09/05/2026
To our sponsors (GVB, Metro, OPUS, Multnomah County Health Department, PGE, Taplandia, Health Share of Oregon, Alaska Airlines, API Net, Ameriprise Financial, Multnomah County Commissioner Vince Jones-Dixon, and The Columbian) who believed in our mission and invested in our community; to our community partners, volunteers, performers, cultural practitioners, families, friends, and every single person who stepped forward to make the Marianas Festival possible: Si Yu’os Ma’åse’.
Your generosity, support, and belief in what we are building gave us the ability to create a place where thousands of people could come together to celebrate, connect, preserve, and proudly share the Marianas with the broader community.
To the members of our community who stepped up without hesitation to represent our culture, whether you performed, taught, shared your knowledge, hosted an island booth, volunteered, contributed, helped us fundraise, donated, worked behind the scenes, or simply saw something that needed to be done and lent a hand: Si Yu’os Ma’åse’.
There are so many hands and hearts behind this festival, and we want to recognize some of them by name.
To our committee: Aaron Unpingco, Brian Bautista, Car Cruz, Charlie Laub, Clarissa Laub, Darian Laub, Ed Sablån, Januaria Balajadia, Jodee Baza-Taman, Joelle Cruz, Marie Sablan, Melissa Cayton, Michael Cruz, Naudia Quitugua, Richard Cruz, Ryan Perez, and Tiana Benavente — AND to their families!
To Auntie Rose Duenas, Tavita Nuusa, The Prog Family, The Matanane Family, The Afoa Family, Brandi Tkel, Mya Manibusan, Rich & Macrina Cruz, MANHITA, Top Flyte, Mix Plate, Chloe Andre Hofschneider Talan & Family, Kutturan Mariånas, Jordan Paradise, PNW Island Jammerz, Na'lå'la' Inafa'maolek, Takyo, Clayton & Layla Cruz, Hasso I Lina'la' Chamoru, Candy Taman, House of Sound, Metgot Manggåfa, Efangewouw Refaluwasch, DJ Frog, Tokah, Pacific Cool, Real to Real, John Cruz, Narissa Estal, Tren Navarro, Pac Family, Beautylife Lash and Spa, Jessica Munoz, John Pablo, JV & Jack & the Taplandia Crew, Magåhet, The Guam Funny Memes Crew, Frank & Sarah Camacho, Travis & the Plush Crew, Josi Kisa, Lawrence Hocog & Rota Times, Kolfred Mettao, Rocks by Irie, Portland Burgers, J***y Monkey, Air Force ROTC Detachment 695, University of Portland, Island Mike's Hot Sauce, Håfa Adai Signs, Casa Magnolia from Columbia, Lowrider PNW Sam Adam's, Rob Perez, Manny Crisostomo, the Honorable Judge Johnny Cepeda Gogo, Lilani San Nicolas, Helen Aguon, our incredible parking volunteers, Troy & Mariah Long, Nike Volunteers, Jojo Teves, Margaret Cayton, Melissa Maxson, Melanie Cayton-Lawrentz, Fafañague, Saina Eric, Joel Reyes, Schyuler Ellie Lujan, Jay Cee, Chris Ogawa, Sinot Bernard Punzalan, June Pangelinan, Gil Mendiola, Roman DelaCruz, Jesselyn Cruz, Danielle Williams, the Lizama Family, the Rota/Luta community and Mayor’s Office, the Hofschneider Family, Tanya Babauta & Family, Rep. Kimberly King-Hinds and DC interns, Rep. John Paul Sablan, former CNMI Governor Ralph Torres, Benjamin M. Jones, Senator Donald Manglona, Senator Ronald Sablan, Mayor Peter Duenas, Lt. Governor Dennis Camacho Mendiola and staff, and former Senator Vinnie Sablan and so many others who gave their time, talent, energy, and hearts to this festival: Si Yu’os Ma’åse’.
And a very special Si Yu’os Ma’åse’ to Mylz for sharing his amazing videography skills and helping us capture the moments, emotions, people, and energy of the Marianas Festival. Those memories will live far beyond one day because you helped document them so beautifully.
And to the hundreds and hundreds of attendees who shared your Marianas Festival experience on social media — THANK YOU! We saw your photos, watched your videos, read your posts and comments, and saw you sharing the performances, food, culture, laughter, and special moments with your families and friends. Every single post helped carry our culture beyond the gates of Blue Lake and allowed even more people to experience a little piece of the Marianas.
And to the incredibly talented Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Manny Crisostomo, we cannot adequately express our gratitude for the way you have documented the Marianas Festival over the past three years. Through your eye and your lens, you have captured far more than photographs you have captured our people, our culture, our elders, our children, our joy, and moments that will one day become part of our history. Long after the stages come down and the festival grounds are empty, your images will remain as a visual record of what our community created together. Si Yu’os Ma’åse’ for preserving these moments for generations to come.
That is what this is all about.
And as we celebrate everything beautiful that came from this festival, we also hope we carry the spirit of inafa’maolek beyond the festival grounds. Community is not only about showing up when the music is playing and everything feels good — it is also about how we treat one another when things are difficult, when we disagree, or when we may not understand the whole story. Be good to one another. Give grace. Choose respect. There is already enough negativity in this world without adding more to it. Inafa’maolek isn’t just something we say; it’s how we treat one another, especially when it matters most.
It is because of YOU that Marianas Festival 2026 was a success.
Thank you for the good vibes. Thank you for the love. Thank you for the encouragement and support. Thank you for believing in what we are building and, most importantly, thank you for showing us what inafa’maolek looks like when an entire community puts it into action.
May we continue to take care of one another, uplift one another, preserve what was passed down to us, and make sure our children and grandchildren have the opportunity to know, love, and proudly share where they come from.
Dångkolo na Si Yu’os Ma’åse’.
From the bottom of our hearts, we could not have done this without you.
With love, gratitude, and inafa’maolek,
The Marianas Festival Committee & MÅGI
