Åtchu' Latti' returns to the Marianas after nearly 70 years

Editor’s note: This story is a collaboration between Marianas Press and The Triton’s Call, the University of Guam’s student newspaper. For more from The Triton’s Call, please visit https://tritonscall.substack.com/ or follow @tritonscalluog on Instagram.

A rematriation ceremony honoring the return of an Åtchu' Latti' (Latte Stone), taken from the island of Rota nearly 70 years ago, took place at the NMI Museum of History & Culture in Saipan on Wednesday, Oct. 14.

The sun shone brightly as dozens came together to witness the historical moment, accompanied by a proclamation signing by Lt. Governor Dennis Mendiola, an ancestral acknowledgement by Siñot Donald Mendiola, and traditional chants performed by Marianas High School’s POLKSAI Guma’ Chamorro.

NMI Museum Executive Director Leonard Leon shared that Latti’ Manana’lu’ made its long journey home from Hawai’i’s Bishop Museum as part of a joint request by the CNMI and Guam. The request included the latte stones in addition to artifacts from the Hornbostel Collection that is made up of over 10,000 pieces stolen from Marianas in the early 1900s.

According to Mona Mercado, chairperson of the NMI Museum Board of Governors, the ancient artifact will remain in Saipan under the care of the NMI Museum until the location in Rota where the stone was taken from can be determined.

“It was agreed that the Latti’ Manana’lu’ would be placed in the NMI Museum to serve as an educational resource for our community and future generations and to be temporarily housed here until their original place of origin on Luta can be identified,” said Mercado.

As students chanted, people from the crowd laid pink and red hibiscus flowers as offerings. Others laid their palms on the solid stones, marking an emotional recognition of the resilience of the people of the Marianas.

“As someone from Luta, this moment means a lot to me, to our island, to our community. I think it speaks a lot to our movement towards liberation for our peoples, towards memory, towards remembering where we're from, and what truly matters for our people, our lands, our waters, and our culture,” said Mona Manglona, founder and navigator of From Luta For Luta who blew a kulo’ (shell horn) in the opening of the cultural ceremony.

Manglona shared how she dreams of the day the Latti’ Manana’lu’ can return back to its homeland, and extended that sentiment to all Latties around the world.

“So hopefully the next time I'm talking about this, it's with Luta behind me,” she added.

In attendance was Saipan-native, Erlinda Cabrera Naputi whose husband, Martin Naputi discovered the tasa (capstone) piece of the latte stone back in July 2022. Erlinda Naputi was in Hawai’i, participating in the Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Museum Institute cohort program, and Martin Naputi came to visit her.

“It’s just very powerful, there’s no way to describe it…There are no words to describe how [I’m] feeling,” said Erlinda Naputi when asked to reflect on her emotions around Latti's return to CNMI soil.

“It’s just really the fact that it’s home. And to play a part in it is really just an added bonus,” she added.

During a tour of the museum, Erlinda Naputi showed her husband the haligi of the latte stone when he asked where the tasa piece was.

Martin Naputi described feeling “different” that day. After seeing the haligi, he asked where the tasa piece was. According to him, Bishop Museum staff were unaware of a second piece, but he was determined to find it.

“The Bishop Museum staff said ‘This is it. This is the only one we have,” he recalled.

He described feeling “led” to continue his search. He made his way down an alleyway outside the museum where he found the tasa flipped upside down among “rocks, construction material, vegetation debris, and other stuff.”

“It's as if something, someone was pulling him to the direction where this was actually partly hidden. No one knew what it was, even the museum staff,” said Erlinda Naputi.

“I feel kind of like a relief that it's here versus what would happen that morning if I didn’t follow,” said Martin Naputi.