Junkanoo: The Art Form … The Passion

JUNKANOO:

The Art Form … The Passion

By Shavaughn Moss Photographs Courtesy of Antoine Thompson

The pulsating, heart-pumping beat of the drum resonates within the soul. Baritone and sweet brass sounds so rich, they’re intoxicating. Rhythmic sounds of cowbells and whistles. When combined, the sound of the drums, cowbells, brass horns and whistles blended harmoniously to produce the soul-stirring sound that is Junkanoo that ignites an almost indescribable passion.

This is Junkanoo!

Then, there are the colourful, beautifully constructed costumes that the Junkanoos took months to complete, that leave you in awe.

Combine the costumes and choreographed dancing with the toe-tapping, body swaying, sweet Junkanoo beat and you have Junkanoo—a feast for the eyes and ears.

It’s a Bahamian cultural dance and music celebration that is unique to The Bahamas and one Bahamians are passionate about.

Passion is the one word that encapsulates perfectly what Junkanoo is and means to a Bahamian.

Junkanoo is a feeling that is almost indescribable while at the same time, is unmatched by anything else.

A true Junkanoo lives and breathes Junkanoo. For Junkanoos, the celebration is a way of life. Do not make the mistake of calling Junkanoo a hobby, because this art form really and truly transcends into the realm of passion for Junkanoos.

Witnessing a parade from the side-lines is again an experience that will resonate with you for the rest of your life.

The street parade celebration known as Junkanoo transcends all walks of Bahamian life no matter colour, creed, religion, or financial status. Bahamian prime ministers have been known to take to the streets for this expression that is a celebration of culture and history on Bay Street and throughout the Family Islands. Arguably, no other festival gives a Bahamian that feeling of passion and pride the way Junkanoo does.

The major Junkanoo parades take place on Boxing Day (the day after Christmas) as well as New Year’s Day, although Junkanoo parades are riddled throughout the year, where some are celebrated on Bahamian Independence Day (July 10), during the summer, and for other small holidays, so you’re bound to find one kicking off somewhere, no matter the time you visit.

Avid Junkanoo, Dion Miller, likens the feeling he gets for a parade as one of “excitement”.

Before a parade, he said, there’s a great sense of nervousness amongst all Junkanoos because they want to perform well. But when they get on the parade route and the music starts, the nerves calm and the feeling morphs into one of euphoria, pride, excitement, and joy.

Miller said Junkanoo is whatever a person imagines it to be.

Junkanoos elicit the goosebumps of excitement that says it all and speaks to the art form that is a kaleidoscope of colours and sound.

When a Junkanoo hears “let’s go!” the spirit and passion it elicits in Junkanoo participants speaks to spirit and passion.

For Quentin “Barabbas” Woodside, proprietor of Junkanoo World Museum & Arts Centre, when he knows that it’s “go time”, as he references it, he said the spirit hits for this friendly “war” and that he’s ready to conquer.

That passion is likened to a “spirit” evident in the fact that Junkanoo music gives participants an energy that is indescribable. It gives them the energy that enables them to lift a 55-gallon drum and slowly “rush” along the parade route through the city centre, traversing Bay Street, Rawson Square and Shirley Street, and not feel the drum’s weight.

Junkanoo is also unique—in that not many people can pick up that 55-gallon drum and do what Junkanoos do, for as long as they do, and in costume, to boot. Junkanoos transcend the physical; when rushing, they are literally in a different head space and mood.

“The passion of the music when it hits you … it puts you in a different mood,” said Woodside. “That’s passion!”

Junkanoos say the art form that is Junkanoo takes courage. Through Junkanoo, they display their pride and passion, and, in turn, emotion.

“Junkanoo brings out everything in you,” said Woodside.

You have to love it. The spirit and pride of Junkanoo is innate for most Bahamians, and that innateness is then nurtured.

“Anyone can be taught to play the rhythm, and how to cut the paper, build, design and trick-out the costumes but that innate love for the art form and the passion … that can’t be purchased or taught.

The true origin of Junkanoo is unknown, but there are lots of theories. What is known is that the art form’s roots trace back to West Africa.

For decades, Bahamians ascribed to the popular legend which said the name originated from John Canoe, an African tribal chief, and the West African John Canoe Festival, originated in The Bahamas around the 17th century as a masquerade. Slaves with their faces hidden under a flour paste celebrated on Boxing Day (the day after Christmas). Later, flour paste was replaced by wire masks held on a stick. The Junkanoos blew bugles and horns, and beat on goatskin drums. In the late 1920s, when sponging was big business in The Bahamas, many Junkanoos covered themselves in sea sponges. By the mid-1930s, the entire costume was fringed. The costumes were fringed, not in cloth, but by newspaper, then multi-coloured crepe paper.

More recently, Sankofa Flamingo, based in The Bahamas, which is dedicated to historical education, is debunking the legend as it is known after having visited Ghana and the origins of Junkanoo which he said is a word that has evolved from Jan Kwaw I, Junkanoo’s first patron and the festival’s namesake, whom they say was not a slave.

Whatever its origin, Woodside describes Junkanoo as more than just passion and spirit, but an art form that also evokes patience and love.

“When we see the flat cardboard, we want to see that in 3D and we have to wait patiently for the builder to build, so everyone has to have patience.”

As for the art form, many different perspectives come into play to bring these amazing master pieces to life—from carving, to building, pasting and theatre. Costumes are set up on paper first before they are brought into reality.

The process to getting prepared for a parade starts with Junkanoos gathering around the table with their ideas, and deciding on a theme for their group before the different artists go to work to bring the theme to life.

Despite the late nights in the “shack” (the space used to decorate Junkanoo costumes) preparing for a parade, ensuring that every costume is tricked-out, and the frenetic energy in the final days and hours to a parade leaving the gate, Junkanoos said the orderly chaos soothes the mind and calms the Junkanoo’s heart.

The art form, Woodside said, also builds discipline. When the artist puts the colour in, the colour can’t change and the Junkanoo has to be disciplined for what is there. Junkanoos have to put the big drum they have to carry to tune in order to coax sounds out of it, and have to put it to a fire to do so; putting it to fire means they have to wait—it takes 45 minutes to a little over an hour for a drum to fire up.

It all adds up to discipline, patience and passion.

It also takes discipline to go through the months of practice Junkanoos need to prepare. And it takes patience and passion to condition the body for the two major parades at Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

At practice, they have to line up in their position; nothing is ad hoc or left to chance.

“You’re getting set for either practice or ‘war’ and you have to practice it first. Every time we line up in our position, that’s the line-up you’re going to go to Bay Street with your costume on, so when you have to go to ‘war’, you have to take that same spot you practice all year.

“All of this has to happen for it to come together.”

While Junkanoos are passionate about the art form, there are Bahamians who do not participate, but who are still as passionate and wait to see what their favourite group brings to Bay Street (in the Bahamian vernacular, Bay.) So, the passion is also evident in diehard Junkanoo fans.

Junkanoos begin practicing for parades in April of any given year—two months before the Bahamian Labour Day holiday, the first Friday in June, annually, which Junkanoos said is key heading to Bay Street, as costumes are already in the shack and practices have begun.

The words “let’s go!” will be even more meaningful for Junkanoos for the major parades to end 2022 and ring in 2023, which will allow them to showcase their innate pride, spirit and passion, after the cultural art form was side-lined for a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Every Junkanoo knows the minute they hear the beat of the drum, the licking of the cowbell and those sweet horns that their Junkanoo spirit will automatically kick in. UA

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