The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

The incident with the Columbus statue certainly sparked perhaps a record number of comments, of both genuine and questionable value.

This is not a commentary about the European genocide of indigenous people and the horrific legacy of slavery spawned and perpetuated by the greed of European expansionists. That is the role of our historians.

The Columbus statue prominently displayed on the steps of Government House is a tourist attraction. It will remain that, and should not be restored to its original glory. Instead, it should be made safe and an appropriate display explaining both the legacy of Columbus and last week’s defacement. Also, it should be moved to the grounds of the National Art Gallery or the Pompey Museum and replaced by an “abstract” creation representing genuine Bahamian national heroes.

The Bahamas did not figure prominently in Columbus’ experience. In a more than 3000 word letter to Ferdinand and Isabella’s treasurer, Lord Gabriel Sanchis, there are 109 words devoted to his time in what is now The Bahamas. Further, he never returned to the islands during his other three voyages. That’s how important our islands were to him.

The country must move beyond elevating inappropriate people, especially those from our past — or in Columbus’ case, not really our past — to positions of honour, even if they are well-worn tourist curiosities. Let’s face it, that’s the main function of the statue: a place for tourists to take quick pictures before moving on to some other hopefully more meaningful “attraction”.

Columbus has been on an elevated pedestal for too long. While we must acknowledge that he passed through our islands, our focus should be on the legacy of European expansion in this region. Perhaps most important, we should examine that legacy’s impact on who we are as a people today and, especially, on the institutional structures and traditions we continue to perpetuate — both the good and the bad. Our energy must not be consumed by Columbus and the past but on the present and the future. There is too much work to be done if we hope to thrive as a people, from the dismantling of obsolete, even toxic, colonial legacies to meaningfully addressing challenges such as a dysfunctional system of government, crime, poverty, the over-reliance on tourism, and selling off our land to foreigners, the effects of climate change, etc, etc.

We should neither relegate Columbus to the dust bin nor leave him where he’s stood for almost two centuries. Figure out how to best display him and explain why such an edifice exists. For tourists, yes, but infinitely more importantly, for ourselves.

CHRIS MINNS

George Town, Exuma

October 12, 2021.