Holidays & Observances in Bahamas

The Bahamas is a country made up of hundreds of islands in the Caribbean. Christianity is the most widely practiced religion, in fact, The Bahamas has more churches per capita than any other country in the world. Sometimes Christian belief is mixed with indigenous belief based on old African religions. Most of the Bahaman population descends from freed slaves, and much of the culture reflects the combination of African and Christian ideals. Holidays are an especially important part of the culture. Many of the holidays are celebrated with feasts and parades, public festivities that involve everyone in the country. One of the most important holidays is Junkanoo, which celebrates African culture and coincides with New Year’s Day. It incorporates music, dance, and costumes for a colorful celebration all over the country.