'Make the Connection', family heritage project St. Eustatius


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The St. Eustatius Afrikan Burial Ground Alliance proudly launches the Family Heritage project “Make the Connection” for all people with their roots in St. Eustatius. The project is part of our activities to protect the burial ground Golden Rock in St. Eustatius, and the respectful treatment of the remains of individuals of Afrikan descent that were discovered.

Alliance chairman Kenneth Cuvalay: "Rather than dig up our ancestors from their graves without our consent, analyze their teeth in a lab and then tell us they came from Afrika, we prefer to research archival records from our own perspective. So, the narrative is told from our perspective and no one else's.” 

Aim of the project  

This Family Heritage project is aimed at the St. Eustatius community to connect family names in colonial archives (manumissions and so called ‘borderells’) to the people of St. Eustatius as the descendant community. Maritime marronage and inter-island slave trade used to be common because of St. Eustatius’ central geographical position in the Caribbean. As a result, family names may have spread further than realized, and this community project could give more insight into this. [Read more]

 

For who?

This is a project for Afrikan descent people helping each other. To us, community-based research means that the community directs the project and is in charge of the project and all the results. This is for and by the St. Eustatius community, thus taking control over our own narrative. 

We have made a start in identifying enslaved and former enslaved Afrikan descent people, and are seeking the participation of the community.
  • This is a project for the whole community. Old and young.
  • Especially the younger generation of Afrikan descent are very welcome to this project. 
  • Anyone who has once made or tried to make a family tree, and who knows almost for sure that their ancestors also lived on St. Eustatius, and were probably enslaved or former enslaved people of Afrikan descent, could participate.
  • People living on St. Eustatius, but also people with roots in St. Eustatius and living elsewhere can participate.
  • All stories about people who have experienced the time of enslavement or lived in the decades afterwards could possibly help.
  • Other volunteers are also welcome to help read the many archival documents to find identifying data of enslaved Afrikan people. Some documents need to be translated to readable text.

Do you want to join?

You're most welcome! Please feel free to drop us an email (see contact information below) or visit our Facebook group and let us know whether:

  • You have a family tree and would like to know if certain family names are in de Emancipation registers or borderellen.
  • You need help with starting up your family history research.
  • You are interested to learn more about the archival records.
  • You are interested to help with transcribing the archival records.
  • You need more specific information about the project.

About the Project Team 

The St. Eustatius Afrikan Burial Ground Alliance consists of several people and organizations. The Alliance will carry out this unique Family Heritage project.

The project coordinator and co-researcher is Ms. Nathaley Weyman whose roots are on the island. She lived in St. Eustatius for many years and will return to the island in December.

The researcher of the project is Mr. Jack Theuns from Den Bosch, the Netherlands. He is an expert in archival research and in recent months he has collected many archival sources about St. Eustatius from many countries in the world.

Contact Us

  • Email steustatiusafrikanburialground/at/gmail.com (please replace the /at/ with @)

 

 


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