The Tribune

Guess who I ran into last weekend at Bahamas Goombay in Coconut Grove, Miami?

I’m not telling you right off the bat, but it was great that he made the trek.

First, let me tell you about the history of Bahamas Goombay. It stems from a little-known fact that Bahamians began immigrating to South Florida as early as the 1870s and played a major role in helping make Miami and South Florida the successful and diverse region it is today. Bahamians have always migrated to South Florida, from Key West all the way up past Fort Lauderdale. They were integral to the development of Miami, with some Bahamians even signing the city’s incorporation papers in 1896.

Do yourself a favour and research the contributions Bahamians made to the creation of the City of Miami. One of the largest Bahamian communities was established in Coconut Grove. Even my great-grandfather migrated there in 1916 from Grand Bahama, bringing his family, including my grandmother. They are all buried blocks away in the Charlotte Jane cemetery, filled with tombstones etched with generations of familiar Bahamians names.

Fast forward to the 1970s, when the Coconut Grove Goombay Festival was founded. It has survived numerous moves, challenges, ups and downs, leadership changes, and even years when it was not held. Yet it has endured as one of the largest Bahamian festivals in the United States.

Under new leadership, chaired by vonCarol Kinchens-Williams for the past few years, the festival is working to regain the popularity it enjoyed in the 1980s and 1990s, when it was estimated to attract as many as half a million festivalgoers.

“Hats off to the previous organisers. Now I understand what they had to do to make sure something like this runs smoothly, but in the end, it’s worth it,” Kinchens-Williams says breathlessly as I ask her to smile.

“I will when it’s Sunday,” she replies.

I’ve had mixed feelings about the festival over the past few years because there seems to be an ongoing struggle between showcasing authentic Bahamian food and entertainment and catering to broader tastes. There is a push and pull between popular hip-hop culture and our own Bahamian music and traditions, which, to be honest, often receive limited support even in our own country outside of elections and national holidays.

Here in Coconut Grove, the dynamic is also shaped by a community that has slowly lost some of its Bahamian identity to more dominant African American influences. They are proud of their Bahamian heritage, passed down through stories, food, and music, but for many, it has become a strand of DNA that emerges primarily when they are around Bahamians or attending Bahamian-themed events.

Many do get the opportunity to ‘go back’ and visit The Bahamas, depending on how many generations removed they are from their Bahamian roots, but many have never visited at all—even though we are only about 30 minutes away.

I was excited to see authentic Bahamian entertainers such as Wendi, Shaad Collie and the VIPs, Qpid, and Stileet performing, but they were overshadowed by the hip-hop and R&B acts scheduled later in the day.

The majority of the crowd initially gathered at the eastern end of the festival, where most of the food vendors were located. However, once they started hearing the Bahamian music, the crowd migrated west toward the main stage. By the time the Bahamian performers finished, they had drawn the audience right to the stage - perfectly setting the scene for the hip-hop and R&B artists who followed.

In my humble opinion, the Bahamian performers should have been considered the headliners. I can tell you that when the crowd heard some of those familiar Bahamian classics we all grew up with, they came alive - dancing, singing along, and fully embracing the moment.

On Sunday, Sweet Emily performed, and despite the heat, she told me, “It was very hot, but it was a great show, and I can always depend on my South Florida fans to come out and support me.”

As usual, Junkanoo was the star of the show. The groups rushed several times each day, and whenever the crowd heard the first beat of the drums, they followed - dancing behind the Junkanoo group like the Pied Piper.

I will say they organisers did try hard to bring that Bahamian presence to Coconut Grove with all the authentic Bahamian performers, and even though I saw a lot of the Aqua, Black and Gold and people proudly waving their Bahamian flags, I wonder if we’re losing our Bahamian identity in South Florida. I hope not, because Bahamians played such a big part in the making of Miami and South Florida that I hope does not get forgotten by the Cuban influence, a group that seems to ‘stick together’ much more than Bahamians.

Oh, and the person I ran into? It was the Editor of this very same Tribune!

Catch The Charlie Bahama Show on Cable Bahamas, or follow all Charlie Bahama social media channels and subscribe to the Charlie Bahama YouTube channel.