Caribbean Queen Junkanoos

So it is Wed afternoon and we were getting ready for our bi-weekly neighbor potluck and I hear the sounds of drums. I love this sound! It usually happens on the same Wed as our potlucks and many times we follow the sounds to a little park just a block from our house. There we will find a group of guys making the sounds. Not only is there a drum but all sorts of unusual instruments that create a very unique sound. Most of the instruments are home made and its fun to guess what they are made out of. It is the Junkanoos jamming! It is where a few of the band (old and current band members) that get together in the park to practice and jam. It is great to listen to!

Above is a picture of the band (this is not how they look on Wed) when they are practicing. The group is officially called the Caribbean Queen Junkanoos is an Afro-Caribbean processional band. They are a totally acoustical and portable and go anywhere! They have two Moko Jumbies (stilt walkers), and will stop and perform African dance wherever appropriate. When they perform (we have seen them a couple of times) it is like a conga line and you can join in. One of the things they are hired to play at is the funeral march to the cemetery. The Conchs (KW locals who can be buried there) hire them to celebrate the persons life. We have yet to see one of these but the locals say they are really cool.

Here is the history of the Junkanoo in case you are interested.......
Junkanoo is a celebratory parade with African roots which started in the Bahamas in the 17th century to preserve the African cultural traditions which were in danger of being lost in the displacement process of the slave trade. Spreading throughout the islands, Junkanoo is celebrated still, particularly in the Bahamas and Key West. Using traditional drums, cowbell, conch horn, and whistles, marchers attract a joyous crowd wherever they parade. In the 1600's, when Africans were being abducted and sold into slavery, a great number were brought into the Bahamas by ship. A Tribal Chieftain, who was given the English name of John Canoe, was instrumental in preserving the African culture. He was well thought of, and managed to persuade the owners to allow their slaves two days off a year to practice their traditions; Boxing Day (the day after Christmas) and New Year's Day. On these two days, celebratory processions were held, with brightly colored costumes and the African instruments of drums, horns, bells, and whistles. The Parades became associated with John Canoe, and the name changed to "Junkanoo" over the centuries. These traditions spread to the other island groups, each of which has its own special costume style. Junkanoo is still practiced today in many places, and Caribbean Queen Junkanoos is a composite of the best of the traditions.