The question posed for the essay was, “What cultural aspect of my country should cruise passengers experience?”
In her award-winning essay, sixth-grader Arjenel Browne stated that the Federation’s rich history is one of the reasons why tourists should not miss out on visiting St. Kitts and Nevis.
“The history of St. Kitts and Nevis is rich and fascinating and teaches about our ancestors and culture,” she writes in her essay. “When cruise passengers come from abroad to visit my country, I would love to introduce them to places like Brimstone Hill and Bloody Point in St. Kitts as well as the Bath Springs in Nevis.”
Arjenel highlighted the prominent Brimstone Hill Fortress, explaining in detail all the aspects of why it is a must-see when visiting the island.
Bloody Point, which is another site rich in history, was emphasized by Ms. Browne.
“…Whenever visitors travel to St. Kitts, they are always intrigued at the name of this area and the reason for it. Situated to the west of Challengers Village, Bloody Point or Bloody River, as it is sometimes called, got its name from the event that occurred there. In the year 1626, English and French invaders massacred hundreds of Carib Indians in the ravine area and history records that, instead of water, the river ran red with blood for many days. Although the event is sad, it is a very important part of our history which visitors enjoy learning about,” the essay reads.
The Federation would not be complete without sister island Nevis. Arjenel also says that just a “short boat ride over” cruise passengers can have the unique opportunity of visiting two islands in one day.
“The island of Nevis is calm and peaceful, with lovely beaches and outstanding historic sites like the warm and soothing Bath Springs,” she writes. “Built in 1778, the Bath Hotel was once a playground for the rich and famous who enjoyed a pleasurable bath in the therapeutic, hot springs. Now, when cruise passengers travel to Nevis, they can experience this outstanding site and learn about John Huggins, a merchant and aristocrat who built the large, stone hotel at a cost of 43,000 “island” pounds and surrounded it with lush green beautiful landscaping and goldfish ponds.”
The essay closes with Arjenel explaining that there are many aspects of St. Kitts and Nevis to enjoy, but “most important of them all is history.”
“The history of St. Kitts and Nevis provides our visitors with a unique and unforgettable experience of a people proud of their country and culture,” Arjenel writes in her award winning essay.
As a result of the third prize winning essay, she and her school are the proud recipients of US $1,000 each.
