Foresee Foundation’s Soualichi Story #4: Storyteller Clara Reyes shares “Why The Jackspaniard Waist So Small”.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Foresee Foundation has been releasing a new Sint Maarten folk tale in its Soualichi Story series every Monday for the past month and continues to do so this week. Collaborating on these audio releases during our island’s period of lockdown has not been an easy task; yet, the Foundation’s dedicated and committed team, including volunteers and partners, has demonstrated that creative and critical thinking, combined with effective communication can achieve a great deal. These partnerships and alliances also have ensured that a part of our cultural heritage not only is preserved but also is available to listeners almost 30 times each week through local radio broadcasts, and later accessible online.

The Foresee Foundation began the project by drawing on local capacity in order to enhance the series. Though each of the series’ team members has plenty of other responsibilities on her or his plate, they all continue to step up because they believe in the project and its objectives. Soualichi Stories demonstrates what can be accomplished and sustained, both inspired by this period of isolation and produced by a project team confined to their separate locations.

Project Coordinator Laura Hartman explains, “this was not a project where we simply did the best we could during a tough time. Soualichi Stories demonstrates that Sint Maarteners often are at their best during tough times. We saw a need and everyone has stepped up to support each other and the project.”

The fourth legend in the Foresee Foundation’s Soualichi Stories series is “Why The Jackspaniard Waist So Small.” In addition to the charming content of the story itself, the process by which the story comes to us offers us an example of the value of oral tradition, and the value of preserving and protecting our island’s cultural heritage. The story of Jackspaniard demonstrates how stories are shared from one generation to another – originally, it was told by Tonton Butty, then interpreted and shared by Camille Baly. Next, it was compiled by M.P. Sypkens-Smit, in Beyond the Tourist Trap. Today, the Foresee Foundation perpetuates the Sint Maarten tradition for future generations by offering Clara Reyes’ narration of this Soualichi Story.

Story Synopsis: Tonton Butty tells Bobo and Tuti a story of Jackspaniard, as they sit under the Tamarind tree. They learn that Jackspaniard used to be quite large. But, after pressing his hands into his waist while laughing uncontrollably at the expense of Cousin Mosquito, that’s “why the Jackspaniard waist so small.”

Release Date: “Why The Jackspaniard Waist So Small” as told by Clara Reyes will be released Monday, May 4, 2020, on multiple radio stations across the island (both Dutch and French side, the schedule included below), and all prior stories are available online a week subsequent to their radio release through the Foresee Foundation website (https://www.foreseefoundation.com/project/soualichi-stories/).

Storyteller: Clara Reyes, Sint Maarten’s Head of the Department of Culture, and also co-founder of our National Institute of Arts. With Ms. Reyes’ background in K-12 education, her translation of stories for all ages is vital to the project.

More Information: For inquiries and to suggest additional St. Maarten folk stories and storytellers, please contact Soualichi Project Coordinator, Laura Hartman, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or contact the Foresee Foundation on Facebook.

Programming Schedule