First, some background.

I grew up in Palm Beach County, in an area called Juno. My parents were SCUBA instructors, and certified at UNEXSO in 1969. My Mom was one of the first female intructors ever certified. Most on GBI know Dr. Clement as well as Dr. Bodner. They were on the team that certified my parents.

I have been diving since I was 7, and spent most of my summers as a kid in West End, Walkers, Lucaya and DBC areas. My parents ran SCUBA charters out of Palm Beach County. I spent a considerable amount of time on shore playing with the kids in the area, and was invited countless times by parents to eat at the homes of the kids I played with.

I cherished those days as a kid, and had more fun and better friendships with those kids than any other time I can think of.

I was not considered a tourist, was always well tanned, and had a healthy layer of skin on my feet, and could run around all day barefoot, and wearing nothing more than board shorts. I had a blast.

The parents called me ConchyJoe.

When I asked what that meant, they told me it was what they called a "White Bahamian". Ok, I am 7-10 years old and naive, I don't think of it in a bad or derogatory nature, I just think it is cool. All the kids call me that, and life goes on. Or does it?

So my Son turns 13, and I tell him for his Birthday we can go on a trip. He naturally chooses the Bahamas (smart kid he is!). So we go to GBI, and stay at the Westin, and go snorkeling, horse back riding, rent a scooter, eat Conch everything, and have a great time.

One morning, I am getting a soda at the Starbucks kiosk. The nice young lady behind the counter says "Good Morning". I say "Good Mornign to you, and how are you doing?" She giggles a little and tells me she is fine, a little sleeping, but waking up. We talk a little more, and I am on my way.

The next morning, same thing, but I ask her why she giggled yesterday. She proceeded to tell me that people rarely speak to her beyond "Good Morning". I tell her that I spent summers in West End, and that I think Bahamians are possibly the most friendly people on earth. We chat a little more, and she says I am a ConchyJoe. I was astonished, and it brought back those wonderful memories as a kid. When I asked her what made me a ConchyJoe, she said it was because I was different than the rest. I was tan, friendly, and seemed to understand how life in the laid back lane worked.

I read on the internet that the term ConchyJoe can mean some not so flattering things. That wasn't my experience.

So what does it mean to you?

Is there a potential that it means something different to people on GBI than it does on NPI? Or Abaco or Exuma? Are people making up things to make it sound derogatory? or does it really mean something derogatory?

I am not looking for an argument, just sincere comments and conversation.

It is as they told you, a term for indiginous white Bahamians, and how you grew up in and around ordinary Bahamians, I guess you grew up with that hospitable demeanour, and that would have set you apart.

As far as I know, the term "Conchy Joe" refers to Bahamians of recent mixed (African and European) ancestry. Conchy Joes are NOT traditional Aryan (blue eyed and blonde hair) whites, and many of them have at least a grandparent that is of African ancestry. A trained eye can distinguish a white person from a conchy Joe. Conchy Joes tend to have a naturally tanned look, their natural hair texture tends to be curled and coarser than that of a Caucasian, and it tends to be dark or light brown, but never blonde (which is a recessive trait). Many of them despite the skin complexion and hair texture, tend to have African facial features (broad nose and big lips). Its fairly easy to distinguish them once you have been exposed to both Conchy Joes and whites. Basically a Conchy Joe is a person of mixed ethnicity, where there is more cream (European ancestry) than coffee (African ancestry) in their brew, but the coffee is detectable. :)


I have never viewed the term as a derogatory term, just one to distinguish a Conchy Joe from a White person. However I have heard the term thrown as an insult to those who believe or attempt to pass for white.

"Fighting online is like racing in the Special olypmics, even if you win you are still retarded"

I like your signature! :D

I don't think anyone uses Conchy Joe in a derogatory form.

We also have other terms, such as "mango skin" "red" or "high yella" lol..that one always cracks me up.

In my life, there are several common terms I've heard, in range of tint:

white, conchy joe, high yellow, mango skin, red, brown skin, black

The only terms I've ever heard used derogatory manner are: white and black.

Thanks for the comments. I always thought of it as a term of endearment. I have gotten comments from people that say it is a racist remark that dark skin Bahamians use to refer to light skin Bahamians. I just don't see that. Maybe the tongue in cheek comments I see here for sure, but racist? No.

My suspicion is that there are people out there, that have never been to BI, don't know anything about the people or culture, and don't know what they are talking about.

When I think of the people of BI, I think of Rosey in DBC, and (Mayor) Tammy in Lucaya braiding hair, and the nice young lady at Starbucks, and all those people that lived around Jack Tar when I was a kid. And even Father Molina from the Catholic Church in West End.

Thanks for the great feedback. I love your country! (And TCI too.....)

Thanks for the comments. I always thought of it as a term of endearment. I have gotten comments from people that say it is a racist remark that dark skin Bahamians use to refer to light skin Bahamians. I just don't see that. Maybe the tongue in cheek comments I see here for sure, but racist? No.
My suspicion is that there are people out there, that have never been to BI, don't know anything about the people or culture, and don't know what they are talking about.
When I think of the people of BI, I think of Rosey in DBC, and (Mayor) Tammy in Lucaya braiding hair, and the nice young lady at Starbucks, and all those people that lived around Jack Tar when I was a kid. And even Father Molina from the Catholic Church in West End.
Thanks for the great feedback. I love your country! (And TCI too.....)

While growing up, the term didn't seem derogatory especially in contrast to others such as 'cracker', but in adulthood it seems more and more racist. Should the word get a free pass when others, such as blacky or ... ummm, whats that word that starts with the letter 'n'...?

I had a peculiar incident as a kid in which a black child on a bike, called me a racist term, on her ride by: the offensive term was done so off-handedly/calloused I was surprised. The question still remains-- are black bahamians so ingrained with white vrs. black mentality that even their children are ingrained with the attitude from early stages onward?

Now, I would be inclined to automatically think any term, even "conchy joe", would be inherently racist just because it is race based.

While growing up, the term didn't seem derogatory especially in contrast to others such as 'cracker', but in adulthood it seems more and more racist. Should the word get a free pass when others, such as blacky or ... ummm, whats that word that starts with the letter 'n'...?
I had a peculiar incident as a kid in which a black child on a bike, called me a racist term, on her ride by: the offensive term was done so off-handedly/calloused I was surprised. The question still remains-- are black bahamians so ingrained with white vrs. black mentality that even their children are ingrained with the attitude from early stages onward?
Now, I would be inclined to automatically think any term, even "conchy joe", would be inherently racist just because it is race based.

As a black Bahamian,I have never thought of the term conchy joe to be racist....most conchy joes here in Abaco are proud to be so,even to the point if they really like a white foreignor that has been here a while they refer to him as "a half a conchy joe" I will say something else as well...wen it comes to designing and building a house or boat to suit our climate and seas,no one can do it betta!:)

Conchyjoe only means you're family in short,the varibles are full european heritage but Bahamian ancestry or just "white Bahamian"