Today, Pacific Islanders in Saipan navigate the island reminded of the battles and wars that have both defined and challenged who they are and where they are going. Since the 17th century, these islanders have experienced numerous episodes of colonial aggression and resistance. The land and seascape represent, in both tangible and intangible ways, the cultural heritage of those conflicts. A program called War in the Pacific: Difficult Heritage was developed by myself, Dr. Anne Ticknor, and Dr. Anna Froula to engage Pacific Islander veterans and military families in exploring, understanding, and personalizing their experiences with war and conflict heritage in the Mariana Islands. War in the Pacific: Difficult Heritage is a National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) grant-funded program in partnership with the Northern Marianas Humanities Council (NMHC), the Historic Preservation Office (HPO), and the Veterans Affairs Office (VA).
In July and October 2017, War in the Pacific trained Saipan community members with experience in humanities, history, and veteran affairs as local Discussion Leaders. The Discussion Leaders then conducted humanities discussion groups with veterans about the islands’ conflict heritage. The program supported NEH’s Standing Together initiative for “helping Americans to understand the experiences of service members and in assisting veterans as they return to civilian life” by assisting the community with gaining a meaningful and relevant understanding of war.
For more information about War in the Pacific, please visit here.