Goatskin drums, horns, bells, or whistles, passionate dances and colourful costumes – what else but Junkanoo?  Having its roots in slavery, Junkanoo is a street parade that takes place simultaneously in many towns around the Bahamas on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.   The festival was originally a tradition from the days when slaves were given three days off around Christmas, which they used to dress up in costumes made of scrap-newspaper, sea sponge or any material that was handy and celebrate their short-lived freedom through the magic of dance.
 
Today the festival starts at the early hour of 2am and finishes at 9am and is highly competitive –winners are chosen for best music, best costume and best group performance.  The Valley Boys, Saxons Superstars, Roots and One Family are the four major groups who compete for the grand prize, even though thousands of people take part in the festival.  The exquisite costumes (made mainly of sequins and feathers today) which take months to finish and can weigh up to 100 kilogrammes are always kept a safely guarded secret, ensuring the big reveal on the day is a highly anticipated event
 
If you are planning to visit The Bahamas’ national festival, it would be best to stay at the capital city Nassau where the crowds are huge and the party is wilder.  Staying at the Melia Nassau Beach Hotel would be convenient since it takes a few minutes to get to the city centre so the parade will be easily-accessible in the small hours of the day when it begins.  The modern and opulent hotel is located on the beach and offers absolutely breathtaking views of the turquoise water of the Atlantic Ocean; enjoy its idyllic atmosphere and relax on the white sands after a night of escapades and dancing.  The electrifying event of Junkanoo –a celebration that symbolises the strength of identity and community – promises to be an experience of sleepless nights, exotic island adventures and passion.
 

Share this article: