Mythologies of Bahamas
The Bahamas are home to rich heritage and culture that have their own myths and legends as most other countries do. These myths come from a cultural background that can be traced back to Africa, and natural and unnatural phenomena that early locals witnessed in their environment. Below are some of the most well known and interesting folklore that The Bahamas has to offer. The largest island in the Bahamas, Andros, holds mysteries and wonders both on land and sea. The 100-mile long island consists of largely unpopulated and undeveloped stretches divided by estuaries into North Andros, Mangrove Cay, and South Andros. Along with intricate creeks, mangrove flats, and pine forests, the island holds a vast expanse of underwater cave systems and sits adjacent to the world’s third largest coral reef. An enormous half-shark, half-octopus creature called Lusca is believed to live in the depths of the blue holes, and sightings of a large feathered creature atop pine trees are still reported. Androsians believe that cures for ailments can be found in nature and that treasure was hidden in caves by the Caribbean’s most feared pirate. Myths aside, Andros is a spellbinding destination with deserted beaches, abundant wildlife, and a rich cultural heritage, where you’ll no doubt come away with a better appreciation for the wild and the wonderful.
Bacoo
Bacoo are tiny, bearded men that take up residence in houses and can grant wishes. Tales about them are popular in Barbados. Legend has it that if you treat a bacoo well, it will do your bidding. However, if you treat it poorly, it will torment you until you whatever it asks. They live up in the rafters or ceilings of a house and won’t leave until the owner of a house passes away. These impish spirits are said to pelt houses with stones, or move objects around inside houses. Bacoo are sometimes blamed for strange incidents
Myths and Legends in the Bahamas
Lusca
Mythical beast of Bahamian legend.
Lusca is a mythical creature of Bahamian folklore. Half-shark, half-octopus, Lusca lurks around in the underwater caves, tunnels and blue holes found all over the Caribbean. However, it is believed that she lives mostly in the underwater caves and blue holes around the Bahamas Islands, especially around Andros, the largest island in the Bahamas. She is mean spirited and some islanders believe that she likes to drown divers and explorers who are not careful. Some even believe that if your boat is over a bluehole she could pull it in down into the dark waters. This mythical creature is half shark, half octopus. Said to lurk in the blue holes of the Bahamas, the lusca is just as scary as it sounds. It grabs swimmers with its tentacles and drags them down into the abyss. In some versions of the lusca stories, the creature is half octopus, half woman, and it entangles victims in its long hair. The lusca has been linked to many sightings of sea monsters over the years. For example, blubbery remains of a giant creature washed up on a Florida shore in 1896, and some suggested it could be a real-life lusca. Dubbed the St. Augustine monster, the remains were later found to be those of a giant whale.
The tidal currents of the inland blue holes are said to be the breath of Lusca. As she breathes in, water pours into the caverns, in some cases forming a whirlpool, and when Lusca breathes out, cold, clear water gushes up to the surface. But Lusca is not all bad because the tidal flow also brings food for the real creatures that live in the blue holes, such as grouper, lobster and reef sharks and other fish. So, Lusca has long been thought of as the guardian of the dark blue holes because she makes sure the fish that live there are fed. Even today, many local Bahamians stay away from the mystical blue holes.
Chickcharnies
Chickcharnies live in Andros, the largest island in The Bahamas. They are elfish, birdlike creatures with piercing red eyes. They have three fingers, three toes and a tail, which they use to hang upside down from trees. Chickcharnies live in the pine forests and build nests by joining two pine trees together at the top. Chickcharnies are peaceful but mischievous creatures and they like pretty colours. When you go sightseeing in Andros carry flowers or wear bright colours to charm them. Legend says if you see a chickcharnie and show it respect, you’ll be blessed with good luck for the rest of your life. Be careful not to sneer at it, however, or your head will turn completely around! An old legend has it that a man named Billy Bowleg – the great Seminole medicine man – was adopted and trained by the Chickcharnies. They took him when he was 14 and kept him for five years. When he returned to this people his reputation as a healer spread throughout the Bahamas.
Where the Chickcharnie came from
There really once was a creature like the Chickcharnie on Andros. It was a 2-foot-tall owl called Tyto pollens, a remote cousin of the smaller Common Barn-owl. Tyto pollens was a large owl that could not fly and like most other owls it swivel its head. So that’s probably where the Chickcharnie legen came from… but who knows.
Anansi
Anansi is a very popular figure in Bahamian stories. He is a trickster, and is usually a spider-god, but in some stories he is human and in some stories he is part spider part human.Anansi is very rebellous and sometimes he likes to cause trouble. He can do almost anything. He can marry the Kings daughter, create wmoney out of thin air; He can trick the Devil and even cheat Death. Even if Anansi loses in one story, you know that he will win in the next. He is very intelligent and quick-witted. No matter what happens to him he usually comes out well in the end… often because he was able to trick some one.
Anansi is a descendant from the West African spider god that is incredibly popular in The Bahamas. He generally takes the shape of a spider but can transform his appearance to look like a human or part human part spider. This god is known to be very quick-witted and cunning. He is both a trickster and a hero depending on which story is being told. In many stories, he is tricking the devil and even death using his quick-witted skills. Anansi is celebrated as a symbol of slave resistance and survival in The Bahamas and stories were told to help keep slave spirits up.
ANANSI OBTAINED THE SKY KING’S STORIES
Anansi approaches the Sky King, or sky god, asking to buy his stories so that he can share them with others. Some versions have Anansi wanting the stories so that everyone would know they come from him. The Sky King, however, does not believe Anansi can afford his stories, and states that whole cities, villages, and tribes have approached him with prices for his stories, but no one has been able to buy them yet. Undeterred, Anansi asks for the Sky King’s price. The Sky King insists that unless he can bring Onini the python, Osebo the leopard, Mmoatia the fairy, and Mmoboro the hornet, he will never obtain the Sky King’s stories. These animals or beings sometimes change depending on the version of the story, but for the purposes of this spotlight, we’ll go with these four because they’re pretty interesting. Anansi wastes no time. He immediately sets off to capture these other animals, and resorts to his clever tricks to do so. For Onini, he asks to measure the length of the python’s body, but eventually tricks the python into tying himself into a knot instead, or ties up the python while he is unaware. He tricks Osebo the leopard into falling into a pit, and capturing the leopard either in his sticky webs, or after he knocks the leopard unconscious so the leopard can’t eat him. He pours water over a banana leaf to fake rain falling on a hornets’ nest, and convinces the hornets to take shelter in his jar or gourd, where he traps them.
Lost City of Atlantis
Many people believe that the ancient, sunken city of Atlantis was in the Bimini islands in the Bahamas. Huge, flat stones lying neatly about 20 feet under the clear waters of North Bimini might be all that is left of The Lost City of Atlantis. They look like a road and are known as Bimini Road.
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