SINT EUSTATIUS (ORANJESTAD) - The Awakening of Historical Narrative. St. Eustatius is taking a different approach this year for the annual Emancipation Day Commemoration, often referred to as July Day by the island residents.
The activities planned for this national holiday will focus on community engagement and educational initiatives.
The goal is to reshape the understanding that freedom was granted by the colonizer on July 1, 1863, instead of acknowledging that freedom was won through resistance, rebellion, and the continued strife to freedom by a strong and resilient island population.
Prof. Kimani Nehusi and Dr. Artwell Cain invited guest speakers
The July Day program will begin with a spiritual drive journey in honor of our Ancestors, starting at the Smoke Alley parking lot, followed by the morning program at the green & white cove building in Fort Oranjestraat across from Madam Theater. The afternoon and evening program is at the Johan Cruyff Court, where the food sale market will take place as well.
The Caribbean-born keynote speakers Prof. Kimani Nehusi (born in Guyana, residing in Philadelphia) and Dr. Artwell Cane (born in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, residing in Aruba) will speak about topics such as ties between the Caribbean and Afrika and the importance of memorialization.
Prof. Nehusi is Afrikologist and Dr. Cain is cultural anthropologist and the author of the recently published book “St. Eustatius: Restoring Our Ties. The Voices of Statians Making A Difference.” The festive launch of this book will be on June 30 at 7pm in the GJB Public Library.
Other speakers in the program include Papa Umpo (Garfield Young) from St. Maarten with storytelling and Mr. Derrick Simmons, island council member, anthropologist, and Alliance member, on music as a vital form of our Ancestors' resistance.
Evening cultural manifestation
The evening cultural manifestation directed by Mr. Taro Merkman of the Statia Roots Festival starts at 6 pm and includes Statia’s own String Band, Rebel Band HD, Encore Band, Statia Roots Band, a spoken-word performance, DJ Sense, and the dance groups Aloei Dancers, Inspired Dancers, Perlies Dancegroup.
Connection to the reburial of the 69 Ancestral remains
This year's July Day is closely linked to the planned reburial on November 13, 2026, of the remains of the 69 Afrikan Ancestors that were excavated from the Golden Rock burial ground by an international team of archaeologists in 2021.
The Afrikan burial grounds Godet, Congo, and Golden Rock will be the destination of the morning drive. The scheduled reburial ceremony for November 13 will be discussed with the audience by Ms. Xiomara Balentina, chairlady of the Statia Cultural Heritage and Implementation Committee (SCHIC).
Community-led learning
The St. Eustatius Afrikan Burial Ground Alliance is organizing the July Day events with other local NGOs for the first time this year. According to Kenneth Cuvalay, moderator of the day program and president of the Alliance, there will be community events with Prof. Nehusi and Dr. Cain both prior to and following July Day.
And two educators of the Broos Institute, a pioneering Afrocentric academic institution, will also be visiting the island. Cuvalay: “We want to understand what and how the community wants to learn about their history. We're excited to transform this year’s July Day conversations into long-lasting educational resources about our still-incomplete and distorted history”.
As a result, Cuvalay urges the community to speak up during the July Day conversations or contact the organization by phone, email or social media (https://steustatiusafrikanburialground.org).
Acknowledgments
Statia July Day 2026 is organized by the St. Eustatius Afrikan Burial Ground Alliance in cooperation with the St. Eustatius Government, Statia Roots Festival, Statia Cultural Heritage and Implementation Committee (SCHIC), Statia Tourism Foundation, St. Eustatius Historical Foundation, St. Eustatius Monuments Foundation, and funded by the Statia Government and the Slavery Memorial Committee. Changes in the program will be announced on the website https://steustatiusafrikanburialground.org and through the social media channels of the Alliance and its collaborative partners.
Dr. Artwell Cain Cultural Anthropologist
