Junkanoo

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For the Baha Men album, see Junkanoo (album).

Junkanoo is a street parade with music, which occurs in many towns across The Bahamas every Boxing Day (December 26) and New Year's Day. The largest Junkanoo parade happens in Nassau, the capital.

Junkanoo groups "rush" from midnight until shortly after dawn, to the music of cowbells, in costumes made from cardboard covered in tiny shreds of colourful crepe paper, competing for cash prizes.

Major musical groups involved in the Nassau Junkanoo have included The Saxons, The Valley Boys, The Roots, One Family and as of late the Prodigal Sons. Groups of the past included the Vikings and Music Makers.

A Junkanoo parade is featured in sequences of the James Bond film Thunderball that occur in Nassau. The celebration was staged specifically for the movie since it was filmed at the wrong time of year, but local residents were enthusiastic, creating elaborate floats and costumes and involving hundreds of people. The parade was also featured in After the Sunset and Jaws The Revenge.

Junkanoo is also a fruit-flavored soda produced by PepsiCo and is only available in The Bahamas, and also a modernized style of music sung by Bahamian band Baha Men.

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[edit] Sources

  • Nissenbaum, Stephen. The Battle for Christmas. New York: Vintage Books, 1997.

[edit] Gallery

Parade Participant in costume during the 2006 Parade

Costume Sans Participant After the Parade

Costume Shoes Sans Participant After the Parade

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