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Conch (people)
Encyclopedia
Conch was originally a slang
term for native Bahamians
of European descent.
Several theories have been proposed for the origin of the term:
By extension, the term "Conch" has also been applied to the descendants of Bahamian immigrants in Florida
. Bahamians began visiting the Florida Keys
in the Eighteenth Century to catch turtles, cut timber and salvage wrecks. During the Nineteenth Century and the first half of the Twentieth Century most of the permanent residents in the Florida Keys
outside of Key West
, and many in Key West, were Bahamian in origin. "Conch" was reported to be a term of "distinction" for Bahamians in Key West in the 1880s.
The white Bahamians in the keys continued to be known as "conchs". Other residents of the Florida Keys, especially in Key West, began applying the term "Conch" to themselves, and it is now applied generally to all residents of Key West. See: Conch Republic
. To distinguish between natives and non-natives, the terms "Salt Water Conch" (native) and "Fresh Water Conch" (non-native) have been used. Newcomers become "Fresh Water Conchs" after seven years.
, was known as "Conchtown" in the first half of the Twentieth Century because of the number of Bahamian immigrants who settled there. Unlike the situation in Key West and the rest of the Florida Keys, where being "Conch" became a matter of pride and community identification, "Conch" was used by outsiders (in particular the residents of West Palm Beach
) in a pejorative manner to describe the Bahamian community in Riviera Beach. The usage there also carried the connotation that at least some of the "Conchs" were of mixed racial heritage. As a result, some of the Bahamians in Riviera Beach denied being "Conchs" when interviewed by the Works Progress Administration
(WPA) Florida Writers Project in the late 1930s. WPA worker Veronica Huss (with assistance from Stetson Kennedy
) and photographer Charles Foster wrote a book on the Conchs and their culture entitled Conch Town, but the WPA chose not to publish (Foster eventually published a version of it in 1991). Also, many white Bahamian immigrants settled in the Coconut Grove area of Miami, Florida
.
Slang
Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's language or dialect but are considered more acceptable when used socially. Slang is often to be found in areas of the lexicon that refer to things considered taboo...
term for native Bahamians
Demographics of the Bahamas
This article is about the demographic features of the population of The Bahamas, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population....
of European descent.
Several theories have been proposed for the origin of the term:
- After the American RevolutionAmerican RevolutionThe American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, many loyalistsLoyalist (American Revolution)Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
migrated to the Bahamas. Being more affluent and educated than the earlier settlers, the loyalists came to look down on the early settlers, and called them "conchs" because shellfish was a prominent part of their diet. - The Bahamians told the BritishUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
authorities that they would "eat conch" before paying taxes levied by the CrownThe CrownThe Crown is a corporation sole that in the Commonwealth realms and any provincial or state sub-divisions thereof represents the legal embodiment of governance, whether executive, legislative, or judicial...
. - The adventurers from St. Augustine, FloridaSt. Augustine, FloridaSt. Augustine is a city in the northeast section of Florida and the county seat of St. Johns County, Florida, United States. Founded in 1565 by Spanish explorer and admiral Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, it is the oldest continuously occupied European-established city and port in the continental United...
(then part of British East FloridaEast FloridaEast Florida was a colony of Great Britain from 1763–1783 and of Spain from 1783–1822. East Florida was established by the British colonial government in 1763; as its name implies it consisted of the eastern part of the region of Florida, with West Florida comprising the western parts. Its capital...
) who recaptured NassauNassau, BahamasNassau is the capital, largest city, and commercial centre of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The city has a population of 248,948 , 70 percent of the entire population of The Bahamas...
from the SpanishSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
in 1782 hoisted a flag with a shell rampant on a field of canvas. - The first regiment of militia in Nassau adopted a regimental flag with a gold conch shell on a blue field.
Florida Keys
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. Bahamians began visiting the Florida Keys
Florida Keys
The Florida Keys are a coral archipelago in southeast United States. They begin at the southeastern tip of the Florida peninsula, about south of Miami, and extend in a gentle arc south-southwest and then westward to Key West, the westernmost of the inhabited islands, and on to the uninhabited Dry...
in the Eighteenth Century to catch turtles, cut timber and salvage wrecks. During the Nineteenth Century and the first half of the Twentieth Century most of the permanent residents in the Florida Keys
Florida Keys
The Florida Keys are a coral archipelago in southeast United States. They begin at the southeastern tip of the Florida peninsula, about south of Miami, and extend in a gentle arc south-southwest and then westward to Key West, the westernmost of the inhabited islands, and on to the uninhabited Dry...
outside of Key West
Key West, Florida
Key West is a city in Monroe County, Florida, United States. The city encompasses the island of Key West, the part of Stock Island north of U.S. 1 , Sigsbee Park , Fleming Key , and Sunset Key...
, and many in Key West, were Bahamian in origin. "Conch" was reported to be a term of "distinction" for Bahamians in Key West in the 1880s.
The white Bahamians in the keys continued to be known as "conchs". Other residents of the Florida Keys, especially in Key West, began applying the term "Conch" to themselves, and it is now applied generally to all residents of Key West. See: Conch Republic
Conch Republic
The Conch Republic is a micronation declared as a tongue-in-cheek secession of the city of Key West from the United States on April 23, 1982. It has been maintained as a tourism booster for the city since...
. To distinguish between natives and non-natives, the terms "Salt Water Conch" (native) and "Fresh Water Conch" (non-native) have been used. Newcomers become "Fresh Water Conchs" after seven years.
Elsewhere in Florida
Riviera Beach, FloridaRiviera Beach, Florida
Riviera Beach is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, U.S.A. which was incorporated September 29, 1922. Because of where its eastern boundary lies, it is also the easternmost municipality in the South Florida metropolitan area. The population was 29,884 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the...
, was known as "Conchtown" in the first half of the Twentieth Century because of the number of Bahamian immigrants who settled there. Unlike the situation in Key West and the rest of the Florida Keys, where being "Conch" became a matter of pride and community identification, "Conch" was used by outsiders (in particular the residents of West Palm Beach
West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach, is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and is the most populous city in and county seat of Palm Beach County, the third most populous county in Florida with a 2010 population of 1,320,134. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida...
) in a pejorative manner to describe the Bahamian community in Riviera Beach. The usage there also carried the connotation that at least some of the "Conchs" were of mixed racial heritage. As a result, some of the Bahamians in Riviera Beach denied being "Conchs" when interviewed by the Works Progress Administration
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
(WPA) Florida Writers Project in the late 1930s. WPA worker Veronica Huss (with assistance from Stetson Kennedy
Stetson Kennedy
William Stetson Kennedy was an American author and human rights activist. One of the pioneer folklore collectors during the first half of the twentieth century, he is remembered for having infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan in the 1940s, exposing its secrets to authorities and the outside world...
) and photographer Charles Foster wrote a book on the Conchs and their culture entitled Conch Town, but the WPA chose not to publish (Foster eventually published a version of it in 1991). Also, many white Bahamian immigrants settled in the Coconut Grove area of Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
.
Other uses
The term "Conchy Joe" is also sometimes used (derogatorily) to refer to a native Bahamian of European descent or a person of non-European or mixed descent who "acts white".See also
- CaracolesCaracolesThe Caracol people are an English-based creole speaking people who have been established in Northern Honduras since the early 19th century and are mainly of European British-Caribbean descent...
, the "Conch" people of the Bay Islands, Honduras - Conch houseConch HouseA conch house is a style of architecture that developed in Key West, Florida in the 19th century and that was also used in Miami, and rarely elsewhere in Florida, into the early 20th century...
, an architectural style derived from Bahamian and and other traditions