Opinion: A call for cultural celebration in Cayman

By Isabela Watler, Sustainable Cayman ambassador

The absence of cultural celebration in Cayman is heartbreaking to witness. No longer does the sound of steel pan serenade disembarking passengers, nor do many young people know the dances and recipes that brought their elders into the new age. Few students know about the stories of our seafaring ancestors or the histories of slavery or the struggle that got women the right to vote.

Major sections of Seven Mile Beach are eroding mainly due to development being too close to the water, and the few beaches left are covered in rows of chairs and packed full of tourists. Over the past 45 years in Cayman, coral reef cover has declined over 10% (DoE), fish stocks are dwindling, and over 25% of mangrove wetlands have been lost since the ‘60s. As a country, our food consumption relies heavily on foods that are processed or picked unripe, often sprayed with pesticides and shipped across the ocean.

Our foreign-sourced food supplies are vulnerable to environmental disasters and other supply chain disruptions and have less nutritional value, contribution to the economy, and cultural preservation than locally grown produce. Overpopulation and overdevelopment are putting pressure on the limited resources we have, changing the feel of Cayman and not meeting the needs of Caymanians. The Cayman we knew growing up is changing.

As we define the future path for Cayman, we must address our local heritage, environment, and culture together so that we can effectively reach sustainable development goals and tackle issues like traffic and cost of living.

Taking steps towards preservation

It’s important that young Caymanians feel that they have a place here in the future. We are blessed with beautiful ocean, trees, birds, foods, music, and stories. Protecting our environment and heritage are one in the same. We need to take pride and put energy into passing on what we have, treating it with respect, and ensuring that it is there for future generations.

Some recent steps towards protecting local heritage and the environment have been taken by Sustainable Cayman and Dart, in addition to the National Trust, Cayman National Cultural Foundation and others.

In November 2024, Sustainable Cayman Ambassador Isabela Watler launched the ‘Honouring Coasts Through Maritime Storytelling Project’, funded by the Sustainable Ocean Alliance and in collaboration with local videographer Jordan Johnson and community members, which aims to raise awareness about the importance of natural spaces through an interview video series, social media engagement, and public opinion survey. By documenting intergenerational Caymanian stories and connections to local ecosystems, the project seeks to foster a deeper appreciation for natural spaces and shift public attitudes towards conservation.

In December 2024, Sustainable Cayman worked with Darwin Plus grant and local community to restore and open the Pirate Cove Shoreline Park. The park is intended to support the community wellness and foster reconnection with nature by providing a space to learn about local flora and fauna. Native plants in the park provide a habitat buffer for native pollinators and mangrove propagules planted in between rows of coconut husks aim to protect the coast from erosion.

Also this December 2024, in an effort to preserve Cayman’s maritime history, Dart donated funds to restore the “S.V. Fair Weather, the last Caymanian-made schooner sailing the seas and to bring her home to the Cayman Islands”. The restoration of this boat allows young Caymanians to learn about cultural practices and the history of seafaring and will hopefully foster intergenerational conversations and passing down of cultural knowledge to youth.

Since May 2023, the TimeBack initiative has been working to “remember and relive Cayman’s past”. Funded by Dart and in collaboration with Compass Media, historians, journalists, artists, and community members have scanned 300,000 photographs from Cayman Compass archives which are shared in batches each month with the public. This project provides public access to cultural knowledge and allows us to learn from history, strengthen our identity, and take pride in our shared culture.

Long-term vision

As we recognize these valuable contributions to preserving our environment and heritage, we can take inspiration to continue this work. We need to ensure our National Conservation Act is upheld and create a sustainable development plan which is created in collaboration with the community and which has clear goals and strategies to stay accountable.

This unified vision and long-term plan will help tackle issues that many young Caymanians are worried about (such as affordable housing, cost of living, preserving our culture and identity, immigration, and traffic) in a way that aligns with goals and collective vision for Cayman’s future. Everyone living in Cayman, as well as overseas Caymanians, has a role to play and can talk to family, friends, and co-workers about where you see Cayman in 10, 20, and 50 years and what we (as communities and individuals) can do to achieve this.

Isabela Watler is a passionate marine conservationist and environmental activist. She is currently studying marine biology at the University of California, Santa Cruz and hopes to continue protecting the ocean for future generations.