The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

FOR the first time in more than five decades, the magic of Junkanoo that attracts people near and far to downtown Nassau was gone, due to COVID-19 protocols that require social distancing.

Traditionally around this time, Bahamians would either be celebrating the victories of their favourite Junkanoo groups or lamenting what some would consider undeserved losses.

According to Junkanoo Corporation New Providence Chairman Dion Miller, the collective absence of all things Junkanoo this year was “depressing”.

“This will be the first time in about 56 years there hasn’t been any organised parades on Bay Street, actually since 1953 and it was a bit depressing,” Mr Miller said in an interview with The Tribune.

“All of Christmas morning I was talking to hundreds of Junkanooers and reading messages on Facebook and it was a sentiment of shock.

“We still couldn’t believe that it was Christmas Day and we weren’t preparing to go on Bay Street to celebrate our culture as we all know due to COVID-19 and the government mandate, so it was surreal to say the least.

“We all sat in front of our televisions and watched the Junkanoo parade of champions that ZNS played 10pm Christmas night into the wee hours and got to see ourselves parading, but that still didn’t take the taste of Bay Street and celebrating and rushing through the streets.”

Yet, Mr Miller said there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel with officials predicting a vaccine could be available to Bahamians as early as the spring. However, Junkanoo stakeholders do not yet know when another parade will be held.

“As to a way forward, we’ll begin those talks with our partners in government early next year as to the possibilities of having some parade or parades next year. So, we’re hopeful.

“We are happy that there seems to be some light at the end of the tunnel in terms of vaccinations and other therapeutics and so we remain hopeful, but we won’t know for sure until next year if there will be any parades on Bay Street or not,” he said.

Despite missing the Junkanoo experience, Mr Miller said participants were grateful to be able to enjoy the festive holidays that would ordinarily be missed to prepare for the showdown on Bay Street.

“To the dismay of a lot of wives and husbands who typically don’t have to deal with us around Christmas time because we are in the shacks preparing, but it was good to be around family celebrating Christmas and eating the traditional ham and turkey dinner. That is something we don’t typically get to enjoy until after Christmas. So, it was good to be able to enjoy and be like normal Bahamians during the holidays.”

Last week, some Junkanoo groups said they still planned to keep the Junkanoo spirit alive and celebrate through virtual events.