Rota, also known as the “peaceful island”, is the southernmost island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). It lies slightly northwest of the United States territory of Guam. Songsong village is the largest and most populated followed by Sinapalo village. Rota stands out as a pristine and untarnished island boasting white sandy beaches, a diverse flora and fauna, and breathtaking panoramas. This image has been attributed to the lack of overt development which has been seen in the two larger islands of Saipan and Tinian.
The culture and language of the native people of the CNMI is called “Chamorro”. Half of the words in the language are Spanish or of Spanish origin, though when spoken colloquially, fewer Spanish words are used. This is attributed to the fact that prior to colonization by the Spanish, the Chamorro people did not have words for many of the things they had never been exposed to. The Chamorro word for ‘bread’, for instance, is ‘pan’, just as it is in Spanish.