On Long Island, in the settlement of Buckley’s, a group of women gathered at the local museum in June 2023 for a week-long series on plaiting. They demonstrated a craft that has existed in the Bahamas since the arrival of free and enslaved Africans, who used palm leaves from the silver top, sabal palmetto, and coconut palm for thatch, rope, and plait. The marketing and export of this straw work has been documented as early as 1721, yet many of the sixty patterns that once existed have been lost with the passing of elder generations. This article traces the techniques, materials, and cultural significance of Bahamian straw work, from the coiled weaving style linked to the Black Seminoles in Red Bays, Andros, to the contemporary artisans keeping the tradition alive.
As many as sixty patterns existed in the past but many have been lost with the passing of the elder generations.
The craft is not a single technique but a family of practices. Plaiting and coiled weaving were historically used to create fanners for separating grain from chaff, baskets, floor mats, fish pots, and hats. The coiled style can be traced to the arrival of the Black Seminoles in Red Bays, Andros beginning in 1817, while some traditional weaving styles arrived with the Loyalist migration from the Carolinas in 1783. Today, the majority of materials are still collected and processed in the out islands, with young, unopened fronds at the top of the palm tree being collected, dried, cured, and cut into strips before being plaited or woven into lengths of twelve to fifteen fathoms.
Bahamian straw work is a living archive of migration, resourcefulness, and aesthetic precision. But it is also a fragile one — the knowledge is held by a shrinking number of elder women, and the physical demands of harvesting and processing the raw materials are significant. Visiting a museum demonstration or purchasing directly from a known collective is the most reliable way to see the real thing, not a mass-produced imitation.
Geography of the Craft: From Silver Top Palms to Mailboat Routes
The silver top palm is the favored palm of Long Island plaiters, its name deriving from the silver appearance of the underside of the frond. Only certain secret locales produce fronds of the best quality for plaiting, and timing is critical — the fronds cannot be cut if too young or too old. The more mature women relegate the task of trekking through the bush and cutting fronds to younger folks, a physical necessity given the terrain. Sheena Cartwright, Museum Attendant at the Long Island Museum, noted that in her treks through the bush, she has seen the tops of palms that have been “whacked to death” by harvesters who did not know what they were doing.
Once harvested, the fronds are taken home and put out to dry. They are then separated into single blades, which are opened and split into two. When split, the blades produce very fine dust that can cause itchy eyes, coughing, and runny noses for those with allergies and more severe reactions for those with asthma. The blades are then slit into small strips using a very fine and sharp knife, with the rough outside edges removed. Each strip must be the same width to give a tight and neat plait — rulers are not used; it is all done by eyeball with years of experience. The rolls of plait have traditionally been sent to Nassau via mailboat in trade for goods not available on remote islands, a system that connected the out islands to the capital for generations.
Cultural history enthusiasts
Artisans and craft collectors
Visitors to the Family Islands
Where to See the Work: Long Island and Beyond
The Long Island Museum in Buckley’s
The Long Island Museum in Buckley’s hosted a week-long series from June 19 to June 23, 2023, demonstrating the craft and art of plaiting with each day featuring different island artisans. The museum was organized by Patsy Cartwright, Museum Supervisor, and Sheena Cartwright, Museum Attendant. Isabella Knowles was Monday’s guest artisan, with the week’s other artisans including Eleanor and Pearl Cartwright (Tuesday), Patricia Darville (Wednesday), Oramae Pinder (Thursday), and Marjorie Cartwright (Friday). These women learned to plait at a young age, between five and seven, from a family member. Isabella recalled that her brother would carry her on his shoulders, visiting family and friends, and while watching them plait, she just “picked it up.” For all of them, plaiting was a necessity to bring in extra income — when these women were children, it was a means to get needed pocket change for school supplies, with their school years spanning the 1940s through the early 1990s.
Red Bays, Andros
The coiled weaving style, distinct from the plaiting practiced on Long Island, can be linked to the arrival of the Black Seminoles in Red Bays, Andros beginning in 1817. This community brought a different set of techniques and aesthetic traditions that remain part of the island’s cultural fabric. The area is less visited than Nassau or Freeport, which means the work here is less commercialized but also harder to find without local guidance.
Plaiting patterns that are woven today have names such as Jacob’s Ladder, Bahama Mama, Four String, Cow Teeth, Hole in Wall, Mixed Fish Gill and Peas ‘n’ Rice. These names are not decorative — they describe the visual structure of the weave and are passed down orally alongside the technique.
Practical Planning: Timing, Materials, and the Art of Smoking Straw
The process of dyeing and smoking straw is where much of the visual complexity emerges. Dyeing is done after stripping or peeling. A large pot of water with no additives is brought to a near boil, dye is added and mixed to make sure it dissolves, then straw is added and the water kept at near boil. The pot is then allowed to cool, and the straw is kept in overnight, removed, rinsed with water to remove excess dye, then allowed to dry — but not in direct sun to prevent fading.
| Technique | Process | Limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Dyeing | Straw boiled in dye solution, soaked overnight, rinsed, dried out of direct sun | Color can fade if exposed to prolonged sunlight |
| Smoking | Straw passed across a kerosene lamp flame to char and deposit soot | Can only be done one straw at a time; straw becomes brittle if not used immediately |
Smoking straw is done outdoors. The straw’s smooth side is passed carefully across a kerosene lamp’s flame. Care must be taken so that the straw is only charred but not burnt while also allowing the lamp’s soot to deposit on the straw. A rough guide is to hold the straw just close enough to the flame that it is just visible through the straw. After charring, the straw must be wiped with a cloth to remove the soot. The result is an absolutely black and shiny piece of straw. Smoked straw must be used immediately since smoking drives out moisture and the straw can get too brittle if left unused for too long.
The fine dust produced when splitting palm blades can cause significant respiratory irritation, particularly for those with asthma or allergies. Anyone with respiratory sensitivities should avoid being present during the stripping and splitting phase of the process.
On the Ground: The Women Behind the Plait
Learning the Craft
The women who demonstrated at the Long Island Museum learned to plait between the ages of five and seven, typically from a family member. Oramae Pinder related that her mother always said “Set your plait”, meaning pull the strands down against each other so that they were nice and tight. Patricia Darville said that her mom would “cut her butt” and tear the plait apart if it did not meet her mother’s standards. The women all have go-to standards of maybe ten or so patterns. Eleanor and Pearl Cartwright said that there is probably no pattern that they cannot do, given some time to think about it. They find ‘fish pot’ the most difficult and just will not do it — though Patricia can do the ‘fish pot’ pattern almost blindfolded. Only Oramae and Patricia will do smoking straw.
Patterns and Clients
There may be 100 or more patterns. Although the underlying straw pattern (weave) such as a simple 11-string or 15-string may be the same, the addition of dyed or smoked straw changes its appearance and may even change its name. These women have clients who will typically place orders and specify pattern, width, color, yardage, and other details. Oramae Pinder is a member of a collective of crafts women called Starfish Traders based in Seymours. Most of Oramae’s work is used by the group rather than being sent to off-island clients, which means the work stays within a local economic network rather than entering the tourist market.
- There is a right and wrong side to straw — one side is ‘smooth’ and the other ‘rough’. For very fine plaits, the straw is peeled to separate the rough from the smooth side, giving a very thin, soft piece of straw.
- Purchasing directly from a known collective like Starfish Traders in Seymours ensures the money reaches the artisans, not a middleman.
Questions About Bahamian Straw Work
What is the difference between plaiting and coiled weaving?
Plaiting involves interlacing strips of palm leaf in an over-under pattern, typically using three to fifteen strings. Coiled weaving, linked to the Black Seminoles in Red Bays, Andros, involves wrapping a core material with a continuous strand, creating a spiral structure. Both techniques are used for baskets, mats, and hats, but the visual result and structural properties differ significantly.
Why is the silver top palm preferred for plaiting?
The silver top palm is favored because the underside of its frond has a distinctive silver appearance and the leaf structure produces strips that are both strong and flexible. Only certain secret locales produce fronds of the best quality, and the timing of the harvest is critical — fronds cut too young or too old will not work properly.
Can I buy authentic straw work outside of Nassau?
Yes, but it requires planning. Oramae Pinder is a member of Starfish Traders, a collective based in Seymours on Long Island. Most of her work stays within the group rather than being sent to off-island clients. Visiting the Long Island Museum or contacting the collective directly is more reliable than expecting to find authentic pieces in Nassau straw markets, which often carry mass-produced imports.
Is smoking straw still practiced?
Yes, but only by a few artisans. Among the women who demonstrated at the Long Island Museum, only Oramae Pinder and Patricia Darville will do smoking straw. The process is labor-intensive — it can only be done one straw at a time — and the smoked straw must be used immediately because the smoking process drives out moisture, making the straw brittle if left unused.
What happens if a plait does not meet the standard?
Patricia Darville described her mother’s approach bluntly: she would “cut her butt” and tear the plait apart if it did not meet her standards. This reflects the high level of precision expected in the craft. Each strip must be the same width to give a tight and neat plait, and there is no room for error in the finished product.
Closing
The women of Long Island who learned to plait between the ages of five and seven are now the last generation to hold the full range of patterns in memory. The craft is not dying so much as contracting — fewer young people are learning the techniques, and the physical demands of harvesting and processing the raw materials are considerable. But the existence of collectives like Starfish Traders and the documentation efforts of the Long Island Museum suggest that the knowledge, while fragile, is not yet lost. For a deeper look at how Bahamian cultural practices have adapted and survived, the resilience embedded in Bahamian storytelling offers a parallel thread worth following.
Sources and further reading
Plaiting and Thatching exhibit. Grand Bahama Museum, 2024.
Plaiting on Long Island, Bahamas. The Bahamian Project, 2023.
Explore Places to Stay in the Bahamas
Feel free to zoom in and out of the map to explore the area and find the best place to stay for your trip.