By OSWALD T. BROWN
WASHINGTON, D.C., June 30, 2024 — William Mortimer posted a collection of photos on Facebook today that were taken at the 2024 Annual Independence Beat Retreat in downtown Nassau, Bahamas, and I absolutely had to share some of them with readers of my online publication, BAHAMAS CHRONICLE, which has a huge following among Bahamians in the diaspora across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom as well as in The Bahamas and the wider Caribbean.
Given the fact that The Bahamas is a former British colony, many Bahamian traditions, customs, mores and etiquettes have their roots in British conventions, some of which are centuries old. One particular tradition, “Beat Retreat”, a breathtaking feast of both sight and sound, is performed by the world famous Royal Bahamas Police Force Band annually and has been a ceremonial tradition over the years. The Bahamas became an independent country on July 10, 1973, but remains a member of the British Commonwealrth.
NOTE: Oswald T. Brown is the Press Attaché at the Embassy in Washington, D.C.
HERE’S A LINK TO A VIDEO OF ZNS-TV COVERAGE OF THE BEAT RETREAT PARADE:
https://www.facebook.com/watch/live?ref=watch_permalink&v=3653848118165469
