The people here take this celebration seriously by creating brightly colored costumes that are larger than life. They form parades at night with groups of brass and drums pounding out the beat for costumed people to dance to. And wow do they dance. I haven't experienced this much energy since I was passed closely by a freight train.
Here's one man working it out -
And more -
He was one of the more interesting male dancers but I will say everyone had their boody wound up. Each team approached the area we were standing at led by people in brilliantly colored costumes. They would bounce up and down encouraging the extremities of the costumes to gyrate and swing about. Given the heat it was good to see there were people carrying cool drinks for the performers. Plenty of them were taking advantage of the offer and it was no surprise they needed the refreshment. It's good to see people celebrating their advancement in such a colorful, noisey, stampede of smiles.
None of us expected anything as elaborate as this to be displayed.
2 comments:
"Junkanoo originated in the Bahamas back in the 17th century as a form of celebrating Freedom from Slavery."
I hear there is a gathering of ex-IBMers that do this too. I'm hoping someone will YouTube it someday. I'd like to see the costumes and dancing.
Yes, there have been a few of us down here. Funny, the other day we were leaving the dinghy dock and I saw a dink with a NY reggie. So I asked where they were from and they said Poughkeepsie.
Small world. Non IBMer tho.
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