From left: Daniela Richardson, State Secretary Alexandra van Huffelen, Vashti Hooker, Minister Hanke Bruins Slot, Deputy Commissioner Claudia Toet, Althea Merkman and Commissioner Alida Francis dancing to “Our Girls Going To Shine Tonight”.
ST. EUSTATIUS–An event dubbed a “Potpourri of Statia Culture” was held at Gwendoline van Putten School on Wednesday, September 7, for the inaugural visit of Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Hanke Bruins Slot, State Secretary of Kingdom Relations and Digitisation Alexandra van Huffelen and their delegation.
The event was organised by the public entity St. Eustatius under the direction of Vashti Hooker and Daniela Richardson of the Culture Department. It featured a stroll down “Memory Lane” of Statia’s rich history through song, dance, poetry, masquerading, cultural expressions and performances.
Aloei Dancers dancing around the Maypole.
Among the highlights of the evening were the trio of voices of Hooker, Ursala Lopes and Ingra Bennett; a rendition of musical The Lion King’s “Circle of Life” under Hooker’s leadership; and a salute to Statia Carnival through the years. Ms. Aggi also performed and the Aloei Dancers danced around the Maypole.
Government Commissioner Alida Francis gave a speech about the struggles of slavery.
Bruins Slot and Van Huffelen also addressed those attending and commended the “wonderful” performances.
The last performance was a surprise act by Althea Merkman, who performed the song “Our Girls Going To Shine Tonight”. The performance featured a three-step dance which was dedicated to the visiting minister and state secretary and Statia’s two government commissioners, four women in leading positions who all interacted with the performance.
Locally made drinks and snacks were served, including bread and potato puddings, hard cakes and many other delicious items which were on hand to sample.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/potpourri-of-statia-s-culture-on-display-for-dutch-visitors
It is a pitty that sxm talks presents so few news articles about Statia, while there are more news media which present interesting news about the island.
So many of the population of Statia are trying to get a piece of the cake. The fear for and threat of poverty is well known.
For everyone visible is the game of ‘the end justifies the means’. Some do this with the best intentions, for instance to help health care on the island or to steer on heritage in a way that is less colonial. And others still think that the political system the Dutch brought forward, and then diminished again could change something. But democracy as organized by the Netherlands is not ‘for the people, by the people’ , but ‘for the elite people by the elite people’ . Parties and persons in the island council, (former and future) politicians on the island and those who want to step up to the Second Chamber have personal motives besides the political, general ones.
A secret mission started when a new white colonialist landed on the island: Claudia Toet.
She had a plan made up to compromise all opposition members. Some would get orders from the local government, some would get positions in committees about health care, heritage, slavery monument, reburials, etc. Some got travel expenses paid for training or holiday. And though these people are sometimes highly educated, they fell in the Toet trap. And so nothing changes…
Two things to notice:
1. White women can be slavers too.
2. (Black) women can be called house negros too.
It was a party of the white colonials and their black servants. The Toet ank amon woman is a spy, because even the Dutch did never trust Francis. Diversity or inclusivity was never a goal for the government organization, as can be seen on the picture or read in the article. But who would ever expect respect towards the values of the French revolution of some elite bitches?