Members of the Marianas High School Polksai Guma Chamorro Club performed traditional chants Wednesday morning during a rematriation ceremony at the NMI Museum of History & Culture, where cultural leaders welcomed home an ancient Åtchu’ Latti’ returned to the Marianas after more than a century.
The Northern Marianas Humanities Council and the museum hosted the event, marking the return of the latte stone originally taken from Rota in the early 20th century and held for decades in the Bishop Museum’s Hornbostel Collection.
The ceremony also included the signing of a proclamation designating October 2026 as CNMI Humanities Month.
Humanities Council Executive Director Leo Pangelinan said the homecoming reflects the community’s resilience and commitment to cultural stewardship, especially after recent storms and economic strain.
He tied the event to this year’s Humanities Month theme, Rooted in Heritage, Seeded to Flourish, noting that “resilience is knowing what sustains us.”
Lt. Gov. Dennis Mendiola signed the proclamation and urged families to preserve language, stories, and traditions for younger generations. He said the humanities live not only in institutions but in everyday cultural practice.
NMI Museum acting Board Chair Mona Mercado described the rematriation as “a return of spirit, memory, and belonging,” recounting the latte stone’s journey from Rota to Hawaii and its rediscovery by Saipan residents Martin and Linda Naputi. She said the museum will temporarily house the stone until its original site on Rota is identified.
Museum officials said the latte’s return was made possible through collaboration with the CNMI Historic Preservation Office, Bishop Museum, Guam Museum, Chamorro Affairs Office and the Guam Cultural Repository.
