Walking into the Straw Market Nassau, the first thing you notice is the rhythm — fingers twisting dried palm fibre into repeating patterns, vendors calling out prices, the rustle of plaiting ribbons stacked on tables. What looks like a souvenir stop is something older. Straw plaiting, hat and basket making, are said to have arrived from Bermuda in 1724, taught by a Bermudian woman brought by Governor George Phenney. By the 1940s, Bahamian women were selling handmade straw goods at what became the Straw Market, using locally sourced palmetto leaves and natural fibres to supplement household income. This article traces where that tradition stands today — the materials, the artisans, the places to see it done, and how visitors can engage without treating it as a backdrop for photos.
At one point, as many as 60 or more weave styles were developed using the indigenous materials.
Bahamian straw work is a living trade, not a museum piece. You can watch plaiting at the Straw Market, but the more meaningful encounters happen at workshops on the Family Islands and through formal courses at the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute. The catch: the craft is labour-intensive, and mechanisation is limited to sewing machines, so prices reflect hours of handwork.
Understanding Bahamian Straw Work: Materials, Geography, and the People Who Keep It Going
Culture-focused travellers
Hands-on learners
Souvenir buyers who want the real story
The term ‘straw’ in the Bahamas refers to narrow strips of dried leaves from several varieties of palms and plants that grow wild across the archipelago.
The three most important sources are the coconut palm (cocos nucifera), the silver palm (coccothrinax argentata), and the sisal plant (agave sisalana). The silver palm flourishes in the pineyards of northern islands; sisal, introduced centuries ago, grows in drier scrub. The supply chain touches nearly every community — primary collectors harvest and process raw material, then supply woven ribbons to artisans who turn them into finished goods. Straw craft has generated economic activity in the Family Islands for at least two centuries, with no gender or ethnic bias in participation. A practical limitation: because mechanisation is limited to manually operated or electric sewing machines, production is slow, and authentic hand-plaited pieces cost more than imported imitations. For a broader look at Bahamian cultural traditions, the article on discovering the authentic soul of Bahamian culture provides useful context.
Where to Encounter Straw Work: Markets, Studios, and Workshops
The Straw Market Nassau — History Meets Commerce
The Straw Market Nassau traces its roots to the 1940s, when Bahamian women began selling handmade straw goods informally on the streets. Over decades, that vending evolved into an organised marketplace now recognised as one of the country’s most enduring cultural landmarks. Today you will find baskets, hats, bags, and mats in a range of weave patterns, though the quality varies between stalls. Try visiting on a weekday morning when the pace is slower and artisans are more likely to be plaiting on-site rather than just selling finished stock. Look for pieces with tight, uniform weave and natural dyes — those are the ones that took days, not hours.
Family Island Workshops — Where the Raw Material Grows
The real depth of straw work lies outside Nassau. On Long Island and North Andros, master artisans like Rosemary Brice and Lucy Rolle Sands have taught courses through the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute and Creative Nassau. The silver top palm used in much of the finest plaiting is harvested in the pineyards of North Andros, and a short educational video produced by Creative Nassau in 2020 shows the sustainable harvesting process. If you want to see plaiting as a daily practice rather than a performance, head to settlements on Long Island or Andros where collectors still process leaves by hand and sell ribbons to weavers in the community.
The first ever Advanced Straw Plaiting Class included a Zoom discussion with UK author Veronica Main, whose publication Straw Plaiting is a reference text in the field. That level of formal instruction is rare in the Caribbean — the Bahamas is one of the few places where it exists.
Planning a Visit Around Straw Work: Timing, Access, and Learning Opportunities
Straw work is not seasonal in the way beach tourism is, but class schedules and artisan availability follow a rhythm worth knowing.
| Material | Source | Key Characteristic |
|---|---|---|
| Coconut palm | Cocos nucifera — grows across all islands | Flexible fibre, widely available, used for everyday baskets and mats |
| Silver palm | Coccothrinax argentata — pineyards of northern islands | Fine, silvery leaves; favoured for decorative pieces and tight plaiting |
| Sisal | Agave sisalana — drier scrub areas | Stiffer, durable fibre; used for hard-wearing bags and ropes |
When Classes Run
Creative Nassau and BTVI offer Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Straw Plaiting and Weaving classes on a rolling basis. New plaiting classes began in October 2022 under the BTVI Fashion Department, chaired by Apryl Burrows. A March 2024 beginner session at Doongalik Studios enrolled eight students, with two earning Certificates of Distinction. The second Beginner course started April 3, and the first Intermediate class followed on the same date. Intermediate classes run 20 hours; Advanced classes run 24 hours and have included field visits with master straw innovator Colette Ferguson and master straw artist Debbie Strachan of Depre International.
The Nassau Visitor Friction Point
The Straw Market is busy, hot, and vendors can be persistent. That is not a flaw — it is the reality of a working market. If you want unhurried conversation about technique, visit Doongalik Studios instead, or arrange a visit to one of the Family Island workshops. For a deeper dive into Bahamian festival culture, the guide to Junkanoo, the heartbeat of Bahamian celebration pairs well with a straw-craft itinerary.
Imported machine-made straw goods from Asia are common at Nassau stalls. Authentic Bahamian plaiting has irregular, hand-tightened weave and natural colour variation. If the price seems too low for a large bag, it is almost certainly imported.
On the Ground: Learning, Buying, and Understanding the Craft
Taking a Class
BTVI’s Introduction to Straw Plaiting and Weaving Class ran in October 2022 with master artisans Rosemary Brice and Lucy Rolle Sands as instructors. The course covers harvesting, drying, stripping, and plaiting — the full supply chain from leaf to finished ribbon. Beginner classes run 16 hours and include a completion celebration. The majority of Intermediate students complete with Distinction Certificates. If you are visiting Nassau for more than a week and want something more substantial than a market stroll, this is where the tradition opens up.
The Documentary and the Film
The Bahamian Straw Documentary Strawcraft of The Bahamas: Weaving Economic Diversity, written and produced by Creative Nassau Vice President Patricia Glinton-Meicholas, launched at Doongalik Studios on May 5, 2016. Multiple agencies provided assistance, including The Counsellors Limited (TCL), the Jackson L. Burnside III Library Fund, Cable Bahamas Cares Foundation, and Arawak Homes. DVD and Blu-ray copies are available at the gallery. It is worth watching before a class — it frames straw work as economic strategy, not just craft.
Recording the Process
If you are documenting your visit — whether for personal reference or content — the low light inside market stalls and the fine detail of plaiting patterns can be challenging to capture with a standard phone camera. A compact camera with strong stabilisation and a good macro mode makes a noticeable difference. The DJI Mini 3 Fly More Combo handles aerial shots of the pineyards and coastline well, but for close-up weave detail, a lens with a shorter minimum focus distance is more useful.
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- Check BTVI and Creative Nassau websites before travelling — class dates are announced a few months in advance and fill quickly (max 8–12 students per session).
- Buy raw straw ribbons directly from collectors on Long Island or North Andros if you want to support the supply chain rather than just the retail end.
- For nightlife context that complements a straw-craft visit, the guide to traditional music that shapes Bahamian identity offers a soundtrack for the journey.
Questions About Straw Work in the Bahamas
What is the difference between Bahamian straw work and imported straw goods?
Authentic Bahamian straw is hand-plaited from locally harvested silver palm, coconut palm, or sisal. The weave is irregular and hand-tightened. Imported goods use machine-made uniform weave and synthetic dyes.
Sellers at the Straw Market Nassau will usually tell you honestly which is which if you ask directly — they know the difference matters to buyers who want the real tradition.
Can visitors take straw plaiting classes without experience?
Yes. Beginner classes at BTVI and Doongalik Studios require no prior experience. The March 2024 beginner class at Doongalik enrolled eight students, and two completed with Distinction.
Classes cover harvesting, drying, stripping, and basic plaiting over 16 hours spread across several sessions. Evening classes are common, making them accessible to visitors with daytime plans.
Is the Straw Market Nassau worth visiting if I do not plan to buy anything?
Yes, if you go with realistic expectations. The market is a working commercial space, not a curated exhibition. Vendors are persistent, and the heat can be draining.
Visit on a weekday morning when artisans are actively plaiting and the pressure to buy is lower. Watch the technique for a few minutes — that is the part you cannot see anywhere else.
Where does the silver palm used in straw work grow?
The silver palm (coccothrinax argentata) flourishes in the pineyards of the northern Bahamas, especially North Andros. Creative Nassau’s 2020 educational video shows the sustainable harvesting process in North Andros with Department of Forestry Director Danielle Hanek Culmer.
The Bahamas Pine Islands Project (BPIP), a multi-agency partnership that includes Creative Nassau, works to protect these pine forests and straw palm resources for the industry.
What is the biggest misconception about Bahamian straw work?
That it is a dying craft. In reality, formal courses at BTVI and Creative Nassau have produced cohorts of new plaiters, and the Advanced Class in 2024 included international expert input from UK author Veronica Main.
The challenge is economic, not cultural — hand-plaited pieces cannot compete on price with machine-made imports, which is why supporting the training programmes matters as much as buying the products.
Sources and further reading
Woven History: The Story Behind the Straw and the Artisans of New Providence’s Famous Market. Viva Wellness Drip, 2024.
Sustainable Harvesting of the Silver Top Palm. Creative Nassau, 2020.
Beyond the Beaches: Discovering the Authentic Soul of Bahamian Culture. IslandHopperGuides, 2024.
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