Statia Cultural Heritage Implementation Committee’s Archaeology initiative community event.
ST. EUSTATIUS--Members of the Statia Cultural Heritage Implementation Committee (SCHIC) gave an update to the community on recent developments regarding the reburial and memorialisation of the 69 Golden Rock ancestral remains, excavated in 2021 from the 18th-century Golden Rock Plantation.
The SCHIC was established in 2022 to implement the recommendations of the Statia Heritage Research Commission (SHRC). The SHRC was established in 2021, after protests from Statians at home and abroad about the handling of the remains without community consent led to a halt of excavations.
The SCHIC has been engaging with the descendant community over the years about the reburial and memorialisation process. Despite encountering many challenges and setbacks along the way, the SCHIC representative said that the organisation remains dedicated to ensuring that the ancestral remains are reburied with dignity and respect, and in accordance with the wishes of the descendant community. After several years of evaluating possible locations, the SCHIC recommended the area behind the Old Church Cemetery (near the Hospitainer) as the most suitable reburial site. Recent testing confirmed the location is appropriate for reburial, and the SCHIC communicated this information to the Executive Council.
The SCHIC initially recommended holding the reburial on November 13. This recommendation reflected the Committee’s concern that the ancestral remains have remained above ground since 2021 and should be returned to rest as soon as possible, in a respectful manner. During a recent meeting between the SCHIC and members of the Executive and Island Councils, some Council members expressed interest in conducting DNA analysis using the samples collected from the ancestral remains in 2021.
The Committee members raised concerns about introducing this request only two months before the planned reburial date, particularly given years of engagement with
community members who have consistently expressed the desire for a timely reburial. After careful discussion, the SCHIC has proposed postponing the reburial by one to two months to allow the Executive Council time to consult properly with the descendant community.
If the Executive Council decides to proceed with DNA testing, the Committee suggested the Councils follow SCHIC-sought guidance from Peggy King-Jorde, a subject expert and consultant, former SCHIC member and former Director of the New York African Burial Ground Memorialization Project. King-Jorde provided a detailed report with recommendations to the SCHIC.
The recommendations are based on lessons learned from the New York African Burial Ground, which places descendant community involvement at the centre of any future research discussions: provide the community with the findings from the 2021 excavation, ensure transparency regarding any proposed research plans, subject any research proposal to independent ethical review and respect the descendant community’s authority to approve or reject proposed research.
As the Committee awaits feedback from the Executive Council on its recommendations, the chairperson stressed that Committee members are prepared to execute the reburial process with the descendant community on November 13, should the Executive Council decide that the reburial must proceed as planned. However, the Committee stresses that community participation, including the descendant community’s consent, has guided its practices over the years.
