-->
Thursday, March 28, 2024
spot_img
HomeBahamasNassauPlan NOW for Junkanoo in the Bahamas

Plan NOW for Junkanoo in the Bahamas

You know you want it...

Mocka Jumbies and Rum...

- Advertisement -

During the movie After the Sunset, you will see Pierce Brosnan running through a street festival in the Bahamas. From the moment I saw that scene I wanted to find out more about the festival and someday attend.  Turns out the festival is called Junkanoo and is held every year in Nassau on December 26th and January 1st.

Visiting Nassau and Paradise Island

Junkanoo --- Candy Land Kool Aid Float
Junkanoo — Candy Land Kool Aid Float

Junkanoo seems like a combination of Mardi Gras and a band competition and starts very early in the morning. So early that it is not even worth trying to go to sleep and getting up for…just stay up all night. By 2am you find revelers lining Bay Street in the downtown area as each Junkanoo group dances down the street in matching intricately themed costumes while following the rhythmic sounds of goat skin drums, cowbells, whistles, and brass instruments. Each group is judged in the three categories of musicians, dancers, and costumes in order to win the coveted title of Best Junkanoo Group.

The origins of Junkanoo are shrouded by the fog of time and conflicting folklore, but the most plausible origin is based on a West African Akan warrior king named John Canoe (a European corruption of an unknown African name). With his command of 15-20 thousand warriors he took control of an abandoned fort in 1708 and spent the next 16 years holding back huge scale assaults by the Dutch. As Akan slaves were brought to Jamaica and The Bahamas his legend grew and was celebrated. 

Carnival in Trinidad

- Advertisement -

Junkanoo --- Majestic African First Float
Junkanoo — Majestic African First Float

Over the centuries this grass roots celebration has grown into a world class festival and is a uniquely Bahamian celebration showing off the spirit of the local people. The costumes are beyond anything you can imagine cardboard, styrofoam, and paper mache can be turned into. Most of the costumes stand 10-14 feet tall. Plus, each group has several floats also.

The larger groups of the Saxons, Valley Boys, and Roots can have 500-1000 members and each costume and float fit within the group’s theme for that year. The year I went I saw a Candyland theme, where members had costumes of M&Ms, Kool-Aid, and other sweets and the floats I remember the most consisted of the Easter Bunny and Santa hauling wheel barrels of candy and another one of a candy factory. As cool as that was, it was the Wild, Wild West theme that I loved the most. This group had several floats consisting of a stagecoach, a steam locomotive, and a saloon.

6 Top Museums to Visit in the Bahamas & Caribbean

Junkanoo was another of the three things on my must-see list before I crossed over from Florida and it did not disappoint. I found it to be just as memorable as Mardi Gras in New Orleans, but if you happen to visit Nassau outside of Boxing Day and New Years don’t worry. There is a Junkanoo museum where many of the winning costumes are displayed in order to conserve and preserve the soul of Bahamian Culture. It also serves as a way to celebrate a uniquely Bahamian art form all year long. So, whether you are able to attend the festivals live, or the museum during the rest of the year, make sure to check out Junkanoo when you are next in the Bahamas.

Carnival in Trinidad

Visit www.svGuidingLight.com to read more from Captain Shane about the Bahamas, Caribbean, life aboard, world traveling, and more. You might also want to check out his travel video series.

- Advertisement -

Don't Miss a Beat!

Stay in the loop with the Caribbean

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Shane McClellan
Shane McClellanhttp://www.svguidinglight.com
Visit www.svGuidingLight.com to read more from Captain Shane about the Bahamas, Caribbean, life aboard, and more.
RELATED ARTICLES

So Caribbean you can almost taste the rum...

- Advertisment -
- Advertisment -spot_img

Recent Posts

Recent Comments