WASHINGTON, DC – The idea that “knowing ourselves” will help foster national pride is only one among many compelling reasons The Bahamas should actively work to preserve its cultural heritage: vulnerability to external influences and authenticity of the visitor experience are two others, equally as important, according to cultural advocate Arlene Nash Ferguson.
It is axiomatic that in order to understand the present one must have a sense of the past, but Mrs. Ferguson is urging a deeper, more proactive look at cultural heritage preservation.
After completing her IVLP experience, she discussed why a nation like The Bahamas should pay attention to preservation of its cultural heritage, touching first on the conventional “knowledge is power” theme: “Knowledge of our cultural heritage inspires pride and dignity and hopefully a determination to pass on those traits of our national character that have made us who we are today. In my mind, full knowledge of our cultural heritage can go a long way to [erasing] the negatives that we see today.”
“Secondly,” she said, “in an increasingly competitive market, being ‘who we is’ is one of [our] strongest selling points as a tourism destination. Nothing creates a unique product for our visitors to enjoy like when we showcase ourselves.”
“In the case of The Bahamas, the imperative to preserve our cultural heritage is all the more urgent because of our geographical location within a ring of cultural powerhouses [United States, Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica] and our relatively small population compared to those nations.”
“[It is urgent because] we welcome in excess of over four million visitors to The Bahamas, who unwittingly bring their customs, approaches and attitudes to bear on our country,” she continued, adding that “foreign influences are more pervasive than ever before thanks to the technological revolution.”
“If we are to preserve our uniquely Bahamian culture and so have it to pass on to future generations, then, we must deliberately and consciously take steps to preserve it.”
The IVLP project in which Mrs. Ferguson participated had as its goals: to examine the institutions and individuals involved in the research, presentation, conservation, and education of U.S. cultural heritage; to demonstrate the societal significance and challenges of identifying, documenting, protecting, and interpreting history and culture; and to offer opportunities for professional dialogue and exchange to increase international cooperation on heritage issues.
To these ends, while in DC the participants studied the role of the federal government in protecting cultural heritage and generating public awareness of the importance of historical and cultural preservation, the role of NGOs in promoting the preservation of cultural heritage and international cooperation in cultural heritage preservation. In St. Louis, Missouri, they studied preservation of ancient cultures, architectural preservation and cultural heritage preservation at the local level. They studied cultural, architectural, artefact preservation organisations and international cultural heritage preservation activities in both New York City and Savannah, Georgia.
In the light of her recent experiences, Mrs. Ferguson was pressed to identify what makes Bahamian culture unique, and requires active, conscious preservation: she identified the multiethnic origins of what is termed “Bahamian culture.”
“The people who came to live here over the centuries brought their customs and traditions with them, and had to adapt them to the archipelagic nature of the country and the presence of all of the other groups living here,” she said. “So out of that has come a unique blend that translates into what we today call the culture of The Bahamas. It is a mix that may have some ingredients that are perhaps similar in some ways to other nations, but all told, there is a Bahamian way – a Bahamian approach to life!”
By K. Quincy Parker
Press/Cultural Attache
Embassy of The Bahamas
