5th Marianas History Conference kicks off
The theme for the conference is One Archipelago, Many Stories: Navigating 500 Years of Cross-Cultural Contact.
Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero in her opening remarks said 500 years ago the Marianas became the first place in the Pacific to have contact with Europeans because of Ferdinand Magellan s expedition. The contact with the outside world started the Marianas long and complicated relationship with colonization, she said. Our role in history has often been told the viewpoints of others, with the voices of our people going unheard and our history unseen, she said.
The conference allows for a native perspective to be shared and allows the people of the Marianas to share their stories and ensure their voices are heard, Leon Guerrero said.