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Changing of the Guard
WELCOME BAHAMAS - NASSAU, CABLE BEACH & PARADISE ISLAND - 2005
Changing of the Guard
British tradition with a Bahamian look
It's just before 10am on a bright and sunny Saturday morning in Nassau. All is quiet at Government House, the pink colonial mansion on the hill overlooking downtown Nassau. Rows of Defence Force officers, in crisp uniforms, stand at attention.
At exactly 10am, the Royal Bahamas Police Force Band strikes up the music and the ceremony begins. This is the Changing of the Guard, a delight to the eyes and ears, and a decades-old Bahamian tradition.
With military precision, the officers of the new guard and the old guard prepare for the official installation of the sentry through a series of commands by each head officer. In between commands, the band plays accompanying music, ranging from traditional melodies to energetic, Bahamian rhythms.
The observant spectator might catch a glimpse of Governor General Dame Ivy Dumont watching from the windows of Government House above. This is her official residence.
The ceremony, which lasts approximately 40 minutes, concludes with the posting of a new sentry in front of Government House and a parade down East Hill Street, led by the Police Force band.
Time-honoured tradition
Today's Changing of the Guard ceremony in The Bahamas has evolved since its introduction in the mid-1950s. It's a military tradition also observed by other Commonwealth countries, including Great Britain, Canada, New Zealand and Australia.
The Changing of the Guard was introduced to The Bahamas in the mid 1950s by Superintendent Dennis Morgan, a former officer with the Worcestershire Regiment. He was recruited as director of music with the Royal Bahamas Police Force Band by then-Police Commissioner Col E J H Colchester Whymms.
Back then, the Changing of the Guard consisted of officers from the Royal Bahamas Police Force. The Police Force band was responsible
for the guard changing parade, while the official Guard of Honour consisted of 28 officers from Special Company, now known as the Internal Security Division.
Today's Guard of Honour consists of officers from the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, who took over the role from the Police Force in the mid-1980s. It was during this time that the Defence Force was assigned to provide security for Government House.
British influence remains
After years of British rule, The Bahamas gained independence from Great Britain on July 10, 1973, but the country continues to observe some British traditions. The Queen is still the head of state, represented by the Governor General, driving is on the left and cricket and football (soccer) are popular sports. The Changing of the Guard is also a tradition with British roots from the colonial period.
But there are differences. Unlike the bold, red uniforms and tall, black, bearskin helmets worn by the Grenadier Guards at Buckingham Palace, the Guard of Honour at Government House strikes an equally favourable impression in the sharp, white uniforms of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force standard dress issue. It's a traditional British ceremony with a decidedly Bahamian twist.
Changing of the Guard is held throughout the year, on the first and third Saturday of each month. Tel 322-3622 to confirm dates and times.
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