A tea party and a display of traditional St. Maarten dresses blended together to help raise funds for one of the Dutch side’s remaining historical houses – Pasture Piece, on L.B. Scot Road. The event on Sunday was to raise funds for the upkeep of the wooden Creole architecture house that dates to the early 1900s.
Pasture Piece is a registered monument and current owner Natasha Richardson wants to preserve it. She has transformed the property into a bed and breakfast that offers visitors a historical experience with island flare.
The event was much more than tea offered by Tee Zan, a company that blends teas using folkloric knowledge and traditions. Members of Our Creations St. Maarten Arts and Crafts Foundation added a cultural flare by displaying dresses in the traditional styles with some modern touches. The “yaya dress” culminated the show. This dress is made from a patch work of cloth sew together to tell some of the island’s stories.
The music at the event also harkened back to the olden days with string instruments and lyrics sung by Jan Beaujon and Carlton Velasquez.
