At the Intersection of Tourism, National Identity and Bad Service: The Case Study of The Fergusons of Farm Road. by Edward Minnis, B.A. A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Department of History Carleton University Ottawa, Ontario 14 December, 2009 © copyright 2009, Edward Minnis Library and Archives BibliothSque et 1*1 Canada Archives Canada Published Heritage Direction du Branch Patrimoine de l'6dition 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A0N4 Ottawa ON K1A0N4 Canada Canada Your file Votre r6f6rence ISBN: 978-0-494-64471-3 Our file Notre r6f6rence ISBN: 978-0-494-64471-3 NOTICE: AVIS: The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accorde une licence non exclusive exclusive license allowing Library and permettant a la Bibliotheque et Archives Archives Canada to reproduce, Canada de reproduce, publier, archiver, publish, archive, preserve, conserve, sauvegarder, conserver, transmettre au public communicate to the public by par telecommunication ou par I'lntemet, preter, telecommunication or on the Internet, distribuer et vendre des theses partout dans le loan, distribute and sell theses monde, a des fins commerciales ou autres, sur worldwide, for commercial or non- support microforme, papier, electronique et/ou commercial purposes, in microform, autres formats. paper, electronic and/or any other formats. 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Canada The Department of History recommends to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research acceptance of the thesis At the Intersection of Tourism, National Identity and Bad Service: The Case Study of The Fergusons of Farm Road submitted by Edward A. Minnis, B.A. (Hons.) in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Duncan McDowall, Thesis Supervisor James Miller, Chair Department of History Carleton University 12 January 2010 Abstract In 1970s Bahamas, a radio serial cum soap opera called The Fergusons of Farm Road that ran for almost 190 episodes over a five year period became a cultural phenomenon. Ironically, it was originally a part of a courtesy campaign designed to teach Bahamians the importance of being friendly to tourists. This thesis is the first significant study of the Fergusons, basing its insights on original episode scripts, interviews and recently discovered archival audio recordings. It situates the show within the historical and cultural context of the ongoing Bahamian tourism courtesy campaigns to better understand how it transcended the limitations of its pedagogical role into the realm of abiding popular culture. The thesis concludes that, while the Fergusons of Farm Road brought an ephemeral improvement to the quality of Bahamian tourism, the program's real legacy lies in its function as midwife of an intrinsic vernacular national cultural consciousness and identity. i For Heather and Tommy ii The two-year journey that begins when one joins a Master's program and ends with the completion of a thesis project, is long and winding. It is, of course, a collective endeavor. Contemplating the forest that has contributed to the making of this tree fills my heart with gratitude. First, it must be said that without the financial support of the Lyford Cay Foundation and the Endowment for the Performing Arts in the Bahamas this project would not have found its way to completion. Additional thanks goes to the Clio Graduate History Scholarship and the Carleton department of history for accepting this international student in the first place. Within the text itself, the reader will hear the echo of countless conversations and influences too numerous to count. My supervisor, Duncan McDowall, stands out in this great crowd as one who has given me much encouragement along the way — his industriousness has become a model for my own work. The cast and crew of my graduate office, affectionately dubbed '437 - the musical,' deserves special mention as an inexhaustible source of ideas, distraction and stimulating conversation. Thanks also to the staff of the Bahamas National Archives, who were invaluable assistants in my research, and to the Carleton history graduate secretary, Joan White, who has been a heroic advocate and guide to the labyrinth that the university bureaucracy can often resemble. My girlfriend, Shiemaa Khogali, has taken the brunt of the mood swings and depressions that this work has provoked and her patience and hearing ear have comforted me and given me the necessary resolve to complete it. Finally, special thanks goes to my family, especially Heather and Tommy, my patron saints and surrogate parents: without you I would never have come so far. Table of Contents Page Abstract i Acknowledgements iii Table of Contents iv List of Figures v Audio CD Appendix Contents vi Chapter 1 "We Are Like Gods:" A History of Radio, the Soap Opera and Broadcasting in the Bahamas 1 Chapter 2 Labor in Paradise: A Socio-economic History of the Bahamas 1640 — 1967 47 Chapter 3 The Economics of Smiling: A History of the Bahamian Courtesy Campaign 1955 — 1970 99 Chapter 4 Dramatizing Courtesy, Manipulating Identity: An Analysis of The Fergusons of Farm Road 161 Chapter 5 "An Identity of Its Own:" Analysis, Impact and Conclusions 190 Appendix: A Script of The Fergusons of Farm Road — Episode 1 231 Bibliography 239 Ethics Approval Forms, Carleton University 251 Audio CD Appendix iv List of Figures Page 1. Map of the Bahamas 17 2. Steamship advertising. 1875 Ad. 64 3. Nassau in bold. 1956 Ad. 80 4. So different... So near. 1959 Ad. 81 5. "Cheers" atop sapphire water. 1961 Ad. 82 6. Your smartest winter vacation. 1963 Ad. 83 7. Does the Bahamian sea need retouching? 1966 Ad. Ill 8. Look what you would have missed. 1968 Ad. 112 9. Let's assume I'm an island. 1968 Ad. 113 10. Bahama islands. 1968 Ad. 114 11. A smile makes all the difference. Interpublic comic-book. 122 12. The new Bahamian. Pot Luck cartoon. 195 13. What have I done to my country today? Pot Luck cartoon. 197 14. Why was The Fergusons of Farm Road dumped?? Pot Luck cartoon. 203 15. The Fergusons of Farm Road is back. Pot Luck cartoon. 211 16. Bahamian flag as brochure? 225 V Audio CD Appendix Contents Time 1. Jeanne Thompson, The Fergusons of Farm Road - Episode 134 12:46 2. Jeanne Thompson, The Fergusons of Farm Road - Episode 137 12:45 3. Jeanne Thompson, The Fergusons of Farm Road 'New Series'- Episode 3 13:31 4. Jeanne Thompson, The Fergusons of Farm Road 'New Series' - Episode 4 10:57 5. Eddie Minnis, Miss Lye, performed by Eddie Minnis and Kenny and the Beach Boys 2:47 6. Eddie Minnis, People to People, performed by Eddie Minnis and Ronnie Butler 3:30 vi Chapter 1 "We Are Now Like Gods:" A History of Radio, the Soap Opera and Broadcasting in the Bahamas This project concerns a cultural artifact from the 1970s Bahamas, namely a weekly radio serial, presented with generous elements of the soap-opera aesthetic, called The Fergusons of Farm Road. The program was broadcast intermittently over a five year period, from 1970 to 1975, and became extremely popular with the local population. Beyond its status as a fixture of the era's popular culture, what makes The Fergusons so immensely fascinating is its location near the center of the Bahamian story and the ways that it overlaps almost every significant facet of Bahamian life. To begin with, The Fergusons was produced during a period of transition. In the early 1970s, the Bahamas was still a British colony and had only recently come out from under centuries long political domination by a white minority and was resolutely heading towards political independence and unfettered democracy. Then, as now, tourism was a monolithic force in the islands, and nearly seventy-five cents of every dollar that the country earned came from the industry. It is significant that The Fergusons was originally created as a pedagogical tool of the state tourism apparatus to encourage Bahamians to provide better service to its millions of temporary guests. Despite its origins as propaganda, the show is also remarkable for the speed with which it took on a life of its own. And, as the islands of the Bahamas have historically been in the economic and cultural sway of the United States [US), it is perhaps fitting that the impetus for the creation of this quintessential Bahamian product came from a US advertising agency. 1 The ephemeral nature of radio broadcasting is an apt metaphor for the Fergusons and presents significant challenges for the historian — the program itself has left few tangible traces. While Bahamians alive at the time of its broadcast remember it fondly, these same listeners will be hard-pressed to remember anything more than the boisterous laugh of their favorite character. This ephemeral nature was well understood even at the beginning of work on this project, as it was believed that all of the show's audio had long been destroyed.