Times of the Islands Summer 2019

astrolabe newsletter of the Turks & Caicos National Museum
but obsolete. With this change, the skills associated with
construction and sailing such craft are now possessed by
only a handful of men scattered throughout the Islands.
MICHAEL PATEMAN
MICHAEL PATEMAN
Medicine, music and much more
There was no hospital on the Islands until recently, so
people used indigenous medicine to heal the sick and
wounded. This “bush medicine” was made from herbs,
plants, barks, roots and sometimes animal products.
The various concoctions are said to have abilities ranging
from curing the common cold, improving the chances
of getting pregnant, and even curing cancer. This island
knowledge was passed down through the generations.
Not only was bush medicine passed down through
generational knowledge, but ways of storytelling—specifically
musical traditions—were shared. This musical
cultural expression is originally known as Ripsaw. Oral
tradition in the Turks & Caicos says that it originated
in these islands and spread to nearby islands such as
the Bahamas and has been rebranded as Rake-n-Scrape.
Bahamian oral tradition tells the story in reverse, that
Rake-n-Scrape originated in the Bahamas, especially Cat
Island, and spread to the Turks & Caicos. People of the
Islands will explore these stories further. While we might
not solve the mystery of where Ripsaw or Rake-n-Scrape
originated, we will explore the unique sounds of both
musical forms as told by the musicians themselves.
Engaging the community
This project helps to fulfill one of the major goals of the
Museum—engaging the Turks & Caicos community. One
of the resulting end products, the “People of the Islands”
ethnography film, is a way for the Museum to present and
show understanding of the cultural heritage of the TCI
from the inside out, as we give a voice to the people who
have shaped the country. This documentary will include
dialect via recorded speech by people in the community.
When this speech is in a language unfamiliar or unclear to
the intended film audience, the producers generally use
voice-over translation or subtitles.
“People of the Islands” will be a description of TCI
culture and traditions with a focus on the people who
Opposite page from top: Musician and songwriter Lovey Forbes is one
of TCI’s cultural icons. Here he is performing at the Valentine’s Cup
Model Boat Races in 2019. Grand Turk native Shirley Brown is a former
nurse and dancer. Museum Director Michael Pateman interviews
Lovie Forbes for the “People of the Islands” project.
VANESSA PATEMAN
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