Marcella Marsdin sitting behind the keyboard with some of “her” Golden Rock Carollers.
ST. EUSTATIUS--Traditions in St. Eustatius are hard to pin down and the Golden Rock Carollers are no exception. This year, they have taken their music to many places on the “Historical Gem” from Franky’s to Fort de Windt at White Wall.
“Our song book has 20 familiar carols and sometimes we change the words to spark local interest,” said Edris Bennett-Merkman, one of the members of the 50-strong singing group.
Nobody knows how long the Golden Rock Carollers have been knocking on doors and delighting Statians with familiar Christmas songs. “We do not know when we started but we shall never stop,” according to Bennett-Merkman.
Forever in fine voice, Angelica Redan (80) is the eldest singer of the swinging carollers. Marcella Marsdin orchestrates the entire group from the keyboard of her mobile electronic organ.
The Golden Carollers started more than a decade ago with group leader Marsdin, her grandchildren and friends. The young children are now teenagers and other persons in the community have also joined its ranks.
Marsdin is also the leader of the Comforters group that goes around giving comfort to persons who have lost a loved one.
