jan 24, 2025
Informational video about Sint Eustatius, a tiny island, in the middle of the Caribbean, where most people speak English, but are in fact Dutch nationals. Sint Eustatius is a tropical municipality of the Netherlands.
Content
- History – this Dutch territory was the first to recognize the United States as an independent country by saluting an approaching ship with the American flag, making St. Eustatius the target of a British plundering campaign
- Dutch Independence – the former colonies were dissolved and the Netherlands Antilles were formed. In 2010, it became a special municipality of the Netherlands
- Jewish Community – they were present from the beginning and represented 10% of the population at one point. Today the Jewish cemetery is witness to this past
- Tourism – tourism is small scale and focused on the beaches, history, and scuba diving. The dormant volcano ‘The Quill’ offers an amazing hike to the highest point of the Netherlands
Additional information
1. Sint Eustatius, also known locally as Statia, is an island in the Caribbean. It is a special municipality (officially “public body”) of the Netherlands.
2. It is unclear if native peoples inhabited the island before European colonization. It is thought that Christopher Columbus likely saw the island in 1493. From the first European settlement, in the 17th century until the early 19th century, St. Eustatius changed hands twenty-one times between the Netherlands, Britain, and France.
3. Oranjestad is a small town of 1,038 inhabitants; it is the capital of the island of Sint Eustatius in the Caribbean Netherlands.
4. Formerly part of the Netherlands Antilles, Sint Eustatius became a special municipality of the Netherlands on 10 October 2010. Together with Bonaire and Saba, it forms the BES islands. In 2011 the island officially adopted the US dollar as its currency.
5. The first record of Jews on St. Eustatius dates to 1660. The Jews were mainly merchants with significant international trading and maritime commercial ties. Jews were estimated to have comprised at least 10% of the permanent population of St. Eustatius.
6. The oil terminal (an unloading and storage depot for petroleum) of the American company Prostar Capital is the most important economic pillar of Sint Eustatius. Tourism is also important and is seen as the second economic pillar, especially diving tourism. The port is not suitable for large cruise ships, so no large flows of tourists can come to the island.
7. The Quill is a stratovolcano located on the island of Sint Eustatius in the Caribbean Netherlands. The summit elevation is 601 m above sea level. It is also the second highest mountain in the Netherlands.
jan 23, 2025
The St. Eustatius Center for Archaeological Research (SECAR) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the archaeological preservation and research of St. Eustatius’ rich cultural heritage. SECAR’s mission is to explore, document, and protect the island’s historical resources, with a focus on both terrestrial and underwater archaeology. The center is involved in various archaeological excavations, surveys, and conservation efforts, often in collaboration with academic institutions and volunteers. SECAR also provides educational opportunities for the local community and visitors, raising awareness about the island’s history, including its significance during the colonial period and its role in the transatlantic trade. Through its work, SECAR plays a key role in preserving and sharing the unique history of St. Eustatius for future generations.
Contact
Tel: +599 319 1918
info@secar.org
jan 23, 2025
The St. Eustatius African Burial Ground Alliance (SEA BGA) is an organization dedicated to the preservation, research, and commemoration of the African Burial Ground on St. Eustatius, a historically significant site on the island. The burial ground is the final resting place of enslaved Africans who were brought to the island during the transatlantic slave trade. The Alliance works to honor the memory of those individuals, raise awareness about their history, and protect the site from potential threats. Through educational programs, archaeological research, and partnerships with local and international organizations, SEA BGA strives to ensure that the stories of the enslaved people and their descendants are acknowledged and respected, contributing to a deeper understanding of St. Eustatius’ role in the history of the Atlantic World.
Contact
Whatsapp: +599 3194975 / +31 6 29014308
steustatiusafrikanburialground@gmail.com
jan 22, 2025
National Archaeological and Anthropological Memory Management Foundation – Fundashon NAAM – na Kòrsou, ta un organisashon non-profit, kometé na konservashon i identifikashon di herensha kultural – tantu material komo inmaterial – di Boneiru, Kòrsou, St. Maarten, den un perspektiva Karibense.
NAAM a wòrdu fundá dor di Gobièrnu Sentral di Antia Hulandes anterior (1998) komo susesor di AAINA anterior (Archaeological- Anthropological Institute of the Netherlands Antilles).
Presentando su mes komo “mas ku un museo”, den kurso di tempu NAAM a logra di desaroyá den un instituto, laborando ampliamente riba dokumentashon, restorashon i enrikesimentu di nos memoria kolektivo. Pa e motibu ei desde 2008 e lèter M den NAAM su nòmber no ta para mas pa “Museum” (museo) pero pa “Memory Management” (Maneho di memoria).
National Archaeological Anthropological Memory Management Foundation – Stichting NAAM – Curaçao is een nonprofit organisatie die zich committeert aan de conservering en identificatie van het materiële en immateriële erfgoed van Bonaire, Curaçao, St. Maarten, St. Eustatius en Saba in een Caribisch perspectief.
NAAM is in 1998 opgericht door de Landsoverheid van de voormalige Nederlandse Antillen, als opvolger van het voormalige AAINA (Archaeologisch- Anthropologisch Instituut Nederlandse Antillen).
Door zichzelf te profileren als “meer dan een museum”, heeft NAAM zich in de loop van de tijd kunnen ontwikkelen tot een instituut dat zich breed inzet voor het documenteren, restaureren en verrijken van het culturele geheugen van onze bevolking. Dit is waarom de M van NAAM niet langer staat voor “Museum” maar voor “Memory Management”.
jan 21, 2025
In ‘Monumenten en Standbeelden van de Nederlandse Antillen’ brengt Jennifer Smit de monumentale sculpturen van de Nederlandse Antillen in kaart.
Als onderdeel van het rijk der beeldende kunsten bergt de sculptuur talrijke dimensies in zich: verbeelding, herinnering, stedelijke bebouwing van alledag, publieke ruimte, creativiteit en historisch bewustzijn. De beeldhouwkunst van de monumenten en standbeelden van de Nederlandse Antillen geeft een dwarsdoorsnede van de geschiedenis van de twintigste eeuw. Op eigen karakteristieke wijze wordt vorm gegeven aan personen en gebeurtenissen, die in de geschiedenis op de één of andere manier een belangrijke rol hebben gespeeld. De monumenten en dus de gebeurtenissen en de personen die zij gedenken, eren en verbeelden, maken deel uit van het ‘collectieve geheugen’: ze zijn van iedereen. Sociale, politieke, literaire, wetenschappelijke, evenals religieuze en maatschappelijke items passeren in de rij van monumenten en standbeelden de revue. Zo komt de band met Nederland, maar ook die met het buurland Venezuela uitgebreid aan de orde, evenals het moment waarop de eigen helden worden geëerd. Door het bestuderen van de wijze van verbeelden en vormgeven wordt tevens een deelgebied van de kunst-geschiedenis van de Nederlandse Antillen in kaart gebracht.
Inhoud
Ten geleide
Inleiding
Monumenten in kunsthistorisch perspectief
Monumenten en Standbeelden
Curaçao
Bonaire
St. Maarten
St. Eustatius
Saba
Geraadpleegde literatuur
Fotoverantwoording
