Happy 242Day Bahamas

 

 

 #242Day #CelebrateBahamas 

 

Related article: Celebrate 242Day Bahamas

Related article: Report on Bahamian Culture

Celebrate 242Day Bahamas

 

Celebrate 242Day Bahamas

 

 Celebrate Bahamian Pride

Tuesday, 24th of February, 2026
 
• Wear National Flag Colours
or Bahamian Print
 
 • Enjoy a delicious Bahamian Dish
 
• Enjoy Bahamian Music, Art or Entertainment
all day long

 

• Share photos using the hashtags below

#242Day #CelebrateBahamas

 

Visit: Celebrate Bahamas 

Culture & Couture Fashion Show

Culture & Couture Fashion Show

 

 February 23rd, 2026 at 6:30pm

The National Art Gallery of the Bahamas

 

For more information follow

The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture Bahamas on Facebook.

"Cascarilla Tree" - Bahamas AI Image

©A. Derek Catalano

 

The cascarilla tree — its biology, geography, harvesting, uses (traditional, commercial, scientific, and industry), and what it would take to establish a lucrative cascarilla processing/export business in The Bahamas.

The Cascarilla Tree and Its Bark: Nature, Uses, and Value

 

1. Botanical Description

Cascarilla refers to the dried bark of Croton eluteria, a small aromatic tree in the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae). The plant is native to the Caribbean region, including The Bahamas, and also grows in parts of Central America and other tropical areas. It typically grows as a shrub or small tree up to about 12–20 feet tall with pale yellowish-brown fissured bark, scanty lance-shaped leaves, and clusters of small white fragrant flowers (often in spring).

The name Croton eluteria reflects its botanical lineage: Croton from the Greek for “a tick” (referring to seed shape) and eluteria said to reference the island of Eleuthera in The Bahamas.

In the field, the bark is easily stripped from twigs and branches, then dried before further processing.

The Queen is Back! Sweet Emily Drops New Single

 

The Queen of Rake n Scrape, our very own Sweet Emily, has a special gift for everyone this Valentine’s season. She just announced her brand-new single titled “Can’t Help Falling In Love.”

Sweet Emily shared the big news on her Facebook page, showing off a beautiful new cover (check it out above!) and giving us the heads-up that this track is dropping just in time for the holiday of love. Whether it comes out right before or on Valentine’s Day, it’s definitely going to be the perfect song to set the mood.

A Bahamian Legend

​We all know and love Sweet Emily for her classic hits that get everyone on the dance floor, like:

• ​“Someday”

• ​“Look What Ya Do”

• ​“Its Junkanoo”

​She’s been busy lately, too! You can find her featured in the 2026 Bahama Beat Calendar presented by BAF General. She’s standing alongside other Bahamian greats like Shine, KB, Juliet Believe, and Stileet. It’s amazing to see our legends getting the shine they deserve.

​Spread the Love

​Make sure you keep an eye out for the official release of “Can’t Help Falling In Love.” Once it drops, be sure to share it with your friends, family, and that special someone!

The Region Bells - Send Down Fire

 

 

 

The Region Bells - Send Down Fire

 

Visit my Vintage Gold Bahamian Music 

The Sir Durward Knowles National Junior Sailing Championship

 

The Sir Durward Knowles

National Junior Sailing Championship

 

February 19-21, 2026

Montague Foreshore

Nassau, Bahamas 

2026 Junior Junkanoo Parade

 

2026 Junior Junkanoo Parade

 

 Thursday 29th January 2026, 6pm
Downtown Bay St.

Nassau, Bahamas 

 

TICKETS AVAILABLE 

 

The 2026 Junior Junkanoo Ticket Sales will commence on Monday, January 26, 2026 at the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture's Ground Floor Foyer at University Drive beginning at 10:00 am to 4:00 pm each day until the Parade Day at prices of $5.00 from the entry point to Royal Bank and $10.00 from Scotiabank through Rawson Square to East Street

 

 

Related article: Bahamas Junkanoo Parade

Culture at the Cay

 

Get ready for Culture at the Cay!

The Ministry of Youth, Sports & Culture invites the public to Arawak Cay, Nassau, on Saturday, January 10, 2026, from 12PM to 10PM for a full day of Bahamian music, art, food and family fun.

Enjoy exciting activities including breadmaking and pizza making, live painting by Preston Hanna, the All Bahamian Book Fair, costume and decorating competitions, Bahamian Flix, game time, a national dance showcase, and so much more!

Bring the entire family and come experience the vibrant spirit of our culture by the sea.
 

Don’t miss it!

Mad Mask - Phone Wallpaper

 

"Mad Mask" - Bahamas AI Art

 ©A. Derek Catalano

 

 Download full size: 3072x5376

Totin'

 

I bin totin' on Christmas day. 😊

 ©A. Derek Catalano

 

Related article: A Look at Bahamian Cuisine

2025 Boxing Day Junkanoo Parade: December 25th, 2025

 

 

 

 2025 Boxing Day Junkanoo Parade: December 25th, 2025 

 

Related article: Boxing Day: Meaning and Origins

Boxing Day: Meaning and Origins

 

"Boxing Day in The Bahamas" - Bahamas AI Art

 ©A. Derek Catalano

 

Boxing Day: Meaning and Origins

Boxing Day is celebrated on December 26, the day after Christmas, and is a public holiday in many countries—especially those with historical ties to the British Empire, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and parts of the Caribbean. Wikipedia

The name Boxing Day may seem strange at first, but it comes from a centuries-old tradition of giving “boxes” of gifts, money, goods, or charity to those in service roles or in need. In earlier times, aristocratic households gave servants and tradespeople gifts or gratuities—sometimes in decorative boxes—on the day after Christmas. This was both a form of gratitude for their service and an opportunity for workers to visit their own families after working on Christmas Day itself. Encyclopedia Britannica

Another linked tradition stems from the practice in Christian churches of placing alms boxes for donations to the poor; these boxes were opened and distributed on December 26, which is also the feast day of Saint Stephen—Christianity’s first martyr, known for his service to those in need. Wikipedia

Over time the holiday evolved. In some countries it became associated with sporting events (e.g., football and cricket matches in the UK and Australia) and, in many places today, major shopping sales. In others—particularly the Caribbean—it became a day for vibrant cultural celebrations rather than simply a day of rest or commerce. Encyclopedia Britannica

Green Turtle Cay New Year's Day Junkanoo Parade

 

Green Turtle Cay

New Year's Day Junkanoo Parade

 

January 1st at 2:00PM

Starts at the Basketball Court

 

Celebrating the Origins of Junkanoo-

FROM WHICH WE CAME 

The Damaging Impact of Jamaican Culture on The Bahamas

 "Jamaican Influence" - Bahamas AI Art

 ©A. Derek Catalano

 

 

Yardie Imperialism and the Bahamian Identity Crisis: The Double-Edged Sword of Jamaican Musical Hegemony

Abstract - The cultural relationship between Jamaica and The Bahamas is one of profound intimacy and stark imbalance. For decades, the sonic landscape of The Bahamas has been dominated not by the indigenous rhythms of Rake 'n' Scrape or Goombay, but by the thumping basslines of Jamaican Roots Reggae and Dancehall. While the former provided a shared language of black empowerment and Pan-Africanism, the latter has introduced a set of behavioral norms, linguistic shifts, and social values that arguably threaten the distinct cultural fabric of The Bahamas. This essay examines the mechanisms of this cultural transfer, arguing that the dominance of Jamaican popular culture acts as a form of "soft imperialism" that displaces local identity, fosters imported social pathologies, and relegates authentic Bahamian artistic expression to the margins of its own society.

Foreign Cultural Influence

 

"Stop Twerkin' an' Start Workin'" - Bahamas AI Art

 ©A. Derek Catalano

 

Foreign Cultural Influence

 

Have we noticed that foreign reggae music has infiltrated and become a big part of our Bahamian culture for many years now?

 

There's a Christmas event happening now on the basketball park by me. They started off by playing a half-dozen Bahamian songs then they switched to hardcore dancehall reggae and that's all they've been playin' for the last two hours. How da hell we get like dis an' what could we do 'bout it?

 

Beware of other cultures taking over.

 

Related article: The Damaging Impact of Jamaican Culture on The Bahamas

Related article: Report on Bahamian Culture

Cat Island Flour Cakes

 Cat Island Flour Cakes - ©A. Derek Catalano

 

My son Christopher Catalano brought me back some of those World Famous Cat Island Flour Cakes from his visit to Cat Island. Never had them before. So delicious. The perfect blend of flour, cinnamon and nutmeg.  😊

Derek 

Related article: An In-Depth Look at Bahamian Cuisine

Related poem: Grits in da Mornin'

Christmas Beat Retreat 2025

 

Christmas Beat Retreat

 

 Theme:

Christmas Past & Present

 

14th December, 2025 at 4:00PM

Rawson Square, Bay Street

Nassau, Bahamas 

A History of Boat Building in The Bahamas and Its Modern Trajectory

 "Bahamian Sloop" - Bahamas AI Art

 ©A. Derek Catalano

 

 

A History of Boat Building in The Bahamas and Its Modern Trajectory

The Bahamian archipelago, comprising over 700 islands and cays scattered across the western Atlantic, is inherently a maritime nation. From its earliest Lucayan inhabitants to the modern global shipping hub of today, the sea has dictated life, commerce, and communication. Central to this enduring relationship is the craft of boat building, a tradition that evolved from dugout canoes into sophisticated sailing vessels, serving as the economic engine and cultural backbone of the Out Islands for centuries. The history of Bahamian boat building is a chronicle of adaptation, resilience, and masterful use of indigenous materials, leading to a modern industry that balances tradition with global demand.

Harbour Is. Junkanoo Parade Number Picking

 

Harbour Is. Junkanoo Committee

proudly presents

 

BOXING DAY JUNKANOO PARADE NUMBER PICKING

Saturday, Nov. 29th, 2025

at 12:00 noon 

At the Fig Tree, Bay St.

Harbour Is., Eleuthera 

 

Junkanoo Rushout at 7PM

Music, Food and Drinks on Sale

Come out and support