Pictured: Students in their cultural wear at the Golden Rock School.
Happy belated Statia Day to our friends on the island of St. Eustatius! Leading up to the big day – November 16 – there were lots of fun activities for a whole week that focused on celebrating the island’s culture and heritage.
Things were no different at the schools, which saw youngsters dressing up and taking part in the festivities as well! Here is an impression of Statia Day activities at Golden Rock School and Bethel Methodist School.
Golden Rock School celebrated Statia’s history with folkloric celebration. This year, the school focused on heritage. During the celebration, the pupils learned about many of Statia’s artefacts that were steeped in history, as well as Statia’s many wells and forts.
The school children gained knowledge about Statia’s folklore, songs, dramas and many more. The highlight of the folkloric celebration was when the children were able to dress in their ancestral wear to showcase pride in their heritage.
The children played and danced the day away in their ancestral wear on the grounds of Golden Rock Roman Catholic School.
It was also a colourful array of wonderful imagination at the Bethel Methodist School Statia Day celebration, where many of the pupils and teachers were dressed in the colours of the flag (Statia Day T-shirts) or cultural wear depicting their heritage.
There were many songs and presentations that celebrated the island’s rich history. Rising Stars Sue-Cayli “Princess Galloway” Roosberg and Mia Jenna “MJ” Courtar, a pupil at the school, performed their new single “Oranjestad: Island to island”, which had the entire assembly dancing and singing along with the duo.
The diverse programme made sure that every schoolchild was involved with the event in some form or the other.
We hope that every child in Statia enjoyed the special day!
