Fellow St. Maarteners,
Residents of our beloved island,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Good afternoon.
As we gather here once again on these haloed grounds of the Emilio Wilson Park, with the flamboyant tree or July tree in full bloom, we should remember when this place was a plantation where, according to some accounts, One Tete Lokhay, that female freedom fighter of immortal memory, came ransacking for food to feed some of our enslaved ancestors she had helped escape into freedom.
We all know the price she had to pay for her courage and bravery: they cut off one of her breasts to deter others from following in her footsteps.
She may not have saved as many enslaved ancestors as Harriet Tubman did with the Underground Railroad, however, I'm sure like Tubman, she could have saved many more had they realized they were enslaved.
Emancipation is about freedom and freedom is the birthright of every human being Read more
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