Bahamas Philately: 1968 14th Parliamentary Conference – 12c Local Straw Market

A brimful of hats, varied enough to interest even Hedda Hopper, hangs from the native stalls of Nassau’s Straw Market waiting for a place on some visitor’s head in the sun. Just as coconut, palmetto and other species of palm cast a gentle shade on these islands, so the colourful hats artfully shadow the visitor on the beach or on a stroll down sunny downtown Nassau.

The straw vendor is one of the distinctive characteristics of the Bahamas. She sells not only raffia decorated hats but belts, handbags, dolls and a myriad of colourful straw woven products. A vendor is pictured at her stall on the twelve cent (.12c) denomination of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association special stamp issue.