Junkanoo

The music pounded in my ears as I experienced my first Junkanoo in Governor's Harbour, Eleuthera, Bahamas.

Junkanoo is a beautiful festival that happens yearly.  The meaning is in the name, junk anew.  People put junk to use to make pretty and colorful costumes, then they make a lot of music for the dancers.  It really is a wonderful sight!

Typical Junkanoo attire

My first taste of Junkanoo was while my family and I were at a fish fry.  We heard about it from the locals, who are the most friendly people I've ever met in foreign places (and I'm sure anywhere else I might go)!  So, that night we motored to the little beach in front of the tiki bar where the fish fry was.  There were lots of locals there, kids and adults, but mostly it was tourists and "boat people", as my dad calls them.  They are people from the boats anchored in the harbor.  There was a family whom we had met a couple of days ago there and many more "boat people".  Wren and I played tag with two local boys and some other young kids from one of the boats.  It was fun!  Except the DJ was terrible and had the music up WAY too loud.  It was hard to think.  There was food and drinks there; chicken, steak, fish and conch.  I had the chicken.  It was good!  After dinner, the Junkanoo started.  Turns out there was another Junkanoo the following night with just kids and this evening's event was the adults showing the kids all the tricks.

 The next night we went to the Jr, Junkanoo.  That was really fun!!  All of the schools in the area competed with each other.  Each school picked a theme and made intricate costumes that they paraded down the street in.  The drummers and musicians came last, setting the beat for the dancers.  It was really cool.  Some of the themes were:  Jungle Adventure, Disney World, and Our Culture.  Traditionally Junkanoo happens on Boxing Day, but some towns scatter it out in smaller events near Boxing Day so every one can enjoy the other island's Junkanoo celebrations.

Warming the drum skins by the fire to improve the sound

 

I'm loving the Bahamas so far, 

Riley-kins