From the Lucayan people, to Christopher Columbus stepping onto the island in 1492, to the Bahamian independence in 1973, we learned about the story of Eleuthera. We talked about Bahamian culture and the lifestyle of the indigenous peoples, the Lucayans. The name "Bahama" is believed to be inspired by Columbus's description of the island: "baja mar"--Spanish for shallow sea. The Bahamas has a reputation for its role in piracy during the early 1600s to the late 1700s, and the reason it was a popular stop for pirates was because of its geography and location. The several islands of the Bahamas made for great hiding places for treasure and they were also adjacent to a shipping lane where merchant ships passed through, making the ships an open target for pirates.
Image from: http://www.bahamas.com/history
Both the Spanish and the British colonized the Bahamas but the British were the primary colonizers. English puritans, in seek of religious refuge, found a home on the Bahamas. With a large British presence in Eleuthera, along with other islands of the Bahamas, American Loyalists sought a haven free of persecution after the Revolutionary War so they moved to the islands, and with them they brought their slaves.
The economics of the Bahamas was not always dependent on tourism like it is today. Instead, the Bahamas made profit from trading goods, and even had a role in trade during the U.S. Civil War. Britain’s textile industry depended on Southern cotton; however, the Union blockaded British ships from reaching Southern ports so blockade runners from Charleston met British ships at the Bahamas and traded cotton for British goods. Upon their return, they sold their shipment for huge profits.
In 1919, the United States passed the 18th amendment prohibiting the production and distribution of alcohol. The colonial government expanded Prince George Wharf in Nassau to accommodate the flow of alcohol. When Prohibition ended in 1934, so did the enormous revenues. Combined with the collapse of the sponge harvesting industry, it economically devastated The Bahamas. From there, the Bahamian economy needed to recover and reform its previous practices for profit, causing many to turn to tourism. The Hotel and Steam Ship Service Act of 1898 opened up opportunities for the Bahamian people. This act provided the government support needed for the construction of hotels and subsidized steamship service. With that and the beautiful nature of the Bahamas, the islands became a resort destination with a reputation of relaxation and luxury.
Image from: http://littlehousebytheferry.com/2013/09/
On July 10, 1973, The Bahamas became a free and sovereign country, ending 325 years of British rule. However, The Bahamas is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations and July 10th is celebrated as Bahamian Independence Day.
The second half of this meeting we worked on cementing all the details for our future fundraising projects. Our fundraising groups worked to plan a movie night, a dinner theater performance, and bunco/bingo game nights.
On Sunday, April 10th at 5pm, St. John’s will host a piano recital featuring music from the talented Hartwig Eichberg. Dinner will be prepared by the Blue Aprons, and a suggested donation of $25 per person will be contributed to our Youth Mission Trip budget. Please email bailey@stjohnskirkland.org for additional information.
- Rachael Armstrong and Sara Anderson
