If you are ever fortunate enough to spend your winter holiday in the Bahamas, don’t miss your opportunity to be part of Junkanoo, an incredible musical celebration that takes place each year on December 26 and January 1.

Junkanoo begins early in the morning with parades, colorful costumes and circling dancing to the Bahamian beat.  Some of the more popular performers are Baha Men, Ronnie Butler and Kirkland Bodie, all groups from the Bahamas that have gained enormous popularity in Japan, United States and around the world.

The promotion of preservation of Bahamian music relies heavily on Junkanoo.  Without this annual celebration, the traditional music of the Islands could have disappeared.

Bahamas music has been decreasing in popularity throughout the 20th century partly due to the strong influence of American culture.  People living in the Bahamas can easily tune in to Florida’s TV and radio stations, giving American programming clout over traditional entertainment.  The arrival of reggae, soca and calypso from Cuba, Jamaica, Trinidad and other Caribbean islands has further influenced Bahamians’ musical tastes.

Caricature of a colorful fish

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Tourism has also had an adverse effect on the popularity of the Bahamas music.  North American, Japanese and European tourists have brought their various forms of cultural expression, including music, into the Bahamian music world.

Even so, Bahamian performers like Joseph Spence have remained strong forces in underground music, playing Junkanoo, Christian hymns and the anthems of the local sponge fishermen.  One example is the song “Sloop John B”, later made famous by The Beach Boys, which is still making an impact on Bahamas music.

In celebration of Junkanoo, Bahamas music is played on a type of goatskin drum called a Goombay.  These instruments produce a rolling rhythm for the music.  Goombay is the traditional Bahamas music, combining elements of African beats with European colonial influence.  Goombay is also Bantu word for “rhythm”.

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During the time when African slaves had very few resources to craft musical instruments, rake and scrape bands were assembled to play the Goombay music.  These rake and scrape bands used a drum fashioned from a pork barrel and goatskin, and a carpenter’s saw that was scraped with a metal file.  Rhythm sticks, maracas, and homemade washtub bass violin would round out the ensemble.  Today’s rake and scrape bands are much more modern, of course, with electric guitars, saxophones and other instruments in addition to the traditional saws and Goombay drums.

The best way to experience Goombay music is to attend a Junkanoo parade.  The music is loud and energetic, with parade participants performing ‘rushin’, a lively dance consisting of two steps forward followed by one step back.  From the early morning parade kickoff, until the music goes quiet at dawn the next day, Junkanoo is an amazing Bahamian experience that should not be missed.  Do yourself a favor and celebrate the holiday season with the unending beat of Bahamas music filling the streets of the city.

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