After nearly six years, the Afrikan Ancestors who were excavated from the Golden Rock Burial Ground in 2021 will be ceremonially reburied at a new location on the island, where a memorial center will be established. The location is at Princess Estate, the land behind the Old Church Cemetery near the Statia Hospitainer.
In July of this year, archaeological testing was conducted on this land to determine if there were any additional human remains present.
The Statia Cultural Heritage and Implementation Committee (SCHIC), directed by the president Ms. Xiomara Balentina, is managing the activities leading up to the day of the ceremonial reburial.
The protests of the Alliance and other concerned citizens led to the creation of the SCHIC Implementation committee after 400 days of quiet from the appropriate authorities. We had help from many people from around the world who signed our petition Leave Our Ancestors in Peace (launched in 2021).
The people of St. Eustatius are invited to join an Afrikan Ancestral procession and reburial ceremony on Friday, November 13, 2026. The remains of 69 Afrikan ancestors will be laid to rest in 66 caskets, with some Ancestors sharing a casket.