CULTURE WILL HEAL US

RESUMING THE VOYAGE [500 SAILS WORKS TO REVIVE AND SUPPORT THE PRACTICE OF CANOE CULTURE IN THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS THROUGH PROGRAMS THAT TEACH PARTICIPANTS TO BUILD AND SAIL TRADITIONAL INDIGENOUS CANOES. THEY CONDUCT OUTREACH IN SCHOOLS AND AT PUBLIC EVENTS THAT PRESENTS LOCAL HISTORY FROM THE INDIGENOUS PERSPECTIVE, PRESENTING A NARRATIVE THAT FRAMES THE INDIGENOUS EXPERIENCE AS ONE OF RESISTING AND ULTIMATELY OVERCOMING COLONIAL AGGRESSION - A NARRATIVE IN WHICH THE RETURN OF INDIGENOUS CANOES AND CANOE CULTURE IS THE LATEST CHAPTER IN THE STORY. THIS WORK IS A REAL-LIFE APPLICATION OF THE BENEFITS OF HUMANITIES WORK AS IT IS THE RECORDED HISTORIC RECORD THAT ENABLES THIS REVIVAL OF CANOE CULTURE THAT WILL IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE AND STRENGTHEN INDIGENOUS CULTURAL IDENTITY IN THE CNMI. 500 SAILS' PROGRAMS WERE SEVERELY IMPACTED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. THE PROJECT PROVIDES FUNDING SUPPORT FOR A GRADUAL RAMP-UP OF PROGRAMS BACK TO PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS.] [PURPOSE:?REOPENING A PROGRAM THAT TEACHES INDIGENOUS CANOE BUILDING AND EXPLORES PRE-COLONIAL SEA LIFE IN THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS.    ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: THE CONSTRUCTION AND SAILING OF TRADITIONAL CHAMORRO AND CAROLINIAN CANOES AS A MEANS OF RECONNECTING TO THE INDIGENOUS WAY OF LIFE ERASED BY COLONIAL CONQUEST.  EXPECTED OUTCOMES: REOPENING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING AND BOAT BUILDING THAT WAS SHUTTERED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. EMPLOYMENT OF THREE BOAT BUILDERS/EDUCATORS.      INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: PARTICIPANTS IN THE BOAT BUILDING AND SAILING ACTIVITIES OFFERED BY 500 SAILS INCLUDING RESIDENTS OF THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS AND TOURISTS.  SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES:?THE RECIPIENT DOES NOT INTEND TO SUBAWARD FUNDS.]

PESKAN TADDONG (DEEP BOTTOMFISHING)

TO SUPPORT YOUTH DANCE WORKSHOPS AND PERFORMANCES CELEBRATING THE TRADITIONAL MARITIME HERITAGE OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS.

CAROLINIAN FISHING CANOE