Rake & Scrape is a traditional Bahamian musical form with especially strong cultural ties to Cat Island. The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism describes Cat Island as the birthplace of Rake & Scrape and says the indigenous Bahamian music has its roots on the island. Today, the tradition remains part of Cat Island’s cultural identity through local performances, dancing, community gatherings and the Annual Cat Island Rake & Scrape Festival.
The characteristic Rake & Scrape sound comes from a small ensemble built around everyday or repurposed instruments. Traditional instrumentation includes a carpenter’s handsaw, scraped with a metal object such as a screwdriver, a goatskin goombay drum, and an accordion. The saw produces the distinctive scraping rhythm, while the drum establishes the rhythmic foundation and the accordion supplies melody.
The music also reflects the cultural blending that shaped Bahamian folk traditions. Smithsonian Folkways documents Rake & Scrape as combining African-derived rhythmic traditions with European musical and dance forms. Historically, bands accompanied dances including the Bahamian Quadrille, heel-and-toe polka, one-step and two-step, making the tradition as much about community dancing as instrumental performance.
There is some nuance regarding its precise historical origins. While The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism identifies Cat Island as its Bahamian birthplace, the Government of The Bahamas describes Rake & Scrape as developing from musical traditions brought from the Turks and Caicos Islands to The Bahamas between the 1920s and 1940s, beginning on Cat Island before spreading elsewhere.
For cultural travelers, Rake & Scrape provides one of the strongest connections between Cat Island and living Bahamian heritage. Visitors may encounter performances at local bars and restaurants throughout the year, while the annual festival provides the island’s most concentrated celebration of the tradition.
KEY FACTS
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Destination Name: Rake & Scrape on Cat Island
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Category: Culture, Heritage & Music
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Destination Type: Cultural Experience / Music Heritage / Living Tradition
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Location: Cat Island, The Bahamas
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Island Group: Bahamian Out Islands
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Known For: Carpenter’s saw, goatskin goombay drum, accordion, Bahamian Quadrille and community dancing
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Best For: Cultural travelers, music enthusiasts, history enthusiasts, photographers and travelers interested in Bahamian traditions
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Nearby Attractions: Arthur’s Town, New Bight, Mount Alvernia, The Hermitage, New Bight Fish Fry and Cat Island beaches
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Transportation Access: Rental vehicle or taxi is practical for traveling between Cat Island settlements
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Ferry Access: Not specifically associated with the cultural tradition
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Airport Access: Cat Island is served by Arthur’s Town Airport (ATC) and New Bight Airport (TBI).
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Ideal Length of Visit: Can be experienced during an evening performance or incorporated into a multi-day Cat Island stay
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Best Time to Visit: Year-round for possible local performances; the annual festival is associated with June and the Labour Day weekend.
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Family Friendly: Yes, particularly cultural performances and festival activities
DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS
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Cat Island is identified by The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism as the birthplace of Rake & Scrape and remains one of the musical tradition’s strongest geographic associations.
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Traditional Rake & Scrape uses a carpenter’s handsaw as one of its defining instruments.
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The saw is typically flexed and scraped using a screwdriver, nail or other metal implement to create changing rhythmic and timbral effects.
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A goatskin goombay drum supplies an important rhythmic foundation for traditional Rake & Scrape music.
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Accordion traditionally provides the melodic component of the ensemble.
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Rake & Scrape historically accompanies the Bahamian Quadrille and heel-and-toe polka.
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Smithsonian Folkways documents Rake & Scrape ensembles associated with Cat Island and Ragged Island using saw, goatskin goombay drum and accordion.
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The musical tradition reflects the interaction of African rhythmic practices with European-derived melodies and dances in The Bahamas.
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Cat Island’s annual festival combines authentic Bahamian Rake & Scrape music with quadrille dancing.
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Rake & Scrape is not restricted to festival dates; The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism notes that bands can also be heard at Cat Island bars and restaurants during the year.
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The tradition remains a living form of Bahamian music rather than solely a historical performance preserved for visitors.
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Contemporary cultural initiatives on Cat Island are working to transmit accordion playing and Rake & Scrape knowledge to younger generations.
RAKE & SCRAPE INSTRUMENTS
The carpenter’s saw provides the sound most immediately associated with Rake & Scrape. The Government of The Bahamas describes the musician bending the saw against the body and thigh while scraping it with a screwdriver, nail or similar implement. Changing the flex of the metal produces different tonal effects.
The goombay drum supplies the rhythmic foundation. Traditionally, goatskin is stretched over a barrel to create the drumhead, with heat used to adjust its tone.
The accordion provides melody and helps create the musical framework for dancing. Smithsonian recordings of traditional Bahamian Rake & Scrape document ensembles combining accordion, saw and drum.
The simplicity of these instruments is central to the tradition. Rake & Scrape developed as community music made with available materials rather than equipment requiring a formal performance venue.
DANCE & BAHAMIAN CULTURE
Rake & Scrape traditionally functions as dance music. Smithsonian Folkways connects the style with the Bahamian Quadrille and heel-and-toe polka, while recordings also document one-step and two-step dancing.
This relationship between music and movement illustrates the cultural mixture underlying the tradition. European-derived dance forms and melodies interacted with African-derived rhythms and percussion practices, producing a distinctive Bahamian folk expression.
On Cat Island, that heritage remains particularly visible. The Ministry of Tourism specifically notes quadrille dancing during the Annual Rake & Scrape Festival, linking contemporary celebrations with the music’s historical social function.
ANNUAL CAT ISLAND RAKE & SCRAPE FESTIVAL
The Annual Cat Island Rake & Scrape Festival is the island’s principal organized celebration of the musical tradition. Official Bahamas tourism information associates the festival with June, with current tourism information placing it over the Labour Day weekend.
The festival centers on Rake & Scrape music and quadrille dancing and provides visitors with a concentrated introduction to the cultural tradition. Recent official tourism information identifies Arthur’s Town as the festival location.
Because festival dates and programming can change from year to year, travelers planning specifically around the event should verify the current schedule before booking transportation or accommodation.
VISITOR INFORMATION
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Best Time to Visit: Year-round for Cat Island culture; June is especially relevant for the Annual Rake & Scrape Festival.
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Suggested Visit Duration: One evening for a performance; several days when incorporating the festival into a Cat Island trip
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Accessibility: Depends on the individual performance venue or festival site
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Transportation Options: Rental vehicle, taxi or arranged transportation
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Ferry Access: Not directly applicable to Rake & Scrape performances
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Airport Access: Arthur’s Town Airport and New Bight Airport
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Accommodation Availability: Small resorts, villas, inns and cottages are distributed across Cat Island
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Dining Availability: Cat Island restaurants and bars provide opportunities to combine local food with music; performances may occur at these venues throughout the year.
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Family Suitability: Generally suitable for families, depending on individual event schedules and venues
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Photography Opportunities: Musicians, traditional instruments, quadrille dancing, festivals and community celebrations
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Infrastructure Level: Small-scale community cultural experience rather than a permanent purpose-built attraction
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Weather Considerations: Outdoor festival programming can be affected by rain, heat and tropical weather
FAQ
IS RAKE & SCRAPE FROM CAT ISLAND?
The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism identifies Cat Island as the birthplace of Rake & Scrape and says the music has its roots there. Government cultural information adds historical nuance, describing musical traditions from the Turks and Caicos Islands arriving with immigrants and developing in The Bahamas beginning on Cat Island before spreading to other islands.
WHAT IS RAKE & SCRAPE MUSIC?
Rake & Scrape is a traditional Bahamian musical form built around percussion, melody and a distinctive scraped-saw rhythm. Traditional ensembles commonly use a carpenter’s saw, goatskin goombay drum and accordion.
WHERE CAN YOU HEAR RAKE & SCRAPE ON CAT ISLAND?
The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism notes that visitors may encounter Rake & Scrape bands at local Cat Island bars and restaurants throughout the year. The Annual Cat Island Rake & Scrape Festival provides the island’s main organized celebration of the tradition.
CAN VISITORS SEE TRADITIONAL DANCING WITH RAKE & SCRAPE?
Yes. Rake & Scrape traditionally accompanies dances including the Bahamian Quadrille and heel-and-toe polka. Quadrille dancing also forms part of Cat Island’s annual festival celebration.
ARE EVERYDAY OBJECTS USED AS RAKE & SCRAPE INSTRUMENTS?
Yes. The carpenter’s saw is the clearest example, traditionally scraped with a metal object such as a screwdriver. The music’s development is closely associated with musicians adapting available materials to create instruments and rhythms.
WHY IS RAKE & SCRAPE IMPORTANT TO CAT ISLAND?
Rake & Scrape is one of Cat Island’s strongest cultural identifiers and connects the island with the wider history of Bahamian folk music and dance. Its continuation through performances, festivals and intergenerational teaching keeps it part of living Cat Island culture rather than simply a historical tradition.
HOW IS RAKE & SCRAPE MUSIC MADE?
A traditional ensemble combines the rhythmic scraping of a flexed carpenter’s saw with a goombay drum and accordion. Together, the instruments create a rhythmic dance style historically used for quadrilles, heel-and-toe polkas and other social dances.
TRAVELER EXPECTATION SUMMARY
Travelers typically value Rake & Scrape because it provides direct exposure to living Bahamian culture rather than a conventional sightseeing attraction. On Cat Island, the combination of carpenter’s saw, goatskin drum, accordion and traditional dancing connects contemporary performances with generations of community music-making and gives visitors cultural context beyond the island’s beaches, fishing and historic landmarks.
LOCAL AND DESTINATION CONTEXT
Rake & Scrape connects Cat Island’s communities with the wider cultural heritage of The Bahamas. Arthur’s Town has become closely associated with the annual festival, while performances at local bars and restaurants allow the music to remain part of everyday island culture. Together with Mount Alvernia, The Hermitage, New Bight Fish Fry and Cat Island’s beaches, Rake & Scrape adds an important living-cultural dimension to the island’s identity within the Bahamian Out Islands.
RELATED DESTINATIONS
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