Posted by Briland Girl on August 15, 2001 at 21:24:46:
In Reply to: Re: Briland's future posted by Colin on August 15, 2001 at 16:19:09:
Colin- I LOVED your Bahamian Slip when you said you harbor "view" illusions! Get it!? Harbor view!
I really don't think you can compare what is happening on Harbour Island (and I don't think you meant to)Africa or anywhere else- The Bahamas has grown up next door to the U.S. and there is much cross-pollination-Brilanders have family in the states and there is much back and forth visiting! I mean people fly back and forth all the time!I know Brilanders who have family all over the states and have travelled back and forth for years!Harbour Island had it's own airsrtip! I mean Brilanders built ships for the Navy! They are who they are and so it goes!The Bahamas has changed is right! They are an independent nation! I agree that it would be unfortunate for them to become "Americanized" but since many black Bahamians decsend from freed American slaves and then lived under the thumb of the British for so long I would have to say that yes they are a very unique culture and they KNOW that! Yes things have changed there in the last 5/6 years but look at the rest of the world! Only they can decide how they want to live. Have you ever been to Nassau? Most Brilanders that I know are pretty sure that they don't want to live like THAT! Nassau is very "America-like" in terms of crime,grime, fast food, drugs, etc.I think Briland is holding it's own as best as it can in an ever-changing world- You still can't buy soy milk there and that may be a good thing!!! goodnight to all who dream of pink sand between their toes...
: I must protest your remark about my views patriachal. Having lived in East Africa for seven years and visited Briland for 15, I can assure you I view no one as sweet natives. Having watched thousands die during the great famine of 1984-5 and seen the ravages locals and foreigners are capable of everywhere I harbor view illusions about any portion of mankind.
: My concern is that the Bahamas, a unique culture, is being swamped by the U.S. because of the greater ease of access to the Bahamas both by plane and by airwaves. The Bahamas must change, as every place does. I want to hear if people think things are heading in the right direction. If so, great! If not, I hope folks come up with some ideas. Preserving, if possible, some of the things that make Briland fabulous is the goal.
: : 1-The very rich have ALWAYS vacationed on H.I.(hello, the British Royals?) Don't confuse the wealthy with L.A. and Eurotrash $$$. Hollywood has already moved on to the Ts and Cs.
: : 2-People on H.I. have had satellite t.v. for awhile-That isn't so new-It's justAmerican pop culture is getting more and more unappealing daily.Unfortunatly we are infecting everywhere with fast food and big gold jewelry and cel phones. Just wait til you see what we do to what's left of the beautiful island of Cuba. 3-Your comments smack of that patriarchal concept of the sweet kind innocent natives being ruined by us callous, i.e.rich folks! Sure, we want to vacation there on our big fancy disgustingly ostentatious yachts and swim in their beautiful water and give them all our money but HEY! we don't want them to be anything like US! I'm afraid ther is no solution! 4-We have visited H.I. almost every year since 1985 and while there have been changes so far they have remained subtle as far as the attitudes of the Bahamians who we consider our dear friends.The thing that is the most appaling is the boatload of tourists that arrive every day on the fast ferry from Nassau-(who is to blame for that???)Hair-braided,sunburned,neon-colored wearing tourists who walk around or run into each other in golf-carts- They will move on too because fortunatly H.I.seems to have nothing to offer the average day-tripping cruise-boater-Of course, I've never been there at Spring Break-I could be wrong! I fear the hoards of youth that have ruined Mardi Gras and the Jazz festival in New Orleans but at least H.I. is probably o too $$$ for that to be a threat.
: : 5-My suggestion is to keep enjoying Harbour Island until you no longer do! We go back every year and as long as Wayne is still smiling from the dock and Angela is still dispensing wisdom there's no place we'd rather be. Sure the Gangsta' with the gold jewelry and the fancy car and the cel phone zipping around the island took us aback, but he does LIVE there! One day he'll be a grown up too!And to blame rap music is so funny because umm have you ever heard Jamaican music?