Island Lore with Caribbean Mystics [Patreon Preview]
7m 53s
The story centers on a family’s legendary past tied to treasure hunting, land ownership, and deep-rooted lore across the Virgin Islands. A fisherman’s discovery of a treasure chest in a cave on Norman Island allegedly triggered a surge of wealth, leading to the purchase of Norman and Little St. James Islands. The family’s extensive landholdings and intergenerational ties form a complex, almost mythical lineage that spans multiple islands and generations. Little St. James, one of the key properties, has a dark reputation—nicknamed “pedophile island” since childhood, linked to a personal birthday party on the island. Despite this, the community has remained silent due to systemic power imbalances: lacking political representation, federal support, and the ability to challenge figures like Jeffrey Epstein. Local leaders are seen as complicit, not out of malice, but due to structural limitations. The story blends personal memory, folklore, and historical ambiguity, revealing a sense of moral and political paralysis. It reflects both the allure and danger of island legends, and the enduring tension between what is known and what is repressed. The narrative underscores how colonial structures and power dynamics shape local agency, and how myths become part of collective identity in the face of silence and fear.
- We've gotten in some dark themes. - I don't know. - That was my fault though, that was my fault. - That's okay. - I'm sure they're not all like that. - No, we have so many-- - There's gotta be some-- - Are there some about singing ghostly pirates or something? - We've got green glowing pirates, you know, drinking, hanging from street poles, lanterns, things like that, terrorizing a town. - I wish we had some good pirate stories. - I was just gonna say we actually have never gotten pirate stories. - That's actually amazing. - Yeah. - The closest one we've gotten, I think is what's hurting, where-- - I was gonna say your people's story. - Oh yeah, I was gonna say, I was about to say that, like that Paulina, at one point, one of our calls started telling me the lore of your own family and it was just completely insane. I was like 20 minutes into this story and I was just like, "Wait, what?" - There was like gold and curses and like-- - Yeah. - And also it gave me a sense of like, how interconnected everybody is on these islands. I don't know, do we wanna get into this? Is this too complicated? - No, we should. I actually really want her to tell you guys about the grieve. - Okay. - But just to preface it, to get you guys like, really settled in, Paulina's family has one of the most notorious lords in Virgin Island's history. It is a lore that encompasses a bloodline. It encompasses multiple places on multiple islands and it is just so vast and so rich. And part of the reason why is because there is an ambiguity to it. Anyway, I'll leave Paulina. Go ahead and get you guys settled in. - Oh, there's pressure. So I never know where to begin the story because it's like a, it's like a tangle where they all intertwine. It's like a, this family tree and it just spreads and spreads. So I guess it all started with my great, great, great grandfather. And he used to be like a fisherman. And I believe he was from Anagata and the way like they would, they would fish. And then he would also find sailboats that were destroyed and repurpose them to make money with his father. So one day he's fishing out by the BVI next to an island called Norman Island, today, Norman Island. And a huge storm came and he needed to find shelter. So in front of him were these three caves and he went into the middle one, I believe it was the middle one, to seek shelter there. And as he's waiting for the rain to stop, he notices something towards the roof of the cave, like towards the ceiling. And it's like glinting in the lights. So he climbs up the cave. And apparently the legend goes he found a treasure chest, like pirates, Spanish de blooms, gold, and brought it back with him. But the loot was too big that he ended up burying some of it on the island itself and bringing it back. Now, nobody knows for sure if this is true or not, but something strange happened when he returned. He suddenly had this enormous wealth and he ended up buying that island, Norman Island, and moved to St. Thomas and bought property downtown in waterfront. He ended up buying Little St. James, which a lot of us know today as Epstein Island. Yes, I've been trying not to make a Little St. James joke this entire day. Your family owned Little St. James? Yes, they actually ended up selling it in the '90s, I believe. I'm trying to remember, or was that Norman Island? I can't remember. But just so you know, like the creaky estate, like it's a large family. My grandfather had like eight children. So they all had to vote. And most of them just wanted the money. So they sold Norman Island in the '90s to this lawyer or this doctor. And then I forgot who sold Little St. James. It might have been my great grandmother. No, it was more recent because the second owner sold it to Epstein and made a huge process. Okay, okay. They're like, look, what's the worst that could happen from selling this island? Dude, I know, we could go into that too, but just to stay on track. They didn't sell it directly to him, so that's a little bit better. They didn't. I know. I was like a guy to go in it real quick. Like, oh, Polina, no. No. Polina, you guys could buy it back now, probably in the cheap, if somebody's done something old. No, no. If we could just round up all the creakies, get you guys on a big ship together. Just take back one of these islands by force. Love it. Take back Little St. James Island style. Oh, the old way pirate style is take it back. How many people could really be on that island right now? Like two to three security guards? Dude, yeah. You could buy them off and take it over. The island is so cursed now. And it's very close to St. Thomas. You could literally swim there if you really want to challenge yourself from waterfront. But what's so creepy about that island is like, we grew up calling it pedophile island. Not knowing why we called it that. It was just like a strange, we don't know who started it, where it came from. But I was like in middle school. I would be like, oh, there's pedophile island. And I actually went to a birthday party on that island at 14. What? Yes. Yes, because I believe the girl who's birthday was her parents were one of the caretakers of the island. I can't specify, I can't say what job her parents did, because everybody will know who it is. It's-- I know exactly who you're talking about. Yes, so yeah, I can't say-- We're actually filling hyperlocal tea. And then the other thing I was want people to understand because they're always like, how come you guys didn't do anything? It was obviously an outward known secret, right? And the problem is is that when you are a community that is under the American umbrella, and you are essentially living in a modern day colony, we don't have voting representative of Congress, we cannot get FEMA money or financial assistance if we are not at the best of the powers that be. And so as people that are largely power less in their communities as it relates to US hegemony, it does not make sense to go up against somebody like Jeffrey Epstein, who is very well connected and multiple arenas. And that's not to take away the responsibility that I think some of our local leaders subverted when they leaned in to his spare of influence, but it's also to acknowledge that I feel like sometimes people perceive us to being morally corrupt or there's so much-- As an American, I will say that I don't think I've ever heard of a single person thinking that the Virgin Islands or the people of the Virgin Islands are to blame for the deeds of-- Oh, look at those. Look at those comments actually. Yes, they're so despicable. Why didn't the locals do something? Why didn't they? What were you guys going to do? I don't know. Exactly. Get the creakies on a boat to overthrow the swords I always joking about. I have to give this caveat because the comment sections really be ripping us up. Yeah.
Podcast Summary
Key Points:
The family lore traces back to a fisherman who discovered a treasure chest in a cave on Norman Island during a storm, leading to sudden wealth and the purchase of Norman Island and Little St. James.
The story involves a vast, interconnected bloodline with deep roots across multiple islands, blending myth, mystery, and historical ambiguity.
The family's wealth and land holdings, especially in Little St. James, are central to a powerful and controversial local legacy.
The island of Little St. James is historically linked to Jeffrey Epstein, having been sold through a series of transfers, with the sale being shrouded in secrecy and social unease.
The community has long been aware of the island’s dark reputation, including the nickname “pedophile island,” which originated in middle school and was tied to a personal birthday party.
Local leaders face moral and practical challenges in confronting powerful figures due to lack of political power, access to federal resources, and systemic colonial oversight.
There is a strong sense of community denial and complicity, with residents often questioning why they didn’t act against the injustices, despite knowing the risks.
The narrative highlights the tension between myth and reality, and the enduring power of folklore in shaping identity and memory on the islands.
Summary:
The story centers on a family’s legendary past tied to treasure hunting, land ownership, and deep-rooted lore across the Virgin Islands. A fisherman’s discovery of a treasure chest in a cave on Norman Island allegedly triggered a surge of wealth, leading to the purchase of Norman and Little St. James Islands.
The family’s extensive landholdings and intergenerational ties form a complex, almost mythical lineage that spans multiple islands and generations. Little St. James, one of the key properties, has a dark reputation—nicknamed “pedophile island” since childhood, linked to a personal birthday party on the island.
Despite this, the community has remained silent due to systemic power imbalances: lacking political representation, federal support, and the ability to challenge figures like Jeffrey Epstein. Local leaders are seen as complicit, not out of malice, but due to structural limitations. The story blends personal memory, folklore, and historical ambiguity, revealing a sense of moral and political paralysis.
It reflects both the allure and danger of island legends, and the enduring tension between what is known and what is repressed. The narrative underscores how colonial structures and power dynamics shape local agency, and how myths become part of collective identity in the face of silence and fear.
FAQs
There are no official pirate stories, but there are legends of green-glowing pirates drinking and terrorizing towns. The closest known tale involves a fisherman finding a treasure chest in a cave on Norman Island, which led to a family's immense wealth and land purchases.
The story begins with a fisherman from Anagata who, during a storm, found a cave on Norman Island. He reportedly discovered a treasure chest containing gold and Spanish blooms, which led him to buy the island and later move to St. Thomas, where he acquired properties including Little St. James Island.
Yes, the family owned Little St. James Island. It was eventually sold in the 1990s, with the second owner later selling it to Jeffrey Epstein, which led to its dark reputation and local taboos.
The term is a local nickname that emerged organically, possibly from a schoolyard or social comment. One person recalled attending a birthday party on the island at age 14, where the parents were caretakers, though specific details are not disclosed for safety reasons.
Locals faced structural power imbalances—lacking voting representation, access to federal aid, and political influence—making it difficult to challenge powerful figures like Epstein, who had extensive connections in external institutions.
The story is part legend and folklore. While the fisherman's encounter with a cave and treasure is central to the lore, its historical accuracy is uncertain, and many details are believed to be symbolic or rooted in community memory.
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