JUNK-A-NOO, JUNK-A-NOO everybody!!!

Shakin' her tailfeathers....

For fun  (OK for my fun) read the title again, out loud -  phonetically  Junk- A -Newwwww and bounce around in a circle at the same time hehehehe - thanks.

She is so cute

The other Saturday night found Branko and I sitting on a curb drinking a beer, watching the hi-jinx of the crowd and waiting for the parade to begin - it was to start at 8:00pm it was now 9:00-9:30ish.  Alas I am still burdened by my North American time clock and expectations.   A girl,  just starting to walk was entertaining us with her dance moves as her sister tossed gunpowder wrapped in tissue on the street to hear it 'pop' - similar to our days when we threw those red firecrackers at each other and thought is was funny.   Johnny,  I still remember your story of walking around with your margarine container of firecrackers with a lit cigarette that your mom gave you, not to smoke but to light the crackers -  oh those were the days!   Anyways,  this was kind of the same but I think, less dangerous.   


The crowd was made up of all age groups,  strutting down the street in their finest attire trying to capture the eyes of whomever....the police were out in full force (the first time we have actually seen any) parading down the street with their billy clubs swinging.  Girls in high heels, so high that they wobbled and tottered, very cute but I knew, were in pain.   The boys had showered and applied,  I don't know about a gallon of aftershave.   Families, mothers, fathers, cousins, all ages of children and a few tourists made up the remaining crowd.

Part of the 1st float

Bahamian style food and cheap beer was available - rounding off the festive air of Junkanoo.


Bahamas Junkanoo Tradition, depending upon who is asked got started by John Canoe, a legendary West African Prince, who outwitted the English and became a local hero; and others suspect it comes from the French ‘gens inconnus,’ which translates as 'unknown' or 'masked people'.


The most popular belief, however, is that it developed from the days of slavery. The influx of Loyalists in the late 18th Century brought many enslaved people who were given three days off at Christmas, which they celebrated by singing and dancing in colourful masks, travelling from house to house, often on stilts. Junkanoo nearly vanished after slavery was abolished, but is still alive and well in Marsh Harbour..

One person carried this float

Dancers around the float

We finally got to see, I mean hear the parade and snapped picture after picture as they danced by.   Thinking that was the end, after 15-20 minutes,  we were told no, its the first group with more following - yikes it was already past 11:00!  What I really liked was each group created its own music,  with drums, tuba's and horns,  no float bearing huge speakers that shake and shout noise, that once was music.   


The costumes, fantastic - have a look and let us know what you think.       Maggie              

Drum section

Horn section

2nd Group

Tailfeather girl

Zebra, tiger,lions and muscle bound guy - on this float

Whirling dervish