1.800 3092005
1.845 6944906
1.800 3092005
1.845 6944906
Aquamania Adventures
St. Maarten has a long colonial history and is the smallest island in the world divided between two sovereign powers, the island is Dutch & French. For over 350 years the two sides are living in peace.
Historic Timeline:
Circa AD 800 — Settled by Arawak Indians who arrived from South America; given the name Soualiga, or Land of Salt.
November 11, 1493 — Claimed for Spain by Columbus, named Isla de San Martín upon his arrival.
1624 — Some French cultivate tobacco in French Quarter.
1631 — Dutch small colony on Groot Baai ("Great Bay") to collect salt.
1633–1647 — Spanish army from Puerto Rico build the first military fort, but after a few years destroy it and abandon the island forever.
March 23, 1648 — Divided into French (north) and Dutch (south) zones (Dutch zone subordinate to Sint Eustatius until 1672).
1679–1689 — French occupy entire island.
1689–1792 — Dutch zone under Dutch West India Company administration.
1690–1699 — English occupy entire island.
1699–1702 — French occupy entire island.
1703–1717 — Dutch occupy entire island.
February 24, 1779 – February 3, 1781 — French occupy entire island.
February 3, 1781 – November 26, 1781 — British occupy entire island.
May 18, 1793 – April 5, 1794 — Dutch administer entire island.
April 29, 1795 – March 24, 1801 — French occupy entire island.
March 24, 1801 – December 1, 1802 — British occupy entire island.
July 9, 1810 — Annexed along with the Netherlands by France (not effected).
1810–1816 — British occupy entire island.
1816 — French and Dutch zones restored.
1919 – April 1, 1983 — Saba, Sint Eustatius and Sint Maarten united as Netherlands Windward Islands.
1936 — Dutch side officially adopts the Dutch spelling Sint Maarten.
September 4, 1960 — Hurricane Donna hits the island causing extensive damage.
September 5, 1995 — Hurricane Luis devastates the island.
June 23, 2000 — Referendum supports a "status aparte" as a separate entity within the Kingdom of the Netherlands by 68.9%.
December 7, 2003 — The population of the French part of the island votes in favour of secession from Guadeloupe in order to form a separate
overseas collectivity (COM) of France.
November 2, 2006 — Sint Maarten and Curaçao sign agreement with the Netherlands on "status aparte".
February 22, 2007 — French side becomes a separate overseas collectivity (COM).
October 10, 2010 — Date set for dissolution of Netherlands Antilles.
Public Holidays
1 Jan New Year's Day.
2 Apr - 5 Apr Easter
30 Apr Queen's Birthday
1 May Labour Day
13 May Ascension
11 Nov St Maarten Day.
15 Dec Kingdom Day
25 Dec Christmas Day
26 Dec Boxing Day
Flag and Coat of Arms
'The colors are those of the flag of the Netherlands. The arms show an old courthouse,
a bouquet of yellow sage (the national flower), and a silhouette of the monument
honoring Dutch-French friendship and the unity of both parts of the island. The orange
border symbolizes loyalty to the ruling Dutch house of Oranje-Nassau. The crest is
formed by a yellow disc, which represents the sun, and a grey silhouette of a pelican
in flight. The motto in Latin, "Semper Progrediens" means "Always Progressing".
Jarig Bakker, 20 July 2000
The island's biggest celebration is Carnival, which is held in April on the Dutch side
where the island comes to a standstill for over 17 days and nights. For months locals
put their souls into sewing Carnival costumes and writing songs ready for the big
celebrations. Some of the most beautiful creations of previous carnival seasons are at
display inside the Jump Up Casino in Philipsburg. Go there to get a true taste of St.
Maarten Carnival, even if you missed the original celebration.
Each Carnival inspires a fresh and marvelous batch of calypso, often satirical and
politically charged. The Calypsonians will compete for the title of Calypso King or
Queen, a contest that draws hundreds of musicians and dancers from all the
neighbouring islands. If the partygoers are not hitting the street they are most likely to
be jamming' in the Festival Village, which sits on the edge of Philipsburg and was
constructed specifically for the carnival.
More than a hundred booths are there to serve you food, from traditional 'Johnny
cakes' and 'fungi' to Indian curry and 'roti', enough to make your taste buds go wild.
Anthem
Where over the world, say where:
You find an Island there,
So lovely small with nations free,
With people French and Dutch,
Though talking English much,
As the St. Martin in the sea?
CHORUS:
O, sweet Saint Martin's Land
So bright by beach and strand
With sailors on the sea
And harbors free;
Where the chains of mountains green
Variously in sunlight sheen;
O, I love thy Paradise,
Nature beauty fairly nice!
How pretty between all green
Flamboyant’s beaming gleam
Of flowers red by sunlight set!
Thy cows and sheep and goats
In meadows on or roads,
They donkeys keen can't I forget.
CHORUS
Saint Martin, I like thy name,
In which Columbus fame,
And memories of old are closed.
For me a great delight:
Thy Southern Cross the night.
May God the Lord protect thy coast!
CHORUS
Arts & Crafts
Many artists have homes, studios and art galleries on St. Maarten and Saint Martin.
Visitors can meet landscape, abstract, impressionist and contemporary artists in the
places where they create their oil paintings, watercolors and canvas prints. Together,
St. Maarten and Saint Martin have more than a dozen art galleries.
They include Greenwith Gallery, Mosera Gallery, Simpson Bay Art Gallery, Antoine
Chapon, Atelier 105, Francis Eck, French Impressionism Art Gallery, Galerie
Camaieu, Galerie du Musee, Galeries Gingerbread & Mahogany, Lynn Studio, Minguet
Art Gallery, Planet Paradise, Roland Richardson and Le Saint-Géran Arts Gallery
In Philipsburg you can find the local market where vendors sell various arts and crafts
for every taste. You can also find various stores that sell local souvenirs and crafts on
Frontstreet, Backstreet and Maho.
