The first thing one might notice in a visit to the islands of the Bahamas is that the clocks don’t seem to run at the same pace as what we are used to. Or at least the Bahamians don’t seem to pay much attention to those clocks. Life is lived at a very leisurely pace and that includes those that a tourist might encounter, such as hotel and restaurant workers. If you do travel to the Bahamas, prepare for a slower type of service than what you might be used to, and don’t get upset because it will do you no good. Prepare to slow down, and you’ll fit right in. In fact if you are prepared you’ll probably enjoy the slower pace.
Before we get more into the culture of the islands of the Bahamas it is important to note that you may not see much of the authentic culture if you are isolated in one of the, often self contained, tourist destinations. Give your self a treat and take advantage of the opportunities of the “People to People” program offered by the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism. This program offers volunteers from several walks of life such as fishermen, lawyers, preachers, and farmers to be your host and share activities found in the “real” communities of several islands you may visit. These include New Providence, Grand Bahamas, Abaco, Great Exuma, Bimini, and San Salvador. It is recommended you give two weeks notice, and they will match you with a volunteers based on age, interests, hobbies, religious affiliation, etc. The volunteer will pick you up, and take into the community for a dinner where you can get a taste of Bahamas food, or you may want to attend a religious service or spend time at a work place. To take part in the program contact the Ministry of Tourism at P.O. Box N-3701, Nassau, The Bahamas, or call 326-5371.
Another thing about the people of the Bahamas is that they long ago rejected racial discrimination and simply divide people as “Bahamians” and “Visitors.” As such interacial marriages have been going on for generations and are widely accepted. The main minorities are Greek and Chinese. Unfortunately Haitian refugees also flock to the islands as Haiti is the poorest nation in the carribean and Bahama is the richest. It is unfortunate because this has caused a large underclass and it is possible that 90% of the population of the Bahamas prison system are from Haiti. The prison system is nortoriously brutal.
Religion is the most talked about topic among the Bahamians…in fact it may seem a ceaseless topic of conversation. You will find religious news on the front pages of local papers with other topics taking the back pages. Two thirds of the population are Baptists. There are Catholic and Anglican churches along with some Mormon missions. The newer movements of the evangelicals and the pentecostal church is also making great inroads.
Of course it is important to understand the language of the Bahamas. As a part of the British Common Wealth the language is, as one might expect, English. However there are some dialects that may lead to trouble if not understood. Some of the dialects may even remind one of a Brooklyn accent such as woik for work and soive for serve. If someone tells you they want to conversate it means they want to talk, and if you hear spilligatin it means someone is about to party hearty. Don’t be surprised if you hear a “v” interchanged with a “w” as in wisitin translates to visiting. You may even find some old English slipping in such as a glass being called a goblet.
Part of any culture is the architecture. As Nassau, New Providence becomes a growing comercial center the colonial architectural style has become noticed more and more. This is a style brought here by loyalists to King George III from the time of American Independence. There is a mix of the new, modern buildings as one might see in the hotels, and the old as one sees in clay houses with thatched roofs. Many homes are built of wood, still others are made of concrete due to the moisture and humidity. Concrete does not give in to pests and moisture as readily as wood. Concrete homes are usually painted in bright pastel colors as is common in the Caribbean.
The clapboard house, a design seen through out the tropics and the U.S. for that matter is the most common design of home today. Due to the climate houses were designed to take advantage of what comforts were available. For instance they were designed to take of the prevailing trade winds by facing a certain direction and with push out shuttered windows. Most of these homes were built on stilts which place them above the ground so they would withstand the many fierce storms in the area. These home often withstood hurricanes that crumbled stone structures.