Inside the new private cruise island, a tribute to the richness of Bahamian culture

“Trying to engage the five senses through color is very important to me,” Dorman Stubbs, a well-known Bahamian artist and one of the featured artists at Disney’s Lookout Cay in Lighthouse Point, told EBONY. “Essentially, I hope that guests who visit Lookout Cay have a great understanding and sense of what is really Bahamian.”

Last weekend, Disney Cruise Line invited me to be one of the first guests to set foot on its newest private island. Located on the larger island of Eleuthera in the islands of the Bahamas, Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point truly engaged all my senses and more.

As I disembarked from our ship, the Disney Magic, my eyes danced as I watched the pristine sand and bold, azure water glisten in the Caribbean sun. After the pier walk, we approached the island’s main entrance, which was decorated with Stubbs’ artwork: a colorful mural of geometric shapes that also reflects the vibrancy of his culture as a native of the Bahamas. In the background we heard songs and sounds playing from the speakers with steel drums and those calypso-like grooves – another big part of Caribbean culture in general – and my hips started moving voluntarily.

After a short tram ride, also decorated with colorful artwork, we headed to the main part of the island. The buildings were inspired by the conch shells found throughout the Bahamas, while bright pink, blue, yellow and other bold hues literally danced against the neutral-colored buildings. When it came to details, no stone was left unturned. There were even grenades pressed into the concrete walkways along the various paths.

“My style is inspired by nature and my environment,” says Stubbs. “My love for Junkanoo inspired my artwork here on Lookout Cay. It is vibrant, exciting and speaks to our emotions as Bahamian people. We are very emotional. Junkanoo has a special language for us because it draws on the history of freedom from slavery, and it resonates deeply with us. But even though the history can be very dark, I also like to think about the joy, and my paintings reflect that.”

The island had several buildings, such as shops and the Goombay Cultural Center, where guests could participate in craft workshops led by locals, as well as places to simply lounge along the beach. I personally chose Serenity Bay, the adults-only beach area with plenty of lounge chairs, umbrellas and private cabanas available for rent. A short walk away there was a full service bar and the indoor cafe where we enjoyed our included lunch of grilled burgers, BBQ ribs, rice and peas, fried okra, grilled chicken and more.

While I certainly could have spent my day lazing around just laying there and enjoying the pink sand beaches (yes, Eleuthera is home to one of the world’s few pink sand beaches), the highlight of my day was the Junkanoo Celebration at the Goombay Cultural Center. On cue, a sea of ​​decorative costumes lined the paths as the Junkanoo band played various instruments. I felt like I was immediately transported to Bay Street in Nassau for the annual celebration.

“We’ve been working with Disney over the last two and a half years to bring this to life. The most important thing we emphasized was the authenticity,” said Warren Andrew Pinder, co-char of the National Junkanoo Committee.

“Junkanoo is a celebration of our traditions and our culture. It is colorful and expressed through music, dance and a vibrancy led by the beat that we truly cherish. I am immensely proud to know that the millions of people who will visit Lookout Cay visits will get a taste of our Bahamian culture. That’s something we’ve been trying to do for a long time.”

In addition to the twice-daily Junkanoo Celebration show, there were other works of art on display on the restaurant ceilings and children’s water play areas, and even handmade crafts made by local artists for sale in the shops. And in true Disney fashion, there were also character appearances throughout the day.

“The Rush Out Gush Out water playground is inspired by a traditional Junkanoo hut. It is where Junkanoo groups come together to design and house their costumes, and they are located in various communities around the island,” says Joey Gaskins, Disney Cruise Lines Regional Public Director of Affairs for the Bahamas and the Caribbean tells EBONY. “The huts usually have tin roofs and serve as a communal space where people can come together creatively.”

Renowned artist Kishan Munroe, who also works as a professor at the University of the Bahamas, says he hopes to educate guests with his installations along the ceilings of the multiple True True BBQ restaurants and the Sunsational Smoothie Shop.

“My art has always been about education. When I was first approached for this project, I had to think deeply about what elements of our culture I would use to tell foreigners about the truth of our culture,” Munroe explains. EBONY WOOD. “So I went back into history to look at some of the materials and products that have played an important role in our ecology. My work draws attention to the flora and fauna of the Bahamas; things like our shells and the straw that comes with the crafts is used in our straw markets. These are not only things that are paramount in our Bahamian reality, but they also have deep roots for us. This is just an introduction to our lives and landscapes as Bahamians.

All in all, Lookout Cay is a beautiful place that gives us a glimpse into the richness, joy and vibrancy found in the islands of the Bahamas. As Mr. Pinder so eloquently summed it up, “It’s authentically Bahamian with a touch of Disney magic.”