2022 Boigu Island Dances (Cairns)

Cairns Mabo day 2017 - Boigu Island dancers

Long before English became the dominant language of the Virgin Islands, a powerful creole echoed through the streets and hills — Negerhollands. This “lost language of the Danish West Indies” was born in the 18th century when enslaved Africans blended Dutch, Danish, English, and African languages to create a dialect of survival, culture, and secret communication. From church altars to market squares, Negerhollands was everywhere. It carried lullabies, prayers, protest chants, and spicy market ins