Q. What is the Inetnon Åmot Natibu/Ammwelil Safeyal Faluwasch (IÅN/ASF)?

A. The Inetnon Åmot Natibu/Ammwelil Safeyal Faluwasch are Chamorro and Carolinian phrases meaning “Native Medicine Association.” The IÅN/ASF is a non-profit, tax-exempt corporation and chartered as such in the CNMI on 31 January 2007 and whose purposes are:

1. To advocate, recognize and support traditional healers.
2. To help protect habitats of medicinal plants through restoration, legislation, educational programs, resolutions, community awareness, conferences, and workshops.
3. To document this cultural tradition in the vernacular languages.
4. To publish educational materials, posters, brochures, and also to produce non-print materials such as DVD’s, CD’s, and TV programming.

A. Isidoro T. Cabrera, President; Lino M. Olopai, Vice President; Cynthia P. Reyes, Treasurer; Frances Sablan, Secretary; Anicia Tomokane, Alternate Secretary; Emilio Ayuyu, Board Member; Ben Borja, Board Member; John S. Castro, Board Member; Patricia Coleman, Board Member; Vic Deleon Guerrero, Board Member; Donald Flores, Board Member; Dave Omar, Board Member; Noel Quitugua, Board Member; Liz Rechebei, Board Member; Gonzalo Santos, Board Member.

Q. Who is the director for the IÅN/ASF ANA grant project?

A. The IÅN/ASF has contracted Mr. Manuel Flores Borja to be the project director for the ANA grant that the Association received. The Project Director is also working with Mr. Jose S. Roppul, who serves as the Social Consultant for the Carolinian Community

Q. Why does the IÅN/ASF have an Administration for Native Americans (ANA) federal grant project?

A. The IAN/ASF applied for a federal grant (on a competitive basis) from the Administration for Native Americans and the IAN/ASF was awarded an ANA grant in September, 2007, and ending in September, 2008.

Q. What is the purpose of the IÅN/ASF’s ANA grant project?

A. The purpose of the IÅN/ASF’s ANA grant project is to enhance economic and social/cultural self-sufficiency through the revitalization of indigenous CNMI traditional medicine. This is a one year project to:

1. Develop a comprehensive trilingual (Carolinian, Chamorro, English) directory/ resource book of CNMI healers with a section identifying CNMI medicinal plants,

2. Conduct a public awareness campaign, and

3. Conduct community events on traditional healing and practices on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.

A. Publishing a directory of CNMI traditional healers, and the book serving as a resource material on CNMI traditional medicine, is one formal way that the IÅN/ASF can:

1) Give respect and honor to our indigenous traditional healers for their knowledge and valuable contributions to our island communities,

2) Bring back the awareness of CNMI traditional healing practices to all our indigenous populations, especially to the younger generations, and with this awareness, economic and health benefits will continue to be available to all, and

3) Help with the identification of traditional medicinal plants so that all generations (especially the younger generations who are the future decision makers for our Commonwealth) can continue to make knowledgeable, wise and valuable decisions concerning traditional health benefits for its indigenous citizens, and so that CNMI medicinal plants can be known/identified easily and protected continually for generations to come in the CNMI.

Q. What is the ANA grant project title for the IÅN/ASF?

A.The title for the IÅN/ASF ANA grant is: Enhancement of Cultural Self Sufficiency through Revitalization of Traditional Healing.

Q. Can you talk more about the Administration for Native Americans (ANA)?

A. Yes, the Administration for Native Americans (ANA) is an agency of the Administration for Children and Families, under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ANA was established in 1974 through the Native American Program Act (NAPA). ANA is the only federal agency serving all native Americans (562 federally recognized Tribes, American Indians Organizations, Alaska Native Organizations, Native Hawaiian Organizations, and Native populations in the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands). The Administration for Native Americans is headed by a Commissioner, Commissioner Guanah Crossland Stamps. She was appointed by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in November 2002. Commissioner Stamps is an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, and she and her family live in Arlington, Virginia.

Q. What is the mission of ANA?

A. The mission of ANA is to promote social and economic self-sufficiency for American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, Native American Samoans, Natives of Guam, and Natives of the CNMI. ANA provides community-based project funding to improve the lives of Native Children and Families thereby reducing long-term dependency on public assistance. Funding for community-based projects is provided through three (3) competitive discretionary grant programs to eligible Tribes and non-profit Native American organizations.

To promote self-sufficiency, ANA invests taxpayer dollars in community-based projects focused on social and economic development, language preservation, and environmental regulatory enhancement. To achieve this mission, ANA provides project grant funding to eligible Tribes and Native American non-profit organizations on a competitive basis. The demand for ANA project funding is approximately $100 million annually, which is more than twice the funding amount available. ANA funds short-term projects, not programs, that have definite goals and objectives to be achieved by the end of the project period. ANA's program areas do not overlap program areas of other Federal agencies.

Q. Can people come to the IÅN/ASF office on Capital Hill to visit?

A. Yes, everyone is welcomed to come and visit the IÅN/ASF office on Capital Hill. The IÅN/ASF is also currently working on 1) an herbal garden at the office site, 2) a display of CNMI medicinal artifacts, and 3), a library of traditional medicine resources.