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| Andros Island | Reef | Herbs | People |
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Andros Island It's All About the People! The History and Culture
of the Androsian People |
| Andros Island, Bahamas |
History of Settlements The Bahamian Islands were first discovered by Christopher Columbus October 12, 1492, when he landed on San Salvador Island. In the 16th and 17th century the Lukain Indians lived on the islands. The English settlers colonized the islands during 17th century when they brought their slaves from Africa to the island. The settlers began to establish cotton plantations which boosted immigration. In 1838 many plantation owners gave the unprofitable land to their slaves and moved back to England.
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| People and Settlements |
As people began to inhabit Andros, settlements such as Staniard Creek, Nichols Town and Mastic Point arose as the first communities. Once these settlements became overcrowded, people began to migrate to other areas of the island such as Red Bay and Fresh Creek. At first, the settlers attempted to farm the land of Andros, but being mostly limestone, the lack of fertile soil led them to other forms of trade. The people discovered trades such as sponging, fishing, basket weaving, woodcarving and fabric crafting which became a unique aspect of their culture. |
The community of Red Bay is an excellent example of the culture that
thrives on Andros. Right off the sandy white beaches of Red Bay,
natives spend the day on the ocean harvesting sponges to bring back
to shore. Here the sponges go through a distinctive process of
drying and cleaning to prepare them to be sold all over the world. Sponge
finshing is one of the most important forms of income. In the
heart of red Bay people like Henry Wallace, Omelia Marshall and Scrap
Iron continue to preserve the unique culture native to Red Bay and Andros.
Henry Wallace is a well-known wood sculptor in the Red Bay community. Carving wildlife and marine life, Wallace uses native woods such as mahogany and horseflesh to craft his many masterpieces. Not only has Wallace been acclaimed a living legend by the Bahamian government, his self-taught talent has been displayed and recognized in and shown across the United States. |
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 Another trait of the Androsian people is Androsia, a batik fabric, which is manufactured at Androsia factory in Fresh Creek since 1973. The bright colored fabric is not only a unique aspect of Andros culture, but also captures the inimitable splendor of the Bahamian environment in the fabric prints. Although Androsia is strictly native to Andros, it is shipped throughout the world. |
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Family
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| Work and School |
Since family life is such an important feature of the Androsian culture, the few shops and businesses are family owned. Terpy Riley, a native of the Bahamas, states "most people travel to Nassau and Freeport because of the lack of jobs on Andros." Riley discussed that the tourism industry is one of the main sources of income for the people of Andros. Many natives sell pieces of their culture such as wood carvings and baskets to tourists who visit the island. |
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Andros being the bone fishing capital of the world, Fishing is also a major form of income. Due to the large size of families and the lack of money for college, most teenagers begin working straight out of high school. According to Riley, most children of Andros start school at age five and continue through high school. Those who can afford college attend the College of the Bahamas and privileged ones attend a school in the states. |
| Religion |
The people of Andros are especially spiritual. Baptist, Presbyterian, and Catholicism are an example of the types of the denominations on the island. Although some may not claim a denomination, they are spiritual indeed. This is evident in the spirituals sung by the kitchen staff at the Forfar Field Station, and by the reverence surrounding what life is about for them. |
| Culture Celebration |
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| Present Day and Conclusion |
As you look through these pictures and saw the beauty for yourself, one must definitely say Andros is very unique indeed. We as a class could only experience the culture firsthand when we immersed ourselves into the mixture of people on Andros Island. The only way to truly experience anything is to fully immerse oneself into their world. Since 1973 when the Commonwealth of the Bahamas separated from England, Andros individual culture flourished. |
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A culture of love,
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And its all waiting for you! |
Andros Island | Reef | Herbs | People |
Omelia Marshall is a highly acknowledged medicine woman and midwife
of Andros Island. Mrs. Marshall uses the medical knowledge taught
by her mother using indigenous plants for medicinal purposes
to cure the aches and pains of the island. Having a reputation for
longevity, Mrs. Marshall attributes her bush medicine for keeping
her healthy. There are nearly 100 medicinal plants in all of
the Bahamas, and many of these forms of vegetation are grown by Mrs.
Marshall in her yard. 
Along with
these cultural qualities, the Androsian people also have the ability
to construct exceptional baskets. The technique of basket-weaving
has been passed down from generations and friends. A native
man nick-named "Scrap Iron" is found daily practicing this process
taught to him by Mrs. Marshall. Scrap Iron's creating stunning
baskets is but a reflection of his colorful personality.
In addition
to the Andros culture is the structure of marriage and child birthing.
In later years when a man turned eighteen he was expected to
earn money for a home. The females would begin earning dowry
at the young age of thirteen. Marriage could take place when
the man could provide a home and financial support for them. Family
is a vital part of the peoples lives. If you were married
you were expected to have many children which were also a sign of
masculinity. Large families are still a very important part
of the Andros Community.
The culture is vital to the Androsian people.
Each year they celebrate many blessings of their freedom, customs,
and civilizations. The main celebrations of Androsia include:
Junkanoo, Goombay, Crab Fest and Regatta. Junkanoo, is one of
the largest and most traditional, is celebrated around the Christmas
and New Years season. The roots of the celebration are traced
back to West Africa. The slaves of Andros adopted the celebration
to coincide with their own culture. It was a time during the
season when slaves had received vacation time for the holidays. Slaves
would dress up in costumes and dance to the rhythm of music and drums.
Today Junkanoo is still highly celebrated and lasts for days
with music, food, and tons of fellowship. 
Although we have still found that the culture had
many different influences on language and government from the British,
population influences from African ancestry, and lifestyle and religion
influences from the Caribbean. Peaceful, easy going, and friendly
are some of the many qualities the islanders possess. The history
and cultural identity of the island is being preserved despite the
reality of a rapidly changing society. The islanders seem happy
and will continue to be consistent in their beliefs in family, love,
and remembering their roots despite the changing society we live in.
A tropical paradise is definitely the exterior of the island.
Beneath the picturesque surface, Andros is all about the people.
