‘Oualichi’ is a St Maarten word meaning ‘Land of the Brave and Beautiful women’. This is a strong match for this remembrance sculpture of our mutual scar, the Dutch slavery past (1528-1863).

This sculpture is an artwork by Ronald ‘Rusty’ Duikersloot, a metal and graffiti artist known for combining bold street expression with historical storytelling. Inspired by a painting by the respected artist Ras Mosera (Axum Art Café), Rusty’s sculpture portrays a proud modern-day Caribbean woman made from layered echoes of metal. She gazes confidently towards the future, while the mirror behind her—shaped like the African continent—reveals her ancestral past. Though the visible scars of slavery such as chains and whiplashes have faded, her roots are echoed through the Sankofa bird, subtly embedded at the back of her head.

The Sankofa bird is a key Adinkra symbol connected to the slave trading. It is a word in the Twi language of Ghana meaning “to retrieve” (literally “go back and get”) or “It is not wrong to go back for that which you have forgotten or want to rectify.” The egg it carries symbolizes rebirth and knowledge brought forward. Represents the wisdom in reflecting on the past to build a better future.

This symbol is also linked to the movie ‘Echoes of the Enslaved’ that has been filmed and released here on St Maarten in 2025. These are 3 short movies telling a love story of past into the present day time.

Movie: ‘Echoes of the Enslaved’ can be found here

< Axumcafe.com/echoes-of-the-enslaved >          

Placement of the sculpture

The monument for the slavery remembrance is placed at courthouse garden on Front Street in Philipsburg, arguably one of the most photographed spots by the 2,4 million tourists that come to vibrant Sint Maarten/ St Martin each year.