Sint Eustatius — This past holiday season, seniors across St. Eustatius received a meaningful gift — one shaped through dialogue, creativity, and shared reflection over the course of an entire year.
Heritage in the Making is a community-centered creative project by Euxtopia Innovations, bringing together seniors, local creatives, and regional collaborators to capture stories, lived experiences, and collective hopes for the island’s future.
At the heart of the project were deep conversations with elders, guided storytelling sessions, and creative workshops that transformed memories, ideas, and concerns into written narratives and visual artworks. These sessions honored the voices of Statia’s senior community while building bridges between generations.
Edrieënna Brandao (project lead) convened a team of dedicated creatives including Danielle Rivers (community organizer), Fí de Wit (creative writer), and Sabrina Richardson (content specialist), who worked closely with seniors through structured dialogue, reflection, and storytelling. Their collaborative approach ensured that each participant felt heard, valued, and respected throughout the process.
Regional collaboration played a key role in bringing these stories to life. Curaçao-based digital illustrator Dione-Ariadne Bergland transformed the narratives into expressive visual artworks, while Elton Villarreal of Trini Inc facilitated hands-on creative workshops that empowered participants to actively engage in the artistic process.
Focus sessions held on December 6–7 explored themes including culture, education, vitality, banking, and infrastructure, allowing seniors to reflect on both past experiences and future aspirations. These sessions were followed by a soft launch on December 10, where participants gathered to celebrate the collective journey and preview the final outcomes.
The stories and artworks were compiled into a beautifully designed printed publication, serving as both a cultural document and a lasting community archive — preserving local wisdom while inspiring future generations.
Euxtopia’s founder expressed heartfelt gratitude to Fonds voor Cultuurparticipatie, Cultuurfonds Caribisch Gebied, local funders, and Statia Roots Festival for their invaluable support in making this project possible.
“Heritage in the Making is about honoring the voices that built Statia, while empowering them to help shape where we go next. Our seniors carry wisdom, memory, resilience, and vision — and this project ensures that those stories remain alive.”
