Bahamian Traditions
In Stephanie Carey’s family, there are no exceptions, everybody must bring something.
“Relatives from the UK, Canada, Italy, the United States, Cayman Islands, Hong Kong, wherever they fly in from for our Christmas reunion, everyone brings a dish,” she said.
Her shrimp and rice, seasoned to perfection, takes its place alongside the Bahamian tradition of ham, turkey, peas and rice, macaroni, plantains and desserts of pineapple tarts, guava duffs and benny cakes.
This feast is as much about identity as it is indulgence.
Cultural Icon Arlene Nash Ferguson believes that whether it’s the way we cook our food, the way we heal ourselves, or how we recreate a festival from the Mother Country, this time isn’t just about seasonal gatherings, it’s also about rituals coming to the forefront of life.
And in The Bahamas, it plays out in living rooms, church halls, and on Bay Street, uniting generations in celebration of who we are.
“Bahamian traditions are important and critical to our culture,” said Ferguson. “It’s important that we retain this strong and proud heritage that was bequeathed to us by people who were determined to succeed and survive in the most horrendous circumstances known to man. It all speaks to the strength, determination, and spirit of the Bahamian people.”
Her words echo through every Junkanoo shack, where dedicated “shack rats” spend countless hours pasting, feathering, and glittering elaborate costumes for just two nights of spectacle — Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Though the artistry is fleeting, its significance endures. Junkanoo is more than entertainment, it is resistance, remembrance and revival – a vibrant tribute to ancestors who endured unimaginable trials and triumphed with unbreakable spirit.
The season doesn’t begin with the first cowbell ring on Bay Street. It stirs with the arrival of fall, as whispers of Junkanoo rivalries grow almost as loud as the laughter in comradery, building toward December’s fever-pitched crescendo.
The national tempo slows. Work winds down. Stores buzz with anticipation. The air is thick with the scent of pine, ham, and parties. It is a time of reflection, reconnection, and joyful calm before the rhythmic storm.
For Tatum Kennon, this season meant growing up with glue gun burns caused by late-night Junkanoo costume-pasting sessions alongside his father. Over at Krystel Rolle-Brown’s house, her entire family waits all year for their “12 Days of Christmas” original production that brings the generations together in unique moments of playfulness.
All around the island, from the kitchen to the parade line, Bahamian holiday traditions are tangible expressions of cultural pride, sacred routines passed down through time not just to be celebrated, but to be understood. Because in The Bahamas, tradition isn’t nostalgia, it’s a living, breathing testament to strength.
And that, more than anything, is the heartbeat of the holidays.
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