The Tribune

By JEFFARAH GIBSON

Tribune Features Writer

jgibson@tribunemedia.net

OPEN participation will be a major aspect of the week-long Junkanoo Festival to be introduced by the government.

The festival will kick off in 2015, and will give more people the opportunity to participate in the festival, said Obie Wilchcombe, Minister of Tourism.   

Unlike the annual Boxing Day and New Year’s Day parades, being a member of Junkanoo group will not be a requirement.

“We need to have a period of time that will allow Junkanoo to be in full force. This is going to be a major offering in 2015, but it is intended to cause more and more people to be able to find a period of time when they can come and be a participant in what we call our major cultural celebration.

“I could get my costume and it would not be as elaborate as New Year’s or Boxing Day, but it would be enough to participate. I can get a cowbell, drums and participate in an organised and systemic way.

“That does not take away from Christmas nor does it take away from the New Year’s Day parade. In fact it enhances those because once you like it you are coming back. But right now we are talking about Junkanoo all the time, yet when we show it in our ads and everything else and tourist come to the Bahamas they cannot find it,” he said.

Mr Wilchcombe said the government does not intend to ‘copy’  Mardi Gras or the Trinidad Carnival festival, but rather enhance and tailor Junkanoo to feature similar aspects.

“This will be a more participatory event. We do not need anybody’s festival we got our own. We are going to enhance our Junkanoo. We do not copy nobody. No way. It will be Junkanoo in a festival form that will allow for more participation and activities. We are not trying to be New Orleans, we do not want to be Brazil, we do not want to be Trinidad. Our thing is Junkanoo,” he told Tribune Entertainment.

In addition to more participation, the festival could incorporate a cultural village, public processions and song and costume competitions.

Mr Wilchcombe said the government hopes the festival not only attracts visitors but also attract Bahamians living in other parts of the world to come home.

“A part of tourism is also some of your own people, domestic tourist, people coming to the various islands or people coming from abroad. “If you are trying to get Junkanoo souvenirs right now can you get them? The answer is no. So why can’t we create an industry the causes Junkanoo participants particularly from major groups in the capital and in the country to be able to create - whether it is miniature bells, miniature whistles, or even costumes that people can purchase or wear during the open festival that will include rushing, dancing, and music,” he said.