http://www.thenassauguardian.com/national_local/313687941711100.php

By Norman Rolle, Weekender Editor

norman@nasguard.com

Just about every Bahamian up to a few years ago was able to recite the date 1492 - Christopher Columbus discovered the New World, landing first on San Salvador. It was our first history lesson. But recently in dispute, was the issue of whether his first landfall took place on San Salvador or Cat Island. Eris Moncur, an educator and now a full time resident of Cat Island, was one of the staunchest proponents of the Cat Island theory. He advanced that the Catholic Church, in a bid to protect vast land holdings in San Salvador, contrived the name switch. But what's in a name? Whether Columbus first landed on Cat Island or San Salvador, the fact is that after he came, we were in the dark for 500-plus years about the extent of his crimes. As the debate in the House continues on the Heroes and Honours Bills, the true Christopher Columbus is being exposed. Fact one, he did not discover the New World. He met people here when he landed. Fact two, he was responsible for the genocide of the Arawak Indians, the original inhabitants. In light of such facts, was Columbus a hero or not? There was much Columbus bashing in the House by Minister of Education, Alfred Sears, who cited several counts of genocide.

The question is: Have we been swung for five centuries? And since we can't exhume the remains of Columbus and try him for 'crimes against humanity,' the least we should do is bulldoze his statue at Government House and kill the October 12 holiday in his honour.

I'm split between it. Once side dosent understand these people who bash him. In high school we were taught rightly so that he was not the first one to "discover" the New World, but was teh first one to ESTABLISH CONTACT between the old and new worlds. One side is like, where would we be if columbus did not do that. Perhaps none of us would have even existed.....anywhere, and despite all Columbus' arrival was still a push forward in human advancement give or take what you want from it. It has nothing to do with not recognizing truth or taking the side of the European argument instead of something liberal....I belive that it is truth.

Another hand is that, he did do some terrible stuff. including forced labour. Whether or not it was typical of Europeans or Christians or whatever sect to treat such people in a subhuman manner, he is guilty of it. And yet I still ask should we honor him less?

I still feel that there should still be some kind of landmark day. It was more significant than other encounters with the new world, and it started the foundations for the unprescedented societies we have today....among them a superpower, and some of the largest and most powerfull economies in the world that no other nation or empire in the "Old World" would have ever been able to build. The day I feel would be too diluted with even more people whoes status and validity of "Hero" or "National Hero" we still dispute....and dispute heavilly. There are so many people that have been called heroes the past few years that I feel that I should be made one myself. I'm sure there is some other holiday to replace....a holiday which Bahamians have no Idea what its about.

I fear that children now won't even be able to know what happened (or alledgedly haapened) in 1492, just because of some anti-colonial advocates who would seem to have us forget everything about our colonial past. We dont want our Bahamians to think that the world and all life began on Juuly 10,1973 would we?

Perhaps we should honor the ocassion and not the man? In all honesty,all exploration at that time was catalized by the oppurtunity to either accumulate wealth or land by the sponsering nation.These explorers were driven to succeed in their ventures if dey wanted to pepetuate their careers.Not good news for the natives about to be discovered! I mean...the Spanish especially.....some of the greatest mass murderers of all time,certainly of Columbus's period. Jus tink how clever dey mussee thought dey were,using da Catholic church for excusing their murderous rampages in da new world.:cry:
So when we speak of such explorers,lets tink of da millions of Indians in da western hemisphere dey murdered into extinction,thank God our ancestors,had some financial value,or we may have been killed off by dem Spaniards as well!:rip:

We do not have to bash Columbus in order to tell the truth.
He discoverd the island chain and new world for Spain, but he also assisted in slaughtering the people he met here.

That is it in a nut-shell.

The Bahamas govt has far more pressing issues...this is a waste of my time and a waste of everyone else's time...these peopel are insulting my intellgience with this foolishness...this is more something for the culture dept to debate...give me the real work...what are you doing to help the environment? are you all debating LNG with visuals? ethics legislation? stopping the disrimination of woman in the constitution? corruption?...REAL WORK! dont waste my time with nonsense...

We do not have to bash Columbus in order to tell the truth.
He discoverd the island chain and new world for Spain, but he also assisted in slaughtering the people he met here.
That is it in a nut-shell.

Its so interesting that the average Bahamian man can see such things, but the parliamentarians have to debate this issue over and over....the Bahamian people cool with Columbus and his past...and in fact dont care...once the world knows he landed here first.

Its so interesting that the average Bahamian man can see such things, but the parliamentarians have to debate this issue over and over....the Bahamian people cool with Columbus and his past...and in fact dont care...once the world knows he landed here first.


were not that vain come on newry!

I think we were...and he didnt deciminate all the native indian population...they are here within us...if you saw my great grammy you saw them...its even in my hair, my aunt looks like it, my grandaddy with his rich chocolate skin...my little sister and her opaque complexion...if you look hard enough they- we- are here! (http://womanishwords.blogspot.com/2005/09/remember.html)
even my bahamian sister from the current says that some of those hard red folks have taino blood...the creek people...their alla rounfd us...enough research hasnt been put into finding out who we are...this is some of what I mean when I say we have a connection to our land...our Bahamas...all of us. and we shouldnt let no foreignor come in and impede on that.

actually he wasnt even in country when the slaughtering was going on ...

actually he wasnt even in country when the slaughtering was going on ...


Errr...
He more than pointed the Conquistador's in the right direction.
Pun intended!
:taped2:

can't we just celebrate columbus as our very first european tourist, and be done with it:driving: ?? he didn't "discover" anything, as the tainos and lucayans and arawaks had been here for quite a while before he decided to drop anchor and stay a while, check out the local fish fry.

... check out the local fish fry.

I dont understand...

I dont understand...


was being ironic, which apparently didn't work ...

can't we just celebrate columbus as our very first european tourist, and be done with it:driving: ?? he didn't "discover" anything, as the tainos and lucayans and arawaks had been here for quite a while before he decided to drop anchor and stay a while, check out the local fish fry.

Someone on the radio said, and I paraphrase - Colombus day should not be a public holiday, but a day that we recognize the fact that he came here. We have a number of days that are not public holidays but are set aside to recognize someone or thing - Mother’s day, Good Friday etc.

Another day that we might call “National Heros Day” could become a holiday. That way Colombus day would still be here as well as Heros day but we would not be adding another holiday (we already have 13!)

was being ironic, which apparently didn't work ...

as always :p lol

Someone on the radio said, and I paraphrase - Colombus day should not be a public holiday, but a day that we recognize the fact that he came here. We have a number of days that are not public holidays but are set aside to recognize someone or thing - Mother’s day, Good Friday etc.
Another day that we might call “National Heros Day” could become a holiday. That way Colombus day would still be here as well as Heros day but we would not be adding another holiday (we already have 13!)

I agree...dont you? makes perfect sense...just make it a regualr day...its too many holidays anyway!