VOLUME 15, NUMBER 10, MAY 15th, 2007 Island Roots Festival draws hundreds A pirate theme brought interest in cay’s past By Mirella Santillo Green Turtle Cay’s Island Roots Heritage Festival was officially opened on May 4th by Commissioner Lopez from Key West, who stated “without Green Turtle Cay, there would not be a Key West as we know it now.” The festival was created in 1977 to celebrate the first year anniversary of the sisterhood between Key West and New Ply- mouth. It was not held for 27 years but the festival has gained growing popularity since its return in 2004. It is a cultural and enter- taining event aimed at reminding people of the island’s history and of their roots. It also is intended to keep alive the ties between New Plymouth and Key West, which share a common Loyalist heritage. This year’s theme was Pirates and it is only normal that the pirate ship of the Conch Republic, (Key West) the schooner Wolf, heralded the festivities with a cannonade followed by a statement from the Admiral and First Sea Lord, Captain Finbar Gittleman, “We come not to plunder, merely to enjoy.” The Wolf’s first mate Julie “Blos- The Fourth Annual Island Roots Festival brought together Abaconians from all communities as well as many visitors from Florida som” McEnroe and the crew of the schoo- and elsewhere. The festival provided two days of entertainment, games, informative talks, demonstrations of bygone skills and skits ner, were joined by the Pyrates of the Coast, about pirates. Shown here are the students of the Tiny Turtles Pre-school who sang several songs and are accompanied here by some of the pirates who came from Florida.The school is under the direction of Mrs. Annabelle Cross, a contributor to The Abaconian. Please see Festival Page 7 Work on airport Bahamian darts team has runway continues two Abaconians By Jennifer Hudson the airport while the runway was being con- In a ceremony at the Marsh Harbour In- structed and the Ministry of Aviation took ternational Airport on March 13, 2006, the some time to decide on which way they Hon. Bradley Roberts, Minister for Works, wanted to go about it. and the Hon. Glenys Hanna-Martin, Minis- It was finally decided to construct a new ter for Aviation, signed a contract with Ba- parallel runway south of the existing run- hamas Hot Mix for the repaving of the air- way. The old runway will be repaired and port runway which for some time had been resurfaced as a taxiway. This way will not in a deplorable and dangerous condition. Work did not begin immediately since there Please see Airport Page 26. was much dissension about the closing of $25,000 grant will go toward Education Center The National Masters Dart Tournament was held on Abaco on May 4 and 5. The team was named that will represent The Bahamas at the World Cup Championship to be held in the Netherlands in October. The winners of the tournament are shown above. They are Shane Sawyer, Tony Moree, Angela Russell, Trudy Johnson, Harry Brown, Barry Payne, Pepper Russell. On the far right is Malcolm Spicer, President of the Bahamas Darts Association. Mr. Sawyer and Ms. Russell are the two Abaconians who will be going to the Netherlands. See story on page 25... Renew your subscription before the expiration date shown in the label below. The Abaconian PRST STD 9945 NW 88th Ave US POSTAGE Wayne Mitchell, Treasurer for NAUI Worldwide, presents Friends of the Environment Medley, FL 33178 PAID Forward and Address Correction Permit #2438 with $25,000 toward the creation of an Education Center in Marsh Harbour to provide MIAMI FL 331 a site for students, residents and visitors to learn more about Abaco’s unique and beautiful environment. Receiving the gift for Friends is d’Shan Maycock, Education Officer. Olivia Patterson and Lindsey McCoy, both with Friends, were also present. See story on page 7.. Page 2 A The Abaconian May 15, 2007 Many were interested in their geneology By Mirella Santillo the Currys, Roberts, Pinders, Malones, “It has been a major source of research,” marriage all the people intertwine. I am The genealogy booth, manned by Mr. Adams or Alburys, whichever their fam- she explained. trying to follow each surname because we Alton Lowe and Mrs. Joy Lowe-Jossi, a ily name was. While in Nassau, she spent time at the have grown to be such a large number. resident of Oregon who grew up in Nas- A descendent of the first marriage on archives, gathering a lot of information We have very close ties to people who sau but who can trace her ancestors to Abaco between a Curry and a Lowe, Mrs. in The genealogy of Wyannie Malone. went to Key West, but we also find rela- the first settlers on Green Turtle Cay, was Lowe-Jossi, as well as her distant cousin However, a recent source of data regard- tives all over the United States. The best a hub of constant activity during the Mr. Alton Lowe, was always interested ing Bahamian names, The Bahamas DNA source is from one’s family and listening Green Turtle Cay Roots Heritage Festi- in finding her roots. “I have had that in- Project through which people can find to other families,” she stated. val. terest since childhood and so had Alton,” their ancestors through a match of DNA, Genealogy is a hobby for Mrs. Lowe- People came to see a display of old she said. Information passed by older allowed her to fill a gap concerning one Jossi, a very time consuming one, but also photographs not only of distant relatives family members was soon supplemented of her great-grandmothers. Mrs. Lowe- a very exciting one. She mentioned Kin- but also of themselves as children. Then by data contained in the book Kinfolks Jossi, a Lowe from Green Turtle Cay, folks again which was reprinted in 1998. they invariably found themselves at the written by William Curry Harlee and first discovered that one of her great-grand- “It carries a lot of information and his- table which was littered with books and published in 1934. Mrs. Lowe-Jossi re- mothers that she only knew by her first tory,” she said, “but I would like to see research data compiled by Mrs. Lowe- calls that as a young girl, she used to go name, Frances Jane, was a Pinder from it carried further,” she added, toying with Jossi with the hope of finding more about to her uncle’s house to consult the book. Cherokee Sound, an exciting discovery the idea that she might be the one to carry for the researcher. the torch adding information to the book “Being a Lowe,” she explained, “that by using each surname. name has been my main interest, but mar- riage has brought everybody else. By The geneology booth was very popular as Bahamians discovered information about their ancestors. Green Turtle Cay descendants Joy Lowe Jossi, now living in Oregon, and Alton Lowe brought together their research efforts to share with festival-goers. Also displayed were many interesting old photographs. Shown here are, left to right, Mr. A tug-of-war competition was a popular activity at the Island Roots Festival. Children Michael Lightbourne, an American who is a descendant of the Lowe family, Mrs. Jossi participated in sack races, stilts and took swings at a pinata. being interviewed by Ms. Shelley Austin and Mr. Reg Patterson. BAHAMAS ADDRESS A Joint Venture of P.O. Box AB 20737 Marsh Harbour Shipping Co. & United Abaco Shipping Co. Marsh Harbour EXPEXPEXPANDED SERVICEVICEVICE Abaco, Bahamas NEWNEW UNEW UU.S..S..S. 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