The Tribune

The Ministry of Tourism and Aviation has teamed with cultural promoters to showcase the Bahamian straw industry and Junkanoo at a prominent south Florida mall.

The partnership with the Island Society for the Promotion of Artistic and Cultural Education (SPACE) Caribbean Museum will showcase The Bahamas as part of an 18-month long exhibit at the Westfield Broward Mall in Plantation that focuses on the Caribbean.

The first six months of the exhibit will be dedicated to The Bahamas solely, with an official opening ceremony scheduled to take place at the mall in January 2021.

Calibe Thompson, executive director of Island SPACE Caribbean Museum, said: “Our goal through the creation of this 1,500 square foot Caribbean museum project is to educate and inform of our history, promote diversity, build cultural tolerance and celebrate our ancestry, heritage and common traditions of the Caribbean.

"The Caribbean diaspora and influence in South Florida are substantial. In fact, according to the 2017 census data, one in every four persons in South Florida are of Caribbean descent."

Island SPACE is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the development of arts, culture, history and educational initiatives that represent the Caribbean region in South Florida and the broader diaspora community. It produces numerous cultural events including Taste of the Islands Festival.

“Westfield Broward Mall is not only the central hub for people from the Caribbean, but it also attracts a number of Florida residents and other visitors who frequently visit The Bahamas. The opportunity to partner with Island SPACE in this promotion was a logical one and perfect marriage for us,” said Betty Bethell-Moss, the Ministry of Tourism's director of sales and marketing.

“One of our major goals has been to stimulate travel to The Bahamas by staying visible within the market as we seek to keep The Bahamas at the top of mind with consumers. We know that people want to travel, experience a different culture and connect while doing so. Florida is so close to us, less than 50 miles away, so this is quick, easy and safe to do.

“The Bahamas has a rich, diverse and colourful history. Through this interactive exhibit we are able to tell our own story, beginning with the history of those who came before us, from the Lucayan Indians to the Loyalists, enslaved Africans, colonialism, as well as the development of the various trades, all of which have shaped who we are as a people and are highlighted in our video and audio presentations, and replicated in our authentic Junkanoo and straw craft displays."