Art & Music

Junkanoo first began as a temporary celebration of freedom for slaves who were given three days off at Christmas time. Wearing scary looking masks, slaves played homemade musical instruments (drums and bells) and cavorted about freely on the island. The origin of the word "Junkanoo" is unknown. The most popular belief is that it's derived from "John Canoe," an African tribal chief who demanded he be allowed the right to celebrate with his people even after he was brought to the West Indies as a slave.

Junkanoo is a Bahamian festival that occurs during the dark hours of morning on the 26th of December and again bringing in its first hours of light on the first day of the new year. Thousands dance through Bay Street, Nassau's town center, like a wild ocean of colour, while deep goat skin rhythms reverberate off the surrounding walls and cow bells chatter over the singing of brass horns. The sidewalk like a snake comes to life twisting blacks and browns while balconies and roof tops sway under the rhythmic feet of onlookers.

To experience Bahamian culture and art, you should make plans to attend Junkanoo. The Bahamian festival of Junkanoo is an energetic, colourful parade of brightly costumed people gyrating and dancing to the rhythmic accompaniment of cowbells, drums and whistles. The celebration occurs on December 26 and January 1 beginning in the early hours of the morning (5:00 a.m.) and ending at dawn.

Junkanoo is reminiscent of New Orleans' Mardi Gras and Rio de Janeiro's Carnival, but it is distinctly Bahamian and exists nowhere else. Parade participants arranged in groups of up to 1,000 are organised around a particular theme. Their costumes, dance and music reflect this theme. At the end of the Junkanoo procession, judges award cash prizes. The are several categories for which awards are given some of them include: best music, best costume, best off the shoulder dancer, best choreographed dancing and best overall group presentation just to name a few. The most spectacular Junkanoo parade occurs in Nassau. However the groups in Nassau are devided into two categories, category A and category B. Some of the groups in category A are the Valley Boys, ShellSaxons Superstars, One Family and Roots. As for category B there is Barabbas and the Tribe, Fancy Dancers,The Pigs and Colours. However, there are other family of islands that celebrate junkanoo such as Grand Bahama, Eleuthera, Bimini and Abaco. It's held on the same day as the parade in Nassau Boxing Day (December 26) and New Year's Day (January 1) from 1:00 a.m. until. There is a timeless sense, a feeling inside that is so vital that even the deaf feel to move. And as though possessed, these God like cardboard sculptures dive and rise to the awesome music that lifts their spirits beyond the flesh."

Valley Boys

Straw Work

Bahamian straw workers typically start their craft at an early age, learning at the feet of their mothers and grandmothers. Take a close look at a straw product or plait, as it is known in The Bahamas and you will begin to understand the intricacies of the weaves that carry names such as peas ‘n rice, Bahama Mama, Jacob’s ladder, sour sop, pineapple and fish pot.

The straw starts as a green leaf hand picked from a silver top tree and then stripped of its rough sides before it can be plaited. It is a very time consuming. The more involved plaits, such as pineapple, can cost a straw worker $60 per 20 yard length. Sisal, which comes from the sisal plant and has a twine like texture, is even more time consuming to prepare. It is cut, stripped and soaked in sea water for two weeks or longer, then beaten out, scraped and cleaned. The end result a one of a kind product that is 100% Bahamian except for the lining and the thread.