Friends July Newsletter
Summer on St. John is a beautiful breeze under the shade of a tree. It is kids’ learning to swim, and their elated laughter showing their pride. It is also dozens of our youth trail crew hiking to the beach to discover the first sea turtle nest of the season!
In this newsletter we appreciate summer and the privilege of being included in a gathering of indigenous Caribbean leaders who met here on St. John and visited significant cultural heritage sites in Virgin Islands National Park including traveling to the Taino petroglyph site in Reef Bay. The group included leaders from the Kalinago Nation of Dominica, and the Guainia Taino of Boriken. Together the chiefs signed a Declaration of Unity at Cinnamon Bay for all to witness and honor. The gathering was small and powerful, in particular, perhaps, to the young trail crew members who signed the Declaration as official witnesses.
We encourage anyone interested in learning more about the Taino to watch the PBS documentary, “We Are Taino,” that explores the story of Maekiaphan Phillips, a Taino woman from the U.S. Virgin Islands, who is actively working to reclaim her heritage and lead her tribe.
