The Commonwealth of the Bahamas
The country is an Atlantic archipelago of 700 coral islands and cays straddling the Tropic of Cancer. She has been independent from England since 1973, although Queen Elizabeth 11 of the Bahamas, through a Royal Governor, remains the titular Head of State. Her abundant resources of sand, sea and climate make the country a premier tourist destination.
Bahamians also have a rich, genetic heritage, and their hybrid vigour has brought them success in science, the arts and athletics.
Although the Country’s population is only 300,000+, statisticians have declared the Bahamas Team to be the winner of the ‘2000 Olympic Games’.
‘Passing Jacks’ paints word pictures of our people and our islands. It will prepare visitors for their Bahamian experience, and it will remind Bahamians of who and what they are:
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By Vangerry OLDHAM
Oct 15, 2009
"Passing Jacks" Passing Jacks (The newest addition to our literary treasury) “Let me tell ya bout back in da day, bout how it was when I was young.” Sound familiar? No doubt upon hearing this, you would heave a great sigh, get comfortable, and prepare yourself for a good, long listen. Ours is a culture rich with tradition, and oral history is one of our oldest traditions. If you want to know about ‘back in the day’ – how things were done, how people lived and loved, the real story behind Bahamian culture, ask your Grammy. If you want to read it, you will have to look long and hard, and more than likely, you will not find a great wealth of resources. There are a few authors who have taken up the task and committed our stories to paper – but they are indeed few. It is for this reason that we must celebrate and embrace the established Bahamian writers and the new addition to the collection. Vangerry Oldham is no newcomer. Oldham has graced our libraries with... More > ’Inside-out’, ‘Long Memory’, a musical play ‘Belthera’. ‘Devil’s Vacation’ is in preparation. Now, after years of hard work, Vangerry has done it again. ‘Passing Jacks’, the culmination of thirty-plus years of inspiration, is 157 pages of pure, simple, authentic and superbly satisfying Bahamian literature. Gerry Oldham has a writing style that reflects his years spent as a teacher; it is clear, concise, and to the point – which is always: The Real Bahamas. The husband and wife team of Van and Gerry Oldham has generously poured out its joint hearts into the creation of this anthology and offer it up to be kept and held dear by Bahamians. Eleuthereans – do you remember ‘Cuz Archie? What about the Fishers? Teachers – do your students know about Andy Deveaux? Bahamians – do you know the words to the National Hymn? If your answer to any of these questions is ‘No’, then ‘Passing Jacks’ should be on the top of your ‘things I buy today’ list. It is our responsibility to ensure that our cultural history remains a viable, tangible thing to be passed on for all to know. It is a gift to our children that cannot be left to dry on the lips of the last one told. ‘Passing Jacks’ offers a glimpse into the ‘true’ Bahamian culture, and takes you deeper than you’ve been before. Oldham himself will tell you that there is more to this Country than Junkanoo, and he lays it all out in his newest to Bahamian literature. There is so much more than text between the covers of this collection. There is warmth, a feeling of familiar that unfolds as soon as you read the dedication: ‘Come and see… What we have seen! Come and live… Where we have been! Share our hearth, Our hearts, Our own… Reap the fruit, Our seed is sown. ‘The Nassau Guardian’, Bahamas Tesia Rolle< Less
