HAPPY 40TH INDEPENDENCE MY BAHAMALAND!

We would like to wish all of our fellow Bahamians, on island and those living abroad a 

Happy 40th Independence!

One minute after midnight On July 10th, 1973, 40 years ago a crowd of 50,000+ witnessed the black, aqua-marine, and gold flag of The Bahamas being raised instead of the Union Jack.  What a feeling that must have been! It was the end of over 300 years of British rule.

Below is a picture of the brave men that have governed The Bahamas for the past 40 years.

From left to right: The Right Honorable Perry G. Christie, the current Prime Minister of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas, The Right Honorable Sir Lynden O. Pindling, Former Prime Minister (1967-1992), and The Right Honorable Hubert A. Ingraham, Former Prime Minister (1992-2002, 2007-2012)

Last evening Bahamians came together on the eve of our Independence on the historic grounds of Clifford Park (where the initial ceremony of Independence occurred) for an event to recognize 40 years of Independence.  As apart of the celebrations we enjoyed an event called the Tattoo.

At the Tattoo, the gentleman in the front is the Governor General, Sir Arthur Foulkes, courtesy of bahamasweekly.com

For those of you like me who have been wondering why it is called a Tattoo, here is the popular definition!

The term military tattoo, referring to a military drum performance, dates from the seventeenth century when the British Army were fighting in the Low Countries (Belgium and The Netherlands). Drummers from the garrison were sent out into the towns at 21:30 hrs (9:30PM) each evening to inform the soldiers that it was time to return to barracks. The process was known as Doe den tap toe and encouraged the inn keepers to "turn off the taps", stop serving beer and send the soldiers home for the night. The drummers continued to play until the curfew at 22:00 hrs (10:00PM).

Over the years, the process became more of a show and often included the playing of the first post at 21:30 hrs and the last post at 22:00. Bands and displays were included and shows were often conducted by floodlight or searchlight. Tattoos were commonplace in the late 1800s with most military and garrison towns putting on some kind of show, hence the name Tattoo came for the show.

Now we know!

The journey still continues to becoming a great nation!

Signed, 
MWMs Management

I AM A BAHAMIAN

courtesy of 

As we countdown the days to our Independence, I reflect on all things Bahamian.  What does The Bahamas mean to me? What makes us who we are?  

For me, it's the people.  

www.takegreatpictures.com 

I love how colourful we are.  By colourful, I mean our personalities, the way we talk, the way we walk, the way we dress, and just the way we interact with each other.  You will always hear a Bahamian say they can spot another Bahamian no matter where they are in the world.  We laugh and make jokes about how true that is!  Some days driving around town, the sights and people  you stumble upon make you either laugh or shake your head and say to yourself, "only in The Bahamas".












Here is my list of a few things of when you know "you is a" Bahamian:

A potcake, stray dog

1.  When fire engine is something you eat (corned beef and rice!)

2.  When "potcake" is a stray dog, burnt rice at the bottom of the pot, or a person mixed with different ethnicity's.  Oh and we can't forget the Potcake, the man with the shopping cart filled with car rims

3.  When 5 dogs laying in your yard and none of them are yours 

4.  Gives directions like this "You know the blue and white building on the   corner with the laundry mat and liquor store? Yea, Ok.  Don't turn through that corner, my house through da next corner" (hehe)

Make shift store, this time in the centre of a median

5.  When you put up a make-shift store on the side of the road selling the same merchandise for half the price than the big time (legitimate) store across the streets.

6.  When you trying to find the best "asue" to join

7.  When you can be heard saying "well muddasick" (an expression used to emphasize every kind of emotion)

8.  When you start or end a sentence with the word "Bey"

9.  When you say you "gern unda da dock".  No, not under the bridge...unda da dock!

10. When you going "unda da dock" for one conch snack and one cold Kalik

11. When you switch your accent to an American one when speaking to a tourist

12. You come back from Miami with three big suitcases (full) and claim you only spent $300 to the customs officer

13. When you use the plastic bag from the grocery store as a garbage bag.

14. When you go buy a $100 bathing suit only to go in the water with a T-Shirt over it.

15.  When you party all night on Christmas Day until it's time to go to Junkanoo at 1:00am on Boxing Day

Gotta love my people!


I will leave you with a video from one of my favourite local artists, Papa Smurf.   I love that you can hear his authentic Bahamian accent as he raps.

Here is one of his songs, "I am a Bahamian" featuring Da Element & Sherrol Rahming.  Enjoy!

Happy 40th Anniversary Bahamas!

Signed, 

A Bahamian Gal, Candilaria

What Does It Mean To Be Bahamian?

Today is the first of July. This is the month The Bahamas celebrates independence. It is the month we wear our national colors, black, gold and aquamarine. It is the month we put flags on our cars, we listen to Bahamian music on the radio and not change the station, attend national festivities and decorate our homes in full regalia.

Both founders of MWMs are Bahamian. As a result, it is only fitting that we too celebrate our nation. For the next ten days we will celebrate being Bahamian. Because as they say on a popular Saturday talk show, 
"WE ARE PROUD TO BE BAHAMIAN"

courtesy of thesignmanblog.com

 If there is one thing that every Bahamian can have a discussion about whether they are a participant or a viewer, is Junkanoo. Junkanoo is 'Us'! We are 'Junkanoo'.

Me as a Wedding Crasher New Year's Day 2011

We have our favourite group, we dance to the beat of the back line, we attend the parade and sit for hours, we lay in bed and watch on ZNS or we rush and collapse on Elizabeth Avenue after the first lap.

Whoever we are, wherever we are, Junkanoo is The Bahamas!

Eric and I are Junkanoos. Notice I did not say we are Junkanooers. We don't "do" Junkanoo; we do "practice" Junkanoo. It is a part of us...we ARE Junkanoo. Before marriage we rushed. It was only a coincidence we rushed for the same group.

My second big rush, New Year's Day 2004 choreographed section

Boxing Day 2012...I was actually sick as a dog, but I still rushed (in my pearls).

Here are the top ten experiences related to Junkanoo. Either you have lived this or you know someone who has lived this thing we called JUNKANOO!


Top Ten Junkanoo Experiences

10. Going to Junkanoo practice at midnight like you don't have anything else to 
    do but stand next to complete strangers that are dancing just like you in the
    name of Junkanoo.

9. Having a heated discussion about why your group is the best whether you 
   know they looked like crap during the parade.

8. STING!

7. Shouting your group name to the top of your lungs during the parade on Bay 
    Street in support, as if you contributed to any of the costumes.

6. A HOT GLUE BURN! 

5. Sleeping the entire day after the parade as if you just rushed!

4. Sleeping the entire day after the parade because you just rushed!

3. ELIZABETH AVENUE! GATORADE!!!!

2. Seeing the barricades and bleachers being installed on Shirley and Bay 
    Street and knowing you haven't begun your Christmas Shopping if you aren't
    a Junkanoo. If you are a Junkanoo, seeing those bleachers and knowing
    you haven't started your costume.

1. Sitting on the bleachers for hours every year even if during the last parade 
   you swore you would never attend again because, "This is taking too long
   man, I ready to go!"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BAHAMAS! It's time to go to BAY!

Until I rush again,
Tiffany