Conch, Bubba, and Cuz....oh my!

Technically, here is the definition of a 'conch' as provided by NOAA:

"The queen conch (Strombus gigas) refers to both the large, marine mollusk and its shell alone.  Queen conchs (pronounced “konks”) are soft-bodied animals, belonging to the same taxonomic group (Mollusca) as clams, oysters, octopi, and squid. They live in shallow, warm waters on coral reefs or sea grass beds. A queen conch can reach up to 12 inches in length and can live for up to 40 years. Its shell grows as the mollusk grows, forming into a spiral shape with a glossy pink or orange interior."

At the bottom you can see two photos of a conch my nephew found while we were at Ft. Zach. (I know you aren't supposed to disturb them but he was so excited and he was gentle and put it back.)

The familiar shell is on the Conch Flag (this is the Conch Republic, after all) and on just about everything else down here. The sports teams of Key West High School are the Conchs and one of the marching units for local parades is The Conchettes. My family went to Conch Fest over the weekend. You can pick up a Conch Color paper every Friday.....you get the picture.

The word also refers to people, specifically anyone born on the island. You are a conch even if you never actually lived here, so there are lots of  Navy and Coast Guard families with conch children who were born during their orders.

I think most people use the term to describe someone who was not only BORN in Key West, but really someone BORN AND RAISED here. I've met lots of conchs who left Key West to live elsewhere for a period of their lives, only to return to the small island where they were born. Some say if you live here for seven years or more, you become a 'Freshwater Conch.' I've heard many people who have lived here for more than 20 years refer to themselves as a 'long-time resident' or 'long-time Key Wester.' I don't think anyone who wasn't born and raised here would really call themselves a conch of any kind.

Now if you are a Conch, and you run with certain circles in the local government and/or business community, then you may also be a Bubba. That is the local term for what they used to call 'the old boys network' in Maryland.....the dudes who seem to control everything and get to make their own rules. You will see 'Bubba' thrown around as a derogatory term, but it is also a common greeting ('Hey, Bubba!') and an even more common nickname ('This is my Uncle Bubba').

And because many Conchs, who may or may not be Bubbas, are related to each other, you will hear 'Cuz' a lot. In fact, many people end their sentences with the word, as in 'Thanks, Cuz!' and 'Good to see you, Cuz'.

Confused? Don't be. No worries. :)