From Slavery to Development: The Impact of African History throughout The Bahamas in the 21st Century
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Congratulations to Our Second-Place Winner, Blesseth McCartney
Black Food Bookstore & Culture Shop is proud to recognize Blesseth McCartney, the second-place winner of our 1st Annual Essay Competition.
Her essay, “From Slavery to Development: The Impact of African History throughout The Bahamas in the 21st Century,” looks at how African history continues to shape life in The Bahamas today—specifically across its culture, politics, education, and healthcare systems.
Blesseth’s writing reminds us that the enduring legacy of African history is the foundation of modern Bahamian development. We’re happy to share her work and celebrate her well-earned second-place win.
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Sailing to North and South America, and the West Indies were innocent African people who were being forced to work against their will without pay and denied freedom. It is not just about history; it is about the legacy and impact left behind. After the Lucayan population in The Bahamas vanished, the Eleutheran Adventurers who arrived in Eleuthera began bringing in African slaves in small amounts. As a part of the transatlantic slave trade, many enslaved Africans were imported by the British to work on sugar and cotton plantations in The Bahamas. They were forced to work from sunrise to sunset in cruel conditions and were only given a minimum of shelter and food to ensure investments were returned (Mintz, n.d.). The cruel conditions resulted in high infant and child deaths due to malnutrition. Other enslaved Africans faced respiratory diseases, excessive coughing, blindness, and other diseases caused by lack of nutrients (Mintz, n.d.). It is worth noting even though these enslaved Africans died, they left behind something very important...descendants. These descendants contribute to a major part of the population in The Bahamas. They not only fought for freedom in the past, but they fought for the future. More importantly African history impacted many aspects of The Bahamas national development such as customs and culture, education and healthcare, and politics and governorship.
African history has shaped The Bahamas customs and culture in significant ways. Tourism is the number one industry in The Bahamas and many tourists enjoy the culture and customs. The traditional music and festivals such as rake n’scrape, goombay, and Junkanoo are originated and deeply rooted in African culture. Though many debate on whether it originated from John Canoe, an African tribal chief, or enslaved Africans on plantations in The Bahamas celebrating holidays (Granda Bahama Museum, n.d.). Many of the customs such as the drinking of bush medicine and storytelling have strong African roots which helps Bahamians preserve and value their history especially during these generations. Straw work, which is one of the many tourist attractions in The Bahamas and businesses for many were also a part of the legacy left behind by enslaved Africans. “Chile please!” Yes, the Bahamian dialect also displays African influence that were bought over by the enslaved Africans (Shilling, 2008). It is more commonly noticed that throughout the younger generation and even a few in the older generations are individuals proudly acknowledging, embracing and reclaiming their African roots. Even through some cultural dishes such as okra, and ingredients such as black-eyed peas originated in West Africa (Bennett, 2022). These common practices show that African influence and history is still alive in the Bahamian culture to this day. More importantly, these practices can be passed down through generations for the preservation of the cultural Bahamian history and origins, as well as keeping the Bahamian youths educated on their history and traditions.
African history is very important and played a major role in The Bahamas healthcare and education system. During the time when the British ruled during the 1800’s and 1900’s, many Bahamians had limited access to healthcare and education due to racism, neglect, social standing and class status. Storytelling was used as an alternative for educating the younger generation. The elders told folklores, proverbs and even riddles to educate the young ones on valuable life lessons, wisdom, and knowledge. Healthcare was also substituted for bush medicine for the Bahamians that didn’t have access. Since they couldn’t see a doctor, they used natural remedies and bushes from their yards or on the side of the street to heal their sickness. Even today the older generation pass on stories to the younger generations for learning, and both old and young individuals use bush medicines for healing. During those times and even now, African history played an important role to those Bahamians because it helped with learning and maintained healthy families which these methods are still used today.
African history played a strong role in developing The Bahamas governorship and politics such as leadership structures, populist movements, and the influence of The Bahamas modern politics. Africans had a well-structured leadership or government. There were different leaders each for a different role. This allowed better decision making, built trust amongst the citizens, fairness, and inclusivity amongst the leaders. When Africans came to The Bahamas through slavery, they carried along with them these values and responsibilities, which is why The Bahamas government is also well structured with different leadership positions. Africans believed in fairness and fought to be treated correctly. Many descendants of Africans fought and helped develop the majority rule movement which later led to the Independence of The Bahamas in 1973 (Tinker, 2013). Which means they helped paved the way for the country and helped built The Bahamas to what it is today.
It is evident that African history has played a very important role in shaping The Bahamas during the 21st century. African history helped paved the way to make the beautiful Bahamas into a paradise on earth. The Bahamas is a beautiful tourist attraction that contains a deeply rooted culture and customs, modern healthcare systems and education, and political stability. All those aspects contain African impact, influence, and origins which not only kept their history alive, but it also helped in the development of The Bahamas to this day. So, when we think about African history, think about the way it impacted the lives of Bahamians as well.
References
1. Tinker, K.L. (2013). The African Diaspora to The Bahamas. FriesenPress. https://books.google.bs/books?id=nvF[1]xJQsUrgC&printsec=copyright&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false
2. Bennett, C. (2022, February 21). Blacked Eyed Peas and Okra: Food of the African Diaspora. Black Eyed Peas and Okra: Foods of the African Diaspora | N.C. Cooperative Extension
3. Straw Work(n.d.). Creative Nassau. STRAW — CREATIVE NASSAU - Bahamas to the world from the inside out
4. All about junkanoo at the Grand Bahama Museum (n.d.). Grand Bahama Musuem. Junkanoo - Grand Bahama Museum
5. Shilling, A.W. (2008) Hidden Roots: The African Element in Bahamian Speech, 2 (45- 50).(PDF) Hidden Roots: The African Element in Bahamian Speech