North Bimini culture arose from the history of inhabitants and activity in the Biminis. The Lucayans of the Tainos tribe were the first known inhabitants of Bimini, living there until the late 1500s, when they were enslaved and driven out by European explorers and colonists. Pirates such as Blackbeard and Captain Morgan roamed the Bimini waters and islands for 200 years, causing shipwrecks and looting merchant ships for treasure. Bimini folklore holds that the island is still home to buried treasure. The islands were settled by West African immigrants throughout the 1800s. Bimini offers a history in rum-running during the Prohibition Era, and was a favorite fishing destination for author Ernest Hemingway in the 1930s.
The tropical climate and coastal location of North Bimini promotes a culture that caters to vacationers and provides locals with employment, particularly in the tourist hub of Alice Town. The North Bimini way of life centers around water sports such as diving, snorkeling, boating and fishing. The Bimini islands are home to an array of reefs and shipwrecks and are labeled the "big-game fishing capital of the world," according to Frommer's, offering catches such as marlin, tuna and swordfish.
North Bimini food encompasses the traditional flavors of Bahamian fare, featuring fresh, local-caught seafood such as conch and rock lobster. Dishes are prepared with Creole and Caribbean flavors, and highlight island fruits including coconuts, plantains and guava.
