Christmas and New Years in the Bahamas? Sounds perfect! In the archipelago, temperatures during the day are abundantly above twenty degrees and the beaches welcome you in all their splendor, so we are talking about one of their most special celebrations. What is Junkanoo, when is it celebrated and where is it celebrated?
This is one of the most popular celebrations in Bahamian culture. The Junkanoo, a colorful festival of music, costumes, colors and art that involves a bit of all the islands and has its epicenter in the Bay Street parades in Nassau. As much as the beauty of the “masks” and spooky costumes make you think of the history of Halloween, the Junkanoo is something else and has very different origins, which we reveal below.
When is Junkanoo 2020
For those who have never heard the word before, Junkanoo is a famous traditional Bahamian holiday dating back to the days of slavery, where participants dress up and dance to the beat of drums and other instruments. In summary, it is the carnival of the Bahamas although it is celebrated on dates that coincide with our Christmas.
Specifically, Junkanoo is a multi-day celebration that takes place between December 26, 2016 and January 1. Thus this 2020 will be held between Saturday, December 26 and Friday, January 1, 2021.
What is celebrated in Junkanoo and where is it celebrated?
The Junkanoo which is celebrated in the Bahamas, is a parade that coincides with Christmas in which giant troops come together to dance, some with up to 1000 people. The troops rehearse their choreography throughout the year and compete for various prizes. It would have its origin in slavery: the slaves had three days off at Christmas and used them to dance and sing in disguise. The show is now a great cocktail of lively music, costumes colored feathers bright and joy everywhere.
The festival is celebrated throughout the 260,000 sq km archipelago of the Bahamas, which includes 700 islands stretching from the coast of Florida to the coast of Haiti, the largest parade takes place in the capital, Nassau, located on the island of New Providence. Other islands like Grand Bahamas, Eleuthera, Harbor Island, Bihimi, Exumas and Abacos also organize their carnival parades.
Origin of Junkanoo
As we have mentioned, the Junkanoo is a festival whose origin dates back to the slaves, but specifically, was born in the eighteenth century as a celebration during the three days of freedom granted to slaves by their masters during the Christmas period. Temporary freedom was celebrated by walking in masks and costumes, street by street. The celebration was held twice a year, on St. Stephen’s Day and New Year’s Day. It usually started in the evening at 2am and ended at 3pm the next day.
In the 1920s, when the industry of natural sponges was at its peak some suits were made entirely of this material. Today the realization is spectacular and the costume motifs are first created on cardboard, then hundreds of layers of crepe paper are glued to the frame of bright colors and sequins, supported by a metallic mesh and aluminum rods. The fringe effect adds texture and amplifies the size. Costumes can vary in height (up to 5 meters) and weight (up to 180 kilograms).
The musical instruments haven’t changed much and resound as in the days of slavery. There are drums covered with goatskin, horns, bugles, whistles, and cowbells (rattles attached to the necks of cattle).
When slavery was abolished in the colonies of the British Empire in 1834, Junkanoo was so popular in the Bahamas that it continued to be celebrated. Smaller versions of the same festival also occur at other times throughout the year (such as the Junkanoo Summer Festival), and it’s also customary to attend some performances reserved for the resorts, who are happy to recreate Junkanoo at any time of the year. year.
The Junkanoo Legend
Popular legend says that the name Junkanoo comes from John Canoe, an African tribal chief that he would have gained the right to perform the rite with his people even after being enslaved. Another hypothesis, instead, refers to the use of masksto the processions of “unknowns” that in French it sounds “gens inconnus”, with an almost identical pronunciation.
The Junkanoo dances and movements date back to West Africa and music is of crucial importance: instruments such as trumpets, trombones, cowbells, goatskin drums and whistles are used as mentioned above. The rhythm is such that many times, this festival is compared to the famous carnival that is celebrated in Brazil and of course, to our carnivals in Tenerife or the Canary Islands. A festival of music, color and costumes that also celebrates a competition that has several prizes, so that the participating groups work for months to develop their costumes and choreographies.
In this way, the locals participate and join the organized groups of Junkanoo like The Valley Boys, Saxons, Roots, One Family, made up of hundreds of members each, also competing for prizes in three categories: best music, best costumes and best group performance. Each group brings to life a theme that visually represents elements of past and present Bahamian life, often in a satirical vein. After nearly a year of preparation and testing, the competition is more than fierce; It is also worth mentioning the “Junior Junkanoo” that involves the youngest and that is similar to the Children’s Carnival that is celebrated in February in various parts of the world.
Some curiosities: until the sixties women could not participate in parades. Today, however, they are highly admired protagonists. Also, in Nassau you can visit an interesting museum that tells the story of the Junkanoo.