Heyliger-Marten reflects on St. Martin symbols and belongership in SXM Day address

PHILIPSBURG — In her St. Maarten’s Day address, MP Grisha Heyliger-Marten reflected on two symbols that represent the people of the nation and “those born here and born to be here”.

“Symbolism is important, and two symbols personally means a lot to me. These symbols are
the brown pelican and salt. These two symbols tie into who we are as a people”, Heyliger-Martin stated in her statement to the nation.

According to the MP, the first symbol, which is the pelican, symbolizes resourcefulness,
courage, and humility. “It also represents, generosity, loyalty, and sacrifice.” She pointed out
that in times of hardship, “this noble and courageous bird will tear open its breast with its beak and feed its young with its own blood. This means that the pelican will sacrifice its life by any means necessary so that its young, the future, will be provided with an opportunity to live.”

The second symbol representing Sint Maarten, is salt, Heyliger-Marten continued. “Salt
symbolizes permanence, loyalty, durability, fidelity, usefulness, purification, and preservation”, she stated. Heyliger-Marten also referred to Matthew 5:13, which includes the phrase “you are the salt of the earth.” “However, if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?”she asked, pointing out that saltless salt is no longer good for anything, “except to be thrown out and trampled under one’s feet.”

Referring to the pelican symbol, Heyliger-Marten concluded her address by asking the
questions: “have you ever found yourself making sacrifices for a bigger cause? Are you building a foundation for your next of kin or for others in your community to benefit from?”
Heyliger-Marten concluded by stating that anybody living on Sint Maarten who instills the
courage and humility to help or even fight for one another, and anybody who instills the
willingness to shape something that will be valuable and would have an everlasting positive
effect for future of others “is a Soualigan and belongs here”.

MP Heyliger-Marten closed her address by stating: “I wish one and all a blessed and wonderful St. Martin Day, and may God continue to bless this island and its people!”

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Below is the entire address of MP Grisha Heyliger-Marten to the nation of St. Maarten/St. Martin on the occasion of St. Martin Day 2022:

My fellow Soualigans, greetings to you all!

I always view SXM Day as a day of reflection. And on this SXM Day, I want to send a message of

reflection to those born here and those born to be here.

When I think of who we are as a people in this present time, the words sacrifice, preservation and unity come to mind.

Symbolism is important, and two symbols personally means a lot to me. These symbols are the brown pelican and salt. These two symbols tie into who we are as a people. Let’s reflect on that for a moment….

The pelican symbolizes resourcefulness, courage, and humility. It also represents, generosity, loyalty, and sacrifice. I’m sure most of you have heard this many times before…but please bear with me and truly pay keen attention:

It is said that in times of hardship, this noble and courageous bird will tear open its breast with its beak and feed its young with its own blood. This means that the pelican will sacrifice its life by any means necessary so that its young, the future, will be provided with an opportunity to live.

Salt symbolizes permanence, loyalty, durability, fidelity, usefulness, purification, and preservation. Matthew 5:13 includes the phrase: “You are the salt of the earth”. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under one’s feet.

Have you ever found yourself making sacrifices for a bigger cause? Are you building a foundation for your next of kin or for others in your community to benefit from?

If you instill the courage and humility to help or even fight for one another… If you instill the willingness to shape something that will be valuable and would have an everlasting positive effect for future of others….

Then you are all Soualigans, and you belong here.

I wish one and all a blessed and wonderful St. Martin Day, and may God continue to bless this island and its people!