Bahamas Culture

Guide to Bahamian society, traditions and way of life

Bahamian Culture

The authentic culture of The Bahamas is a unique product of Bahamian society and civilization. Bahamian. It lives away from the American-influenced urban and tourism centers of Nassau and Freeport. The islands’mores and customs stem in large part from the background tales, traditions, bush medicine, music and religion brought over by African slaves. A popular ‘folk’ religion is obeah, a system of beliefs governing interactions between the living and the spirit world. It’s a less sinister cousin of Haitian voodoo and Cuban santería. The vast majority of Bahamians, however, belong to mainline Christian denominations (though many Anglican priests hedge their bets and mix a little good-willed obeah into their practice). Most islanders are steadfast in their religious beliefs: many taxi drivers and office workers keep a Bible at hand. Church affairs make headline news, while major international events are relegated to the inside pages. The country claims the greatest number of churches per capita in the world.

The ethnicity of The Bahamas is predominantly of African-American heritage. English, the official language and that of business and the daily way of life, is spoken by everyone but a handful of Haitian immigrants, who speak their own Creole. Most black Bahamians speak both standard English and patois. While The Bahamas has yet to produce a writer of world renown and its visual arts scene has been slow to take shape, the islands have a vibrant musical culture. The country has produced several traditional forms of music, including goombay, a synthesis of calypso, soca and English folk songs; and down-home, working-class ‘rake ‘n’ scrape,’ usually featuring guitar, accordion and shakers made from the pods of poinciana trees. The popular Bahamian band, Bahamen, won a Grammy in recent years for their world famous song, “Who Let The Dogs Out.”

Bahamian kids play basketball with a passion. They live on the basketball court, and most neighborhoods have a small court with makeshift stands. Bahamians follow the US basketball (and baseball) leagues with intense fervor. The Miami Dolphins football team is also very popular.


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Activities
What to Do, what to see and fun activities for the whole family.
Arts & Crafts
Authentically Bahamian Art and Craft products.
Bed & Breakfast
Charming B&B’s are found throughout the islands
Boating
Information on boats, from Cruise ships to Mail Boats.
Cars & Rentals
Rent a car, boat or golf cart (Family Island travels).
Casinos
Spin the wheel, roll the dice in one of the many casinos.
Cuisine
Restaurants and recipes.  Where to find the best food.
Bahamas Diving
Best Dive spots and dive shops.
Eco-Tourism
Enjoy an environment friendly vacation.
Fishing
Where to go to catch the big ones, all year around.
Getting Here
How to get here from anywhere, by sea and air.
Golf
Play a round at the many beautiful golf courses
Bahamas Hotel
Accommodations, Bahamas hotel directory.
Global Business
Offshore finance and international investing services.
Kids Stuff
Young children tourist activities (and the young at heart).
Legal Services
Find an able attorney, law firm or legal advice.
Marinas
Locations and info on available marinas.
Nassau Bahamas
All about Nassau Bahamas, the Bahamas’ Capital city.
Night Life
What’s on the nightlife scene. Entertainment.
Other Services
Directory of services companies.
Pampering
Spoil yourself, indulge in the luxury of a Bahamas vacation
Private Islands
Buy or rent a private island. Weekly or monthly rentals.
Bahamas Real Estate
Agents and brokers, Bahamas Real estate
Restaurants
All island guide Bahamas restaurants.
Romance
Couples only romantic secret hide-aways.
Sailing Charters
Picturesque sailing locations, boat charter information.
Shopping
Shopping tips and Best Buys on jewelry & fashion
Invest Tax Free
Offshore investing financial resources.
Time Shares
Directory of Bahamas Time Share locations.
Travel Services
Visitor’s Guide.  Immigration info.
Vacation Rental
Find the perfect Bahamas vacation rental home or condo.
Water Sports
Everything fun you could possibly do in the water.
Weddings
Unique, exotic and romantic wedding customized for you.
Weather
Weather center, hurricane tracker.
Best Web Sites
Winners of the 2004 Bahamas Web Awards.
General Info
Bahamas information and fact sheets.
Maps of Islands
Print out maps of all the inhabited islands
Bahamas Island
Information, maps and directories of the Bahamas islands
Atlantis
Vacation resort, Paradise Island, Bahamas.
Tourist News
Bahamas Tourism news, press releases.