NASSAU, Bahamas, CMC—Prime Minister Philip Davis says the stays of the Lucayans, the primary folks of those islands, have closed a chapter that started almost 100 years in the past with their removing by George R. Fox, from Watlings Island, now generally known as San Salvador.
Prime Minister Davis stated that these bones, resting in a Michigan College storage facility since 1952, “at the moment are reunited with the land and legacy that first gave them life.
“Immediately, we collect right here to witness a deeply reflective and profoundly significant second for our nationwide story. It’s a second the place a part of our previous, held removed from our shores for almost a century, has lastly returned house,” he added.
Prime Minister Davis, talking on the ceremony marking the return of the Lucayans’ stays, stated the occasion is a strong reminder of the journey of the Bahamian folks.
The Lucayan folks have been the unique residents of The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands earlier than the European colonization of the Americas.
The Lucayans have been the primary within the Americas to fulfill Christopher Columbus, marking a interval that may tragically result in their destruction and the erasure of a complete tradition. That they had been right here for lots of of years, thriving, celebrating, and burying their family members with reverence within the caves of those islands.
Nevertheless, Prime Minister Davis famous that they have been additionally the primary to undergo the devastation introduced by colonial encounters.
He stated whereas DNA research present no organic hyperlink between them and present-day Bahamians, “their spirit and affect echo via our tradition, guiding us in ways in which transcend mere lineage.
“Our historical past is certainly one of resilience, endurance, and adaptation,” he stated, including, “From the Lucayans to the enslaved Africans who constructed Fort Charlotte, to the Bahamians who carved out livelihoods from the ocean and the land, every technology has confronted its struggles, but emerged with energy and dignity.”
He stated these tales of braveness and survival are extra than simply historical past classes; they’re the inspiration of who we’re as a folks.
“They remind us that our heritage is not only a set of occasions however a testomony to the resilience that runs via our blood.”
Prime Minister Davis stated the journey to carry the Lucayan stays to the nation has been lengthy and crammed with advanced paths. It was made doable via the 1990 Native American Graves Safety and Repatriation Act, a regulation that mandates establishments return stays and sacred artifacts to their communities at any time when doable.
He praised the collaboration between Michigan State College’s Arts and Collections Division and The Bahamas’ Antiquities, Monuments & Museums Company, saying, “We mark a historic first for The Bahamas: the return of ancestral stays from a global establishment.”
Davis stated that the act is greater than a transaction. It restores dignity, heals wounds, and acknowledges a shared duty to honor cultural heritage.
“Our connection to the previous doesn’t cease with the Lucayans. Tomorrow, we are going to carry historical past to life via a reenactment that honors the service and sacrifices of the West India Regiment — males of African descent who fought for the British Military within the Caribbean and Africa.
“In historic uniforms, our Royal Bahamas Defence Power, Rangers, and younger recruits will carry out navy drills in Parliament and Rawson Squares, the place we’ll be transported again to the 18th century. These reenactments function a vivid reminder of the bravery and resilience handed down via generations.”
He stated that Fort Charlotte, accomplished in 1819, stands as a reminder of the previous’s twin legacy. Constructed by enslaved and freed Africans underneath Lord Dunmore’s governorship, Fort Charlotte, together with forts Darcy and Stanley, defended the islands and symbolized the resilience and energy of those that formed these shores.
Named for Queen Charlotte, it was constructed as each a fortress and a press release of the Bahamas’ place on the planet, despite the fact that its builders had no freedom of their very own.
“As we glance again on the tales of the Lucayans, the West India Regiment, and the development of Fort Charlotte, we’re reminded of the significance of reclaiming our historical past, remembering those that got here earlier than us, and celebrating their influence on who we’re in the present day.
“The resilience and legacy of our ancestors form our current and encourage us towards a future the place we uphold our heritage with pleasure. Immediately, we not solely witness the return of our ancestors’ stays, however we honor their enduring presence and affect.
“They’re a part of the spirit that defines us, a spirit that endures and guides our nation ahead. Allow us to embrace this second with reverence, reflection, and a renewed dedication to preserving our heritage for generations to come back,” Davis stated, including, “We, Bahamians, carry in our blood the braveness of the Lucayans, the energy of the West India Regiment, and the unbreakable spirit of those that laid the stones of our forts.”
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