(Gia) Arida Heyliger

My name is Arida Gracilia Heyliger, but no one on Saba knows me as that. You just ask for Gia, that's it. I'm born and bred here. My family is originally from here. I've been with the Conservation Foundation for the love of my island, for the love of nature. And just because I'm who I am, I'm here 26 years with the organization.

Saba’s nature is breathtaking. It's just unique. Each of the islands within the kingdom, they're quite different, because when you look at it, we have no beaches here, only our seasonal beach that comes in usually in the summer months, which is a black-sand beach, which we love. And the flora and the cool breeze that we get here, it's quite different. Each island is unique, but I'm biased — I love this island. It's a must to come and visit the island because again, whether it's below the seas or above the sea, it's beautiful.

I grew up in the ocean. My mom was married to a fisherman. We grew up literally every day in the sea. I grew up out there on boats, and hiking. Like I said, it's in the blood.

My forefathers are from The Bottom and also from Mary's Point. The portrait you see down here by the harbor with William James Heyliger, that's my grandfather. He actually got a medal from the Queen back then when he was doing the boats. My uncle built the only boat they have left that's originally made from the timber on Saba, and it still exists, actually. He still fishes it, and it's the only one left. Actually, they were considering asking him to sell it to put it in the museum.

My mom makes Saba spice. It’s a liquor that's made here on the island. It's very smooth, like a cough syrup going down. But honey, when that thing kicks in! We sell it here at the Trail Shop. That is traditional, and she hasn't told me the secret yet, and she'll be making 80 this year. [The recipes] do get passed down, my mom just won't sit down to give it to us. The Saba spice, my sister and I, we always tell her, "let's keep it going." But it's her call. I have a good idea what's in there, but she does not want to share that secret.

I know, from growing up with my family, that [Saba] is a very hard working community. It's very hard. I literally laid blocks, I built up my own home with my husband. He's deceased now, but we did that together. And the community always comes together, and they build together. What we have here today, no engineers can come in and say they did it, even the road.