The Tribune

By RIEL MAJOR

OFFICIALS of the Clifton Heritage Authority announced yesterday the commissioning of a replica Lucayan settlement at Clifton Heritage Park.

Shonel Ferguson, Fox Hill MP, said the team has wonderful plans on the way for the park. She said: “Clifton is one of those special places in New Providence. It’s one of those places where we had three separate ethnic groups live. The Lucayans were the first to arrive; in addition to the Lucayans who lived here at Clifton we also had the enslaved Africans and the Loyalists.

“Unfortunately, there is nothing left from the Lucayans besides what archaeologists and historians can tell us. So we are excited, I’m excited and we can’t wait and so we have started the move and we have Dr Keegan to tell us that we are on the right track and to authenticate what we have done.”

She added: “(When complete) you can expect to see their everyday life what they ate, how they planted things, how they cooked. It will be an experimental tour you become involved.”

The settlement’s official groundbreaking is set for April 26.

“Today is the commissioning of the work and to make sure we are doing it as the Lucayans did. We are excited, I’m excited and we can’t wait and so we have started the move and we have Dr Keegan to tell us that we are on the right track and to authenticate what we have done.

“The first hut built is the chief’s hut and then about four other huts will show where the other Lucayans lived other than the chief. We expect to have plenty other things but we aren’t going to tell you yet,” said Ms Ferguson, pictured below.

Dr Willian Keegan, of the University of Florida, said he’s joyful about the completion of the first Lucayan hut and he believes the Lucayans would be proud.

Dr Keegan said: “The construction is perfect and I know from our discussions the rest will also be particular to the Lucayans in a special way. The work we are doing today is showing Bahamians from the very beginning were unique people, a unique society — unlike the Arawaks and Tainos who lived in Cuba and Jamaica. The Lucayans lived in very small communities like people do on the Family Islands today.”

Ms Ferguson said she is hopeful that in eight to 12 months their authority will have something to show.

She said: “We have quite a way to go…we have statues to build, ovens and we will be just moving. But people can come and experience it as it is happening we don’t want them to wait for the finished product, we want them to keep coming.

“Any tourist or Bahamian that wants to say that they helped build a Lucayan hut please come and be a part of the experience. We keep a record so your grandchildren and great grandchildren years from now will know that you contributed to helping the Lucayan village come to reality at Clifton.”