 St.
Maarten's literature
All literature begins with oral
or folk literature and the literature of St. Maarten is no exception. The
oral literature, such as songs, rhymes, riddles, stories and proverbs, can
be traced back to the nineteenth century. Much of the island’s oral
literature resembles the oral literature of neighbouring islands, due to
extensive migration to other Caribbean islands. The oral literature
reflected the life and daily activities of ordinary people. Many of the folk
stories centered around "jumbies" or ghosts and animals, the most famous
being those about the witty and cunning spider Anancy.
Up until the 1960's, published writings were
few and far between. Then, with the return of the first group of
professionals who had studied in The Netherlands, a new impetus was given to
St. Maarten’s literature. This group sought to raise the consciousness of
the people through their magazine The Workshop. The poet of the group was
Camille Baly, a young school teacher, who published the booklet Sonny ( a
short story and three poems), and many poems.
At present poetry is the most developed
literary form on St. Maarten, the reason for this is that poetry is an art
form closest to oral literature.
(Adapted from Literature in the Dutch
Windward Islands by Wycliffe Smith, 1994)
Some present-day published authors are:
Lucy Baker
Lucy Baker was born in California in 1928.
She went to school in Germany and the United States. She is also a painter
of mainly water colours. She moved to St. Maarten in 1982, where she owns a
guesthouse. She published her first novel in 1996.
Bibliography
 Birds of the
Caribbean. - St. Maarten : No Ho, 1999
In six months you
get bananas. - St. Maarten : No Ho, 1996
Miracles. - Lantana
: Nautilus, 1999
Treating ailments
with plants and herbs. - St. Maarten : No Ho, 1998
N. Erna Mae Francis
N. Erna Mae Francis was born in Antigua. She
holds a B.A. in psychology from the University of Tampa and minors in mass
communication and French. She works as a freelance writer and published her
first volume of poetry in 1996.
Bibliography
It's time for
change - St. Martin: Francis Global Enterprise, 1997
Loekie Morales
For more information, please click at
St. Maarten literature Loekie Morales.
Wycliffe Smith
Wycliffe Smith was born on Saba. After
obtaining his Mulo diploma in St. Maarten, he studied in Holland and
graduated in 1971 as a fully qualified teacher. In 1977 he acquired a
Master's Degree in Education, with curriculum development and supervision as
specialities. He also researched the development of literature in the Dutch
Windward Islands, which until that time was hardly mentioned in surveys on
Antillen literature. His findings were published in a book and in various
articles and he lectured extensively on this subject to a wide variety of
audiences, from schoolchildren to scholars. His lectures are very lively and
he not only recites, but sings and accompanies himself on a guitar to draw
his audience into active participation. He now lives in Curaçao.
Bibliography
Mind adrift - [St.
Maarten: Mike's printing service, cop. 1983]
The reverse of
Dutch Antillean verse - [Philipsburg]: [s.n.], 1982
A voice from
Windward - Curaçao: Montero, 1976
Winds above the
hills : a collection of poems from St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles -
St. Maarten: St. Maarten Council on the Arts, cop. 1982
Windward island
verse: a survey of poetry in the Dutch Windward Islands -
[Curaçao]: Montero, [1982]
Sheila C. Williams
Sheila Williams was born in Aruba in 1955 and
came to St Maarten when she was 8 years old. Her parents are originally
from Grand Case. Sheila attended St. Joseph
school. She currently works at the St Maarten Medical Center.
She writes for children and wants to pass on the stories from the past.
Bibliography
Clouds in my sky:
St. Martin 1928 - Harlow [etc.]: Longman, 1955
Safety at home -
1998
More St. Maarten authors
For more St. Maarten authors, please
go to St. Maarten's literature
House of Nehesi Publishers.
web guide to St.
Maarten / St.
Maarten's literature House of Nehesi Publishers
/
St. Maarten literature Loekie
Morales / books
and book reports
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Philipsburg Jubilee Library