Arona Petersen

Arona Saunders Petersen (December 10, 1908 – March 23, 1995) was an artist, businesswoman, chef and author from the United States Virgin Islands.

Biography

Arona Saunders Petersen was born in Saint Thomas, on December 10, 1908 to Rebecca Hendricks and Joseph Saunders. She learned the oral tradition and folklore of the island from her mother. The preservation of these traditions were important to her life's work.

In 1935, she married Ludvig Alexander Petersen and embarked on a career in food management, working in Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, New York City and Puerto Rico. In St. Thomas, she operated a food catering service and restaurant called Hillside Way. Petersen's unique recipes and knowledge of local cuisine and herbalism preserved many of the cultural traditions of the Virgin Islands. Her cooking and recipes also had an African influence. Throughout the years, her adaptive Caribbean Cuisine was honored by the Smithsonian Institution, who praised her for her "culinary contributions to American folklore." She earned the Carlos Cook Achievement Award in 1983 as recognition for her work as an "outstanding black businesswoman."

Petersen was a columnist for the Virgin Islands Daily News and broadcast over the radio. She published three books, Herbs and Proverbs of the Virgin Islands (1974), Kreole Ketch N' Keep: A Collection of West Indies Stories (1975), and Food and Folklore of the Virgin Islands (1990). Her writing includes recipes, ways of life and local expressions. She was also an artist.

In 1988, Petersen moved to the Willowwood retirement community in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She died on March 23, 1995.

References

  1. ↑ Snodgrass 2020, p. 116.
  2. ↑ Snodgrass 2020, p. 116-117.
  3. 1 2 Motta, Richard (2019-03-08). "8 Women Who Changed VI History". Government of the United States Virgin Islands. Retrieved 2026-04-29.
  4. ↑ Washington 2006, p. 14.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Snodgrass 2020, p. 117.
  6. 1 2 Lyons, Richard D. (1985-04-17). "Carribbena Festivals Bring Out Callaloo". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
  7. ↑ "'Weed Women' deserve recognition and esteem for their power". The Virgin Islands Daily News. 2019-02-14. Retrieved 2026-04-30.
  8. ↑ Feuerzeig, Penny (1978-08-24). "The Robust Fare of The Caribbean". The Mobile Press. p. 35. Retrieved 2026-04-28 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. 1 2 "V.I. Lottery Launches Ticket to Honor Arona Petersen". St. Croix Source. 2011-08-09. Retrieved 2026-04-30.
  10. ↑ McK. Stewart, Linda (1985-09-15). "Virgin Islands Retain Charm From Time of Visit by Lindbergh". The Houston Chronicle. p. 199. Retrieved 2026-04-28 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Three Artists at Mango Tango St. Thomas". St. Thomas Source. 2025-03-26. Retrieved 2026-05-01.
  12. ↑ "Native Touch Arona Petersen Has Been Called a Symbol of the Best of the Old-Time Virgin Islands, With Their Patchwork History and Common-Sense Values". Sun Sentinel. 1990-07-05. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
  13. ↑ "In Celebration of the Life of Arona Petersen". Virgin Island Funeral Booklets. Caribbean Genealogy Library. Archived from the original on 9 July 2025. Retrieved 30 April 2026.

Sources