"There is no rest for the weary," so the saying goes. I guess it's true b/c I was so tired Jan. 1, 2009 that I couldn't see straight.
Kari and I rang in New Years 2009 in Nassau Bahamas to the sound of cow bells, trumpets, goat skin drums, whistles, conch something-or-anothers and voices screaming "Who's the Best Group?...the Valley!" and "In the Morning...Saxons!"
We were at the annual Junkanoo Parade and it was something else.
I don't claim to know all of its rich history, but from an outsiders point of view, Junkanoo is a part of the life blood of the people in Nassau Bahamas. It has to be. The time and energy that goes into preparing the costumes, the endurance it takes to walk from Bay Street to Shirley and back twice, the patience of an entire capital city who gathered on bleachers, in trees, and on sidewalks to see their group rush suggests that Junkanoo is not simply a parade. It is an integral part of the history, strength, pride, culture of the Bahamian people.
We headed to the streets at 5am. I said we didn't leave the house to go to the parade until five o clock in the morning! There were people out there from as early as midnight to 'feel the power of the rush'.
...to be continued
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1 comment:
OMG! I was sitting next to you at the New Years parade! Julia (my good good friend) sent me this link cause Im Bahamian and went home for the holidays. I saw the pic of you two sleeping on the bleachers and nearly freaked out b/c I recognized you from the bleachers. I was one of the the females with locs that had the two little girls and little boy with us. Small world.....wow
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