The Unforgettable Big Mike: A Story of Friendship and Tradition

“Boy” Arnold Newbold

I was living in Cooperstown working at Treasure Cay Pool company when I first came over to GTC to play in a softball game against the Green Turtle Cays team. I was 19 years old and played second base for my team. I was darn good at it. Big Mike was coaching the GTC Turtles softball team. After the game BM came up to me and asked me “Where are you going? Why aren’t you staying here on GTC and playing on our team?” That question changed the course of my life.

Our friendship started with softball and grew from there. I keep hearing his voice call out “Watch it! Big Mike is here! Let’s go!” And “go” I did. I came back to GTC and got a job at Abaco Seafoods.

Abaco Seafoods was owned by Floyd Lowe. We would process lobster and conch. We bought our seafood from boats out of Blackwood, Fire Road, Cooperstown, Fox Town, and Crown Haven. My job was to weigh the seafood for packaging. The mail boat would collect our goods and deliver them to Nassau. From there the fish would be either sold in Nassau or shipped on to the states. I worked at Abaco Seafood for a long stretch. We were a good team. The pay was good. It was one of my best jobs.

I would often visit Big Mike on his construction jobs where he was the contractor. Edison Curry was the “saw man.” Big Mike would call down a measurement to Edison. Edison would take that measurement and cut once. That was all that was needed between the pair building homes; they were that good.

Edison was also the “Bunce” riding in Big Mike’s cart during Junkanoo. Big Mike, Floyd Johnson, and Hubert “Smitty” Smith were the lead on the Junkanoo event. Back then there were no elaborate costumes for Junkanoo. You would put some paint on your face, grab your drums, and play through New Plymouth. It wasn’t until Fire and I took lead on Junkanoo that costumes entered into the event. Fire had the costume talent and taught me how to make them.

Big Mike loved to play dominos with Lincoln Jones and Old Blue along with arm wrestling, telling jokes, and coaching boxing and softball. He got his nickname “Big Mike” from boxing over in Marsh Harbor. Nobody could beat him. After he hung up his gloves, he coached the GTC youth how to box. We would always gather at his house and watch Mike Tyson and Muhammad Ali boxing matches.

From Crown Haven to Sandy Point everyone knew him. If they knew you were from GTC the common shout out would be “How Big Mike?”

Throughout the years, Big Mike became like a father to me. He would come over and ask me “What do you have up your sleeve now?” My wife, Verona, and all my kids know the love of Big Mike and his wife, Rita. They are our family.

*The Wild Man of Green Turtle Cay - story of the Bunce man.

Big Mike often was the driver of the "Bunce" wheelbarrow during Junkanoo. This was a unique custom to GTC during the parade. "Hidden beneath the tarp was 'Bunce', ostensibly a wild man caught in the pine forest of the Abaco mainland."

"Those pushing the wheelbarrow would stop in front of a house and pass around a hat, taking up a collection for Bunce to get out and dance. They told tall tales about the capture of the violent beast and threatened that, should enough money not be contributed, they would set him loose within the settlement."

"When enough money had been collected, the wildly costumed Bunce would jump from the wheelbarrow, lunging fiercely toward local children and amusing the crowd with his antics. Eventually, he was loaded back into the wheelbarrow, covered up, and carted to another house, where the performance would be repeated."

This article is being reproduced with permission from abacosun.com.

January 21, 2015.

Author Amanda Diedrick.

In memory of Big Mike and his impact on Green Turtle Cay, we invite you to donate to support local initiatives. Your contributions will help continue his legacy of community and encouragement.

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