The Tribune

By JEFFARAH GIBSON

Tribune Features Writer

jgibson@tribunemedia.net

IMAGES are central to making the story come to life in a new book by Bahamian author Rosemary Hanna.

“Pictorial History and Memories of Nassau’s Over-The-Hill” tells the story of life in Grant’s Towns and surrounding areas Over-The-Hill beginning in the mid nineteenth century following Emancipation. It is based on the Hanna family’s experience as well as others living in the community.

“The stories are told from my perspective as a child and young adult growing up in the area. However, much of the information contained in the book was obtained from family and friends as well as through interviews with present and former Over-The-Hill residents. I have written about the neighbourhoods and people known to me who lived in the area bounded on the north by Fort Fincastle, east by Collins Wall, south by Wulff Road and west by Nassau Street and into Chippingham. When I was growing up, the area south of Wulff Road was very sparsely populated and was mostly farmland. The information in the book is historically factual, as told mostly by the people who lived it,” said Ms Hanna, who launched the book at Doongalik Studios and Art Gallery last week.

It contains pictures of homes (a few of which are Heritage Sites), accompanied by black and white photographs of the people who lived in them. There are also pictures of some of the churches in the area, including a brief history of each, and pictures of public buildings.

Ms Hanna said the photographs play an important role in bringing to life the historical accounts in the book.

“We live in a technicolour visual age so the pictures are important with regard to making the narrative come to life. At the book launch, the photographic exhibition of the churches, houses, families and public buildings was a big hit and people spent a lot of time viewing them. What made it even more interesting was that most of the people in the pictures were present at the launch, and many of them were eager to point out themselves and family members in the pictures,” she told Tribune Entertainment.

Ms Hanna said she did not decide to write a book reflecting on what life was like in her childhood communities until she began taking photographs of her former homestead and posting them on Facebook. She was encouraged by close family and friends to document the images and the stories in a book.

“This work really evolved out of my involvement in the social outreach ministry of St Agnes Church and my photography hobby. St Agnes is the common thread that runs through this narrative as most of my family and neighbours were and still are members of the church.

On my frequent drives through the old neighbourhoods, I noticed that most of the once lovely and immaculately maintained homes of my childhood had disappeared or were in a state of disrepair. Only a few of such homes remain as oases in the midst of decay and I thought it important to record the Over-The-Hill story for those of us who remember, for future generations. I also thought it important to dispel the myth that nothing good came out of Grant’s Town or Over-The-Hill,” she said.

The photo exhibition is currently mounted at Doongalik Studios.