WILLEMSTAD – The Herdenkingscomité Slavernijverleden has released a new publication highlighting the role of women who played important parts in the history of slavery and resistance in the Caribbean.
The publication focuses on several historical figures whose actions contributed to struggles for freedom or helped sustain Caribbean communities during and after slavery.
Among the women featured is Sablika, who was involved alongside Tula in the 1795 slave uprising in Curaçao. She is described as a symbol of the many women whose contributions to resistance movements have often been overlooked in historical accounts.
The report also highlights Ma Pansa and Ma Sapali, who managed to bring rice seeds with them after escaping slavery to Maroon communities in Suriname. Their actions helped introduce new food crops that continue to be cultivated today.
Another story included in the publication is that of Lokey, a figure from a legend in Sint Maarten who reportedly escaped several times from a plantation.
The publication also mentions Virginia Demetricia, who was born on Aruba and later brought to Curaçao before the abolition of slavery in 1863.
The report was released in connection with International Women’s Day and aims to draw attention to the often forgotten role of women in the history of slavery and the struggle for freedom.
According to the committee, the stories are intended to contribute to greater awareness of the slavery past in the Caribbean and to ensure that the contributions of women are recognized within that history.