PHILIPSBURG:--- On July 1st, 2025, in commemoration of Emancipation Day, the Department of Culture, in collaboration with the University of St. Martin, hosted a lecture and documentary. The lecture entitled “Remember Africa’s Children: The Power of 3” was presented by Dr. Jay Haviser of SIMARC, while the documentary “AWO, NOW, NU” was unveiled by Educator Roland Roi Colastica.
Dr. Jay Haviser, in his presentation, outlined the 2010 recovery of three human skeletons in Philipsburg, which were confirmed to be First-Generation Africans, working salt as enslaved laborers around 1660-1680. Through advanced genetics research by the University of Copenhagen, with additional Strontium Isotope research, the precise locations of origin were determined for these three who were found on Zout Steeg, and thus have come to be known as the Zout Steeg Three. From these investigations, the Zout Steeg Three were recognized as among the Top-Ten archaeological discoveries of 2015 by Archaeology Magazine. As well, long-term goals for international plans of repatriation of these remains to their homelands in West Africa were also presented.
“AWO, NOW, NU” is a documentary by Educator Roland Roi Colastica that explores the opinions of the youth within the Dutch Caribbean territories by means of video interviews. Mr. Colastica premiered the 1st of 3 episodes on Emancipation Day on Sint Maarten with the intention to roll it out to all the islands in the near future. “What do you know about slavery and when were you first taught about it in school?” The documentary engages the youth to answer these questions and more concerning the impact and legacy of the descendants of Africans who were enslaved in slavery and how they experience race relations within their communities on the Dutch Caribbean islands.
Emancipation Day on July 1st was the first public holiday established by the Parliament of Sint Maarten since becoming a Country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands on October 10th 2010. Every year the Department of Culture hosts the Emancipation Day celebration at different venues throughout the island as a means to bring the community together as one people to reflect on the atrocities and inhumane conditions that our ancestors experienced. Emancipation Day is also a day to pay homage to the freedom fighters that fought for their human rights to be a free people throughout the period of enslavement until they achieved their goal.
