From pineapple fields to pink flamingoes: 700 reasons why we 'Gern to da island'

Wake up early one mornin, Kiss my mama good-bye, Going back to the island, I say don't worry mama don't cry

I just know you read that with the melody in your head or perhaps you sang it aloud, but whatever the case, "Back to the island" by Bahamen is and will always be our jam!!!

And we are excited to share that it is in line with this year's theme: GERN TO DA ISLAND.

In a previous post we spoke about how our new strategy is to create annual themes that our content and merchandise designs can be centred around. Last year was FOOD and chall, it was dead good. This year is all about gern to da island.

700 reasons why we Gern to da island:

1. An opportunity to highlight the 700 islands and cays of The Bahamas. 

2. To showcase each island and what it’s known for.

3. To demonstrate the diversity and differences among the Bahamian islands.

4. Encourage local travel and exploration of islands.

Each island in The Bahamas is so unique. I can recall countless memories where I felt so energized from sharing with anyone with ears that I’m from The Bahamas. 

“I’m from The Bahamas”

“Yes, there are 700 islands and cays”

“About 40 are inhabited”

“Each island is sooo unique, you basically have to travel to all to find out which one matches your vibe”

“New Providence is the city, E’lutra is my home, we have pink sand!!!”

“Exuma has the swimming pigs! Have you heard about the swimming pigs?”

“We [Bahamians] all collectively agree that Exuma also has the prettiest water in The Bahamas”

Photo by Harriet Hardy 

Then in the midst of these beautiful moments we of course always get the crazy questions from people that hear “Bahamas” and literally just think beaches and huts.

One of the craziest questions I’ve ever received when telling people I’m from The Bahamas is, “Do y’all drive canoes to work?” or “Do you have pet dolphins?”

I remember laughing thinking she was joking, but she was, in fact, quite serious. She genuinely needed me to answer that question. I blinked, answered as politely as I could and left. 

Silly girl.

Anyways, back to what I was saying. As Bahamians we love to brag and share and brag about how much we love this country. One of our favorite sayings is “I live where you vacation” – even though domestic travel is so expensive that we as Bahamians can’t afford to vacation here– but tings ga eventually be tings or hakuna matata (whichever makes you sleep easy). 

We Bahamians all come from different pockets on different islands with our own set of accents, traditions and vibes. That is cause for celebration. 

I LOVE to travel. I actually think that I function best when I am traveling to different places and countries and getting to experience different cultures, especially considering the fact that I am a cultural worker. In May, I had the opportunity and privilege to travel to Nigeria for a friend's wedding (first photo below) and Canada, Dominica (second and third photo below, respectively) and Barbados for a professional development conference. I spent exactly 6 days at home in Nassau in May. 

During May, I got to visit four countries, visit three new airports, was immersed in different cultures, tasted different cuisines, heard different languages and more. I have such a huge appreciation for different cultures and ways of life. I am thankful to have experienced so many unique places. 

But every time no matter how far I travel, when I reach back home on Bahamian soil, I is be so happy to call this country home. I’m always so mesmerized by the hues of blues of our waters from the plane straight down to listening to the Bahamian accents, “boss lady, you straight?” – in response to a porter asking if I need help with my luggage. Yessss, I am a boss lady and I am proud, gas me up!!! LOLOLOL. No matter where I travel I still expect our spirit in different countries I go to and that really is never the case.

One of my life long goals is to visit each island in The Bahamas. I’ve visited quite a few of them already. Wanna know where? Okay, let’s go! Eleuthera, of course. New Providence, Grand Bahama, Abaco, Andros, Bimini, Exuma, Cat Island and Long Island. I have to make it down to the southern islands– at least one or two or all!

I like to think of each as unique to something. Each island has its own thing it's known for, some islands have more than one, some islands have just one, some islands ‘thing’ may not be as known as others.. For example, Eleuthera is pink sand, glass window bridge and pineapple. Cat island is rake ‘n’ scrape and the hermitage. Long island is, of course, long island mutton and dean’s blue hole. Bimini is bimini bread and for my driving round and having a good time at any hour of the day or night.

One of my favorite memories of Bimini was wanting bbq food at 12am. I was with my sister and I had already been to Bimini a couple times to understand the vibe. I tell my sister, “Let’s go get bbq, it’s 12am, but I betcha we ga find someone grilling”. Sure enough, we driving round on the golf cart and there was BBQ smoke in the air. They say it ga be ready in 20 mins. Love me some Bimini!

Now there are some islands that are a bit more challenging to define in this manner than others. For example, Mayaguana is not a real place, so the internet says. Rum Cay has the really long bridge, but I’m not sure what else? I gotta visit! And is it Crooked Island that is known for bone fishing or Long Island?

This is why I have to visit all the islands to see it for myself. My adventure quest for this year's theme is to visit an island and take y’all along for the experience. Doesn’t necessarily need to be a new island, but we (I is a Bahamian bey community) gern somewhere!!! I might even let y’all decide where I should go. TBD LOL. 

As we are one month away from our 52nd Independence, this year's independence design is based on the theme  "GERN TO DA ISLAND" and the design is inspired by the islands of The Bahamas.

What a dream it is to travel the world and it is my dream to aspire to travel The Bahamas. Imagine if every island in The Bahamas had its own stamp, the same way every country does. For me, I’d want to catch them all– to see how many Bahamian island stamps I can collect. We may not be able to visit all the island in The Bahamas, but with this design you get to hold the idea of gern to the island on you chest. This is all but a dream, but one I wanted to make a reality, that can be attainable for everyone that dreams of one day visiting the swimming pigs in Exuma and the flamingoes in Inagua.

You'll also notice a Bahamian related travel sayings attached to each stamp too. Instead of "arrival" or "departed" that is typically featured on standard travel stamps, we swapped them out for: "I gern", "I reach", "catch flights, not feelings", and "galavantin". A dash of Bahamian-ness, ine neva hurt nobody yanno.

Finally, each stamp features various important dates in Bahamian history such as Independence or when Bahamian women won the right to vote. Can you determine the historical event behind the other dates?

With our upcoming ‘Gern to da Island’ Independence shirt, we fulfil our dream of aspiring to travel around and throughout The Bahamas– our home.

Independence collections dropping next week Friday!

Colorful travel stamps from various islands, featuring names, dates, and symbols like planes and ani