National Identity
Jamell Robinson, TCI Patriot
The question of who we are as Turks and Caicos Islanders has been one that many have pondered for decades with no definitive answer to date.
Our history teaches us that our Islands have been conquered, re-conquered, colonized, and conquered again by the French, the Spanish, and finally settling with the British. From that time to present we have had very few occasions where persons across these Islands have had a singular cause to be unified as one.
Little or no development took place for centuries. We were not even used as a traditional colony, where a single industry was developed for the sole purpose of supplying the mother country. Case in point, the salt industry was spearheaded by Bermudian settlers for their own benefit not England’s.
Middle Caicos was settled by Africans from the Slave Ship Trouvadore that was shipwrecked off of East Caicos. The sisal, sponge and other plantation related industries attempted were set up by relocated American Loyalists who were granted land in the Caicos Islands. All these industries never proved sustainable in the long term, nor were they deployed throughout the TCI as a whole. This likely resulted in not producing a revolt in unity by Islanders to stamp our commonality.
I say all of that to point to the fact that each Island has essentially developed somewhat uniquely independent of each other save for the commonality of Grand Turk, South Caicos, and Salt Cay during the salt industry. Think about it: ask any Turks and Caicos Islander where they are from and they will tell you which island they were born, grew up or where their family is from rather than saying the Turks and Caicos Islands.
In most other countries people would say the country first and only when prompted would they say which state, city or town. This speaks to our tribalism, where a person would prefer an outsider preside over them rather than someone from a different ‘tribe’ to theirs.
Some, both local and foreigner have used the TCI back-story: tribalism; colonialism; geography; or lack on national identity to keep us divided for their own agenda. Some have perpetuated this in ignorance not fully knowing the long term effects.
For example, I was born in the USA, grew up in Grand Turk on Good Street, North Back Salina and later relocated to Breezy Brae; my parents are from Grand Turk and North Caicos, and I am a Turks and Caicos Islander. Undoubtedly, there will not be many, if any other Turks and Caicos Islanders exactly like me. My older brother was born in Grand Turk, grew up on Good Street then later relocated to Breezy Brae and has lived in the USA for many years. Though seemingly similar, he is not exactly like me. However, the common thread we share is the fact that we are both Turks and Caicos Islanders in every sense of our national and cultural identity.
So what are the solutions?? We need a name change, either in what we call ourselves or completely changing the name of the country. Hon. C. Washington Misick proposed Turcaisians many years ago; merging the Turks with the Caicos. This is a start.
Whatever the combination, once it serves to unite us, it can work. The country name change may be the answer because historically countries that have an ‘and’ in them, the island coming behind it are treated poorer than the island(s) at the front. Usually, this is because the island before the ‘and’ is the economic hub, the seat of government or just simply bigger.
An example here would be Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda, or St. Kitts and Nevis. What we have in the TCI is the opposite of many countries. The Caicos Islands are geographically bigger than the Turks Islands. Providenciales is now the economic hub, yet Grand Turk remains the seat of Government. Though, for a brief point in our history, Kew, North Caicos was the capital.
The perfect example of a uniting name is The Bahamas. The Bahamas has more islands and cays than the TCI; and like its name, the citizenry also has one unifying name: Bahamians. They have their issues - I’m sure; but their national identity is not one of them. Also of note is that many former African colonies have changed their names on achieving independence, such as Ghana, which was formally known as the Gold Coast. Why should we have to wait for independence if a name change is desired by the people?
The other solution or opportunity is that circumstances must get to the point across the length and breadth of this country where we have no other choice but to unite and conquer that which divides. Every Caribbean country has had that moment as a part of their story. We have yet to have ours, though some may opine we did with the Junkanoo uprisings.
Nevertheless, what JAGS started in 1975 has yet to take root in this country and what he fought for has yet to be universally respected or accepted across the country. The time must come and I believe that time is drawing near and then and only then will we unite and define both our National and Cultural Identity.
Our history teaches us that our Islands have been conquered, re-conquered, colonized, and conquered again by the French, the Spanish, and finally settling with the British. From that time to present we have had very few occasions where persons across these Islands have had a singular cause to be unified as one.
Little or no development took place for centuries. We were not even used as a traditional colony, where a single industry was developed for the sole purpose of supplying the mother country. Case in point, the salt industry was spearheaded by Bermudian settlers for their own benefit not England’s.
Middle Caicos was settled by Africans from the Slave Ship Trouvadore that was shipwrecked off of East Caicos. The sisal, sponge and other plantation related industries attempted were set up by relocated American Loyalists who were granted land in the Caicos Islands. All these industries never proved sustainable in the long term, nor were they deployed throughout the TCI as a whole. This likely resulted in not producing a revolt in unity by Islanders to stamp our commonality.
I say all of that to point to the fact that each Island has essentially developed somewhat uniquely independent of each other save for the commonality of Grand Turk, South Caicos, and Salt Cay during the salt industry. Think about it: ask any Turks and Caicos Islander where they are from and they will tell you which island they were born, grew up or where their family is from rather than saying the Turks and Caicos Islands.
In most other countries people would say the country first and only when prompted would they say which state, city or town. This speaks to our tribalism, where a person would prefer an outsider preside over them rather than someone from a different ‘tribe’ to theirs.
Some, both local and foreigner have used the TCI back-story: tribalism; colonialism; geography; or lack on national identity to keep us divided for their own agenda. Some have perpetuated this in ignorance not fully knowing the long term effects.
For example, I was born in the USA, grew up in Grand Turk on Good Street, North Back Salina and later relocated to Breezy Brae; my parents are from Grand Turk and North Caicos, and I am a Turks and Caicos Islander. Undoubtedly, there will not be many, if any other Turks and Caicos Islanders exactly like me. My older brother was born in Grand Turk, grew up on Good Street then later relocated to Breezy Brae and has lived in the USA for many years. Though seemingly similar, he is not exactly like me. However, the common thread we share is the fact that we are both Turks and Caicos Islanders in every sense of our national and cultural identity.
So what are the solutions?? We need a name change, either in what we call ourselves or completely changing the name of the country. Hon. C. Washington Misick proposed Turcaisians many years ago; merging the Turks with the Caicos. This is a start.
Whatever the combination, once it serves to unite us, it can work. The country name change may be the answer because historically countries that have an ‘and’ in them, the island coming behind it are treated poorer than the island(s) at the front. Usually, this is because the island before the ‘and’ is the economic hub, the seat of government or just simply bigger.
An example here would be Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda, or St. Kitts and Nevis. What we have in the TCI is the opposite of many countries. The Caicos Islands are geographically bigger than the Turks Islands. Providenciales is now the economic hub, yet Grand Turk remains the seat of Government. Though, for a brief point in our history, Kew, North Caicos was the capital.
The perfect example of a uniting name is The Bahamas. The Bahamas has more islands and cays than the TCI; and like its name, the citizenry also has one unifying name: Bahamians. They have their issues - I’m sure; but their national identity is not one of them. Also of note is that many former African colonies have changed their names on achieving independence, such as Ghana, which was formally known as the Gold Coast. Why should we have to wait for independence if a name change is desired by the people?
The other solution or opportunity is that circumstances must get to the point across the length and breadth of this country where we have no other choice but to unite and conquer that which divides. Every Caribbean country has had that moment as a part of their story. We have yet to have ours, though some may opine we did with the Junkanoo uprisings.
Nevertheless, what JAGS started in 1975 has yet to take root in this country and what he fought for has yet to be universally respected or accepted across the country. The time must come and I believe that time is drawing near and then and only then will we unite and define both our National and Cultural Identity.