Casting nets, sharing cultures: CNMI makes mark at Indigenous Games

The CNMI delegation returned from the Inaugural World Indigenous Traditional Games 2025 in Taiwan held from Dec. 10-12 with a silver medal in hand, but more importantly, with a deeper connection to indigenous cultures from around the world.

While competition was part of the experience, the event was centered on cultural exchange—and just like the theme—weaving together indigenous traditions through sport, dance, and music. The CNMI team, made up of individuals of indigenous descent, shared pieces of the Marianas while also learning from hundreds of indigenous representatives from 11 different countries.

Lia Rangamar, Dereck Rangamar, Maria Quitugua, and Erik Basa put Team CNMI on the podium with a silver finish in the net casting (talaya) event, placing second behind Seediq, while Hawaii claimed the bronze.

The CNMI games team that competed in traditional archery, log sawing, traditional wrestling, net casting, traditional canoe race, traditional road racing, and freediving sprint, was composed of Dereck Rangamar, Lia Rangamar, Antonette Labausa, Kaya Rasa, Erik Basa, Miles Borja, Maria Quitugua, Mayiah Duenas, Jenisha Dubrall, Lincoln Manibusan, and Gregory Iginoef.

The traditional performers included Glenn Ruben, Gregory Iginoef, Benusto Lisua, Tyler Fitial, Brian Ruben, Jack Ruben, Michael Olaitiman Jr., Ian Kaniki, Luis Tilipao (band), Frankie Limes (band), and Vincent Limes (band). Some members, like Benusto Lisua, also took part in several of the games. Felix Nogis, executive assistant for Carolinian Affairs and the CNMI’s official delegate to the Austronesian Forum in Taiwan also joined the team in the event.

In an interview with Marianas Press, Basa, of Palauan and Chamorro descent said the experience was amazing. “From the get-go, we had a full itinerary. As soon as we landed, the course was set as far as hotel reservations, dinner, and other tourist amenities that were provided for,” he said. As it was his first time to represent the CNMI, he said, “the whole experience was new to me. The whole opening ceremony was beautiful and even the light show at the end was amazing.”

Recapping the events, Basa said the net casting was the most impactful because it gave them a chance to witness other team’s skills and to showcase theirs. He said that there were some challenges such as the different sized nets compared to when they trained, and the throwing distance—throwing the buoy past the mark was one of the difficulties. But even with that, he said he was confident in their team. “We had an amazing coach, Jeremiah Benavente, who brought the nets needed for competition. We put the work in, we did the practice and I was confident in our team. It’s just when we’re about to go up, that’s when I felt the pressure simply because out of all the traditional events that were given, net casting was what we continue to practice here at home, so I had to make sure we performed well and I think we did good.”

Throughout the games, both shared that the CNMI delegation found strong cultural connections with other participants through their shared Austronesian roots. They noticed similarities in traditional practices, with Basa saying that the way cast nets were thrown across different countries, pointing to a shared ancestry.

For Lisua, of Chuukese and Carolinian descent, he said he was grateful for the experience. Also a first timer to represent the CNMI, “it’s an honor. It’s great to put us out there, where indigenous people don’t even know where Saipan or CNMI specifically stands. So just us, a small group representing CNMI as a whole, really made a difference when we were out there. People were excited to know more about us—the culture and where we’re from.”

The team also observed other similarities in traditional beads and floral crowns (mwáárs) which were worn by indigenous tribes in Taiwan and often drew attention and photo requests with the CNMI group. Also, seeing betel nut farms and bags of betel nut being sold, stood out as familiar traditions also practiced back home. Beyond the games, the delegation experienced the same sense of hospitality they were accustomed to back home, with local indigenous communities inviting them to share meals or drinks. For the team, events like the World Indigenous Traditional Games play an important role in preserving culture and traditional sports and games.

Basa then said hopefully the CNMI could one day host a similar event to showcase the islands’ traditional games such as sling stone, coconut husking, or betel nut tree climbing, and others to also strengthen and maintain the islands’ cultures and traditions. Lisua said the experience reinforced the importance of practicing culture and tradition wherever one goes, adding that the games were less about winning and more about indigenous communities coming together to share, learn, and respect one another.