The Bahamas Islands

THE BAHAMAS ISLANDS

1. Location

The Bahamas are a chain of 700 islands and about 2000 cays. (seven hundred and two thousand)

A cay: a reef of sand or coral

The Bahamas are located in the North Atlantic Ocean on the eastern edge of the Caribbean, 72 kilometers southeast of Florida.

It has an area of 13 900 square kilometers (thirteen thousand nine hundred)

The number of the islands inhabitants is more or less 350 000 (three hundred and fifty thousand inhabitants).

The largest city in the Nation is Nassau, the capital, and the second largest is Freeport.

Life expectancy is 68 years for men and 74 years for women.

The name Bahamas is derived from the Spanish “baja mar” ("shallow water or sea" or "low tide") reflecting the shallow waters of the area.

Independence form the UK : July, 10th 1973

Currency : Bahamian Dollar (BSD)

Motto : “Forward, Upward, Onward, Together.”

Religion : Christianity

2. Population

The Bahamians have the sense of humor; they like helping people and celebrate.

For example, weddings and funerals in the Bahamas Islands are considered as important social events.

People, there, start to celebrate a wedding weeks before the beginning of the official ceremony, and the funerals are celebrated during a long time after the funeral day.

3. Culture and Customs

• Art/Music/Dance

Music plays a big part in Bahamian culture.

Throughout the islands, we can hear traces of African rhythms, Caribbean calypso, English folk songs and the unique Bahamian goombay traditional music, which combines African musical traditions with European colonial influences.

Goombay can be traced back to slavery.

• Bush Medicine

Bush medicine is using indigenous plants for medicinal purposes. It’s a tradition African slaves brought with them when they came here.

There are almost 100 plants found here that can be used for medical treatment.

For example they use aloe vera, crab bush, fig leaf, sailors' flowers and white sage.

• Junkanoo

Junkanoo is uniquely Bahamian and exists nowhere else.

It’s a colorful parade made up of brightly costumed Bahamians dancing and “rushin” to the music of cowbells, drums, horns and whistles. It is widely believed that Junkanoo was created by John Canoe, an African tribal chief who demanded the right to celebrate with his people even after he was brought to the West Indies as a slave.

Celebrated since the 16th century, today Junkanoo has grown into an organized event with groups of up to 1,000 persons competing for cash prizes for best music, best costume, dancer, banner and best overall group

...