Proponents Call for a Deeper Focus on Sustainable Cultural Expressions

Proponents Call for a Deeper Focus on Sustainable Cultural Expressions

16th May 2023

 

Nassau, THE BAHAMAS – A deeper focus on culture, creating incentives for creative expression and increasing the production of authentic, Bahamian stories was the clarion call at a recent University of The Bahamas’ (UB’s) panel discussion held in commemoration of the country’s 50th golden jubilee of independence.

UB’s School of Social Sciences hosted two days of panel discussions on the theme, “From Majority Rule to Independence and Beyond.” The first day was dedicated to elevating arts and culture as a key part of national development.

Mark Humes championed culture, in its many forms, as capital. He said in the early years of Bahamian nationhood this philosophy was more evident in the bustling tourism offerings that featured a variety of entertainment and story-telling.  He urged a return to this especially as the nation reflects on its past and engages in conversations about the future.

“We still have a difficulty recognizing culture as capital and how, through the process of making culture a group of individuals’ property, it becomes a heritage asset that provides the owners, not only with the clear-cut pattern of identification, but also the potential opportunity to take it and trade it on the market,” said Humes, a former UB English faculty and theatre actor.

Humes, a former Member of Parliament, added that the idea of culture as capital was the bedrock of The Bahamas’ development.

“The struggle that the arts and culture community is having right now is that The Bahamas’ organizational goals have changed, and what is being communicated, without it being said directly to us, is that you have to find a way to align. We can feel it, but no one is saying the obvious,” he noted.

Humes said it is imperative for democracy and empowerment to be sustainable and today’s power elite must recommit to founding principles.

Travolta Cooper, who produced the documentary on former Prime Minister Sir Lynden Pindling called “The Black Moses,” added his perspectives on the process of cultural production and his personal experiences in telling the story of this iconic Bahamian leader. Sir Lynden’s story, he said, is still relevant today especially as national development remains the focus and the way forward is still being charted.

“He never got to take people into the “promised land”. Economic independence is something we’re grappling with to this day; it’s something we’re still trying to figure out, how to make this country a country for Bahamians,” said Cooper.

“And so to me, that’s probably the greatest legacy of Sir Lynden and the conversation is about how do we rise to the challenge. Who’s now going to rise to the challenge as a collective people and really make this country for Bahamians and how do we now fit into that narrative, bringing about economic independence for The Bahamas?”

Documenting authentic Bahamian stories can also involve innovative channels and techniques like poetic recording, according to Muslim artist and writer Suhayla Hepburn, who has used erasure poetry and visual poetry in the production of literature. She shared that for her, it has been a journey of emotions.

“One of the things that I find really important when we think about poetry and writing in general is that it has the power to allow us to represent ourselves without worrying about what people think of us or what idea of self we should be representing,” she said.

“For me, specifically, when it comes to poetic records and poetic record keeping, it allows us to capture things that maybe others may not find valuable, but to us are truly and unendingly invaluable. It’s very important that when we look back at literature that we also think about how do we make sure that all of us are represented in the full glory that we all can be.”

The panel discussion was another reflective conversation on the Bahamian journey and the areas on which the country should intently focus for nation-building while at the same time embracing equality and community.

From left are Travolta Cooper, Suhayla Hepburn, and Mark Humes who addressed arts and culture panel held at UB as part of its 50th anniversary of independence events.

 


Office of University Relations
University of The Bahamas
2nd Floor, Michael H. Eldon Complex
University Drive, Oakes Field Campus
P.O. Box N-4912
Nassau, The Bahamas
Tel: (242) 302-4355/4354/4365

 

Chartered on 10th November 2016, University of The Bahamas (UB) is a beacon for national transformation. Approximately 5,000 students are enrolled in the University of The Bahamas system which includes campuses and centres on New Providence, Grand Bahama, and San Salvador, as well as UB online education. UB’s diverse academic programmes, research engagements, athletics and leadership development experiences equip our students to become global citizens in a dynamic world. For more information, visit www.ub.edu.bs