Times of the Islands Winter 2015-16

astrolabe newsletter of the Turks & Caicos National Museum
Q: Different? How do you mean?
A: VV: It’s the story of a voyage that ended in shipwreck,
but for the Africans on board it wasn’t a tragedy, it was
deliverance! British subjects in the Caicos Islands resisted
the handsome bribes offered by the Spanish captain, and
reported the wreck to the proper authorities who arrested
the captain and crew and freed the Africans.
It’s the story of how an accidental discovery of an
old letter in the Smithsonian led to a shipwreck with a
direct connection to the modern-day inhabitants of a tiny
settlement on Middle Caicos. It tells why museums and
the artifacts and records they preserve in perpetuity are
so important: human memory is short and inaccurate.
Q: So you’ve been working on this for 13 years?!
Where did the funding come from all that time?
A: VV: Working closely with the TC National Museum
and Ships of Discovery, we’ve had a variety of supporters
over the years. In fact, there’s been a lot of interest and
support from outside the TCI. We received grants from
the US National Science Foundation and NOAA, and the
Dayton, Teddy, and San Francisco Foundations, among
others. In the TCI we got support from the Hotel & Tourist
Association, the Tourist Board, the Hartling Group, the
Krieble Foundation, the TCI Conservation Fund, Mr. John
M. Frey, and others.
Q: So what’s next?
A: RC: Right now we’re working with distributors from
Australia and Canada to partner with international production
companies who would participate in funding and
broadcasting the first class documentary that the “Search
for Trouvadore” deserves.
VV: Even before any major funding can come from international
broadcast partners, the documentary still must
raise funds to produce both the material for promoting
the project, and to make sure the quality of the production
is as high as possible. Even though the Trouvadore
story is an international one, at its core, it really is about
the people of the TCI who we hope will continue to support
the project, and help us finish their story. a
Museum matters
Anniversary celebration
In November 2015, the Turks & Caicos National
Museum will celebrate the 24th anniversary of the
day we first opened our doors. We like to think that
the Museum’s Founder, Mrs. Grethe Seim would
be proud of what we have accomplished. A glance
backward over the last five years shows that we have
come a long way.
In 2015 we
received a donation
from HE Governor
Beckingham’s
office for a new
exhibit showcasing
a 19th century
colonial office (at
left). The Museum closed from September 1–15 so
we could install that exhibit and upgrade others. The
John Glenn exhibit now is in a brighter room, with
new information about the US bases and the men
who served in TCI. We thank all of the ex-servicemen
who donated their photos, memorabilia and stories.
Other new additions are the information boards and
“windows” into the Salt Industry, featuring a large
scale model of a salina windmill, photos, and artefacts.
Neil Saxton and Charles Kesnel worked diligently
to make sure we opened on September 16. Along the
way they had the usual surprises: rotten wood, termites
and crazy electrical wiring. Remodeling a house
which is itself an almost 200 year old artifact isn’t
easy. But our small, mighty team of workers overcame
the obstacles and our new exhibits are wonderful. We
will be adding plaques naming the past governors
and premiers along with more photography of the
Queen’s visits. Also new is that all visitors will now
receive a guide to the upstairs, explaining the exhibits
along with a bit of history about Guinep House.
Everything will be in place for the grand opening
in mid-November 2015 to kick off our anniversary!
HE Governor Beckingham will do the honors, and it
will be an event for members and supporters. a
Story & Photos By Museum Director Pat Saxton
Times of the Islands Winter 2015/16 71