JUNKANOO Corporation of New Providence chairman Dion Miller said while the organisation does not foresee any "traditional" parades this year, stakeholders are in the process of planning a Junkanoo "experience" to commemorate the festival in spite of the COVID-19 surge.

Mr Miller said the “new experience” will not replace Junkanoo as the country knows and loves it but will be something people can enjoy “in place” of the traditional parade amid the pandemic. #“In regard to this year, the JCNP and our partners do not foresee any traditional Junkanoo parades this year as we have seen in past years and that’s due to the COVID pandemic,” he said. #“I can share that we have just begun some sort of communication with the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and our corporate sponsors on developing plans for a Junkanoo experience.” #“What that experience is, I can’t speak to exactly right now, but in regard to traditional parades on Bay Street, we do not foresee that happening this year again.” #Mr Miller said the pandemic has “thrown a wrench” in Junkanoo festivities since it has prohibited many enthusiasts from celebrating their cultural heritage. #“We can’t go in the shacks and produce costumes and conduct Junkanoo practices and have parades, so it has impacted us severely,” he said. “This will be the second year in a row where you will basically have no sounds of goatskin drums, ringing of the cowbells, blowing of horns or dancing and celebrating in the streets. So, it has been a sad state of affairs not to be able to do what we love to do.” #Mr Miller said the JCNP’s “ultimate goal” is to get back to doing what they know and are already accustomed to, which is celebrating on Bay Street with their fans. #“Any plans or execution of anything will only be a temporary thing until we can get back as best as possible to our normal way of doing things and that is having traditional Boxing Day and New Year’s Day parades on Bay Street. We frequently keep updated with the different Junkanoo groups on the island and everyone shares the same sentiment; everyone would love to get back to doing what we do but we have to be realistic and understand what we’re going through.”

Mr Miller said the “new experience” will not replace Junkanoo as the country knows and loves it but will be something people can enjoy “in place” of the traditional parade amid the pandemic.

“In regard to this year, the JCNP and our partners do not foresee any traditional Junkanoo parades this year as we have seen in past years and that’s due to the COVID pandemic,” he said.

“I can share that we have just begun some sort of communication with the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and our corporate sponsors on developing plans for a Junkanoo experience.”

“What that experience is, I can’t speak to exactly right now, but in regard to traditional parades on Bay Street, we do not foresee that happening this year again.”

Mr Miller said the pandemic has “thrown a wrench” in Junkanoo festivities since it has prohibited many enthusiasts from celebrating their cultural heritage.

“We can’t go in the shacks and produce costumes and conduct Junkanoo practices and have parades, so it has impacted us severely,” he said. “This will be the second year in a row where you will basically have no sounds of goatskin drums, ringing of the cowbells, blowing of horns or dancing and celebrating in the streets. So, it has been a sad state of affairs not to be able to do what we love to do.”

Mr Miller said the JCNP’s “ultimate goal” is to get back to doing what they know and are already accustomed to, which is celebrating on Bay Street with their fans.

“Any plans or execution of anything will only be a temporary thing until we can get back as best as possible to our normal way of doing things and that is having traditional Boxing Day and New Year’s Day parades on Bay Street. We frequently keep updated with the different Junkanoo groups on the island and everyone shares the same sentiment; everyone would love to get back to doing what we do but we have to be realistic and understand what we’re going through.”

 

The lyrics say it as plainly as can be - "Oh the simple things Not so simple anymore Taking things for granted Anything we wanted love's coming back" - that is the message Dave Stewart of the Grammy winning Eurythmics was moved to write and produce in a special song aptly titled "Love's Coming Back" featuring the vocals of Bahamian artist, Dayonna Brown.

Described by Stewart as a “rallying anthem”, he said the song is intended to raise the morale of the people of The Bahamas and the world.

“Love’s Coming Back”, the inspirational song will be released globally, virtually through Stewart’s label Bay Street Records on Tuesday, July 13 at 11 a.m., as The Bahamas and the world continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic and the easing of restrictions as people return to some sense of normality, and search for hope and assurance in an unprecedented era.

Proceeds from “Love’s Coming Back” will be used to raise funds in support of youth and environmental projects, managed by the Briland Aid organization and the Bahamas National Trust (BNT).
Briland Aid is a non-profit organization created in response to the COVID-19 crisis, committed to preserving the island’s most valuable asset – it’s people.

BNT is a non-profit, non-government, membership organization that relies on donations to continue conserving and protecting the Bahamian environment.

Dayonna, 19, was a school student whose voice at age 14, stood out to Stewart, when he shared his expertise in song writing and music production with the children in the schools over the years in Harbour Island.

He describes the vocals she lends to the track with an infectious hook as “warm.”

During its global virtual launch, Stewart and Dayonna’s “Love’s Coming Back” can be viewed on www.lovescomingback.com as well on social media platforms YouTube, Instagram and Facebook @lovescomingback. There will also be a simulcast release across all Bahamian radio and television stations as well as online music platforms including Spotify, Tidal, Deezer and iTunes.

 

THE chairman of the Junkanoo Corporation New Providence is "optimistic" and "hopeful" the cultural community will be able to hold "some sort of parade" this year.

Dion Miller said no official decision has been made, however. #“In terms of Boxing Day and the New Year’s Day parade, no official decision has been made if the parade will be held this year,” Mr Miller told The Tribune. #“The focus right now is on containing the COVID virus and so right now we’re focusing on making sure that our members and the community vaccinate as much as possible so that when the decision is made we can begin those plans.” #“As I said the country has been trending in the right direction… in terms of the amount of persons that are vaccinated. So I’m optimistic and I’m hopeful that with continued progress in regards to the pandemic that we will be able to hold some sort of parade.” #Junkanoo parades for the 2020/2021 season were scrapped due to COVID-19, but Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis previously suggested in March the possibility of having Independence Day and Junkanoo celebrations later this year. #The JCNP chairman explained the push for vaccinations has been going “as best” as it can. #“You know the JCNP (has) not mandated that persons have to be vaccinated to partake in Junkanoo. We encourage persons to do what’s best for themselves. We have a lot of executives and a lot of members that are vaccinated.” #Asked what type of restrictions would be in place if there were a parade this year, he noted: “So there are several different plans that we have in place in regards to the year. So first and foremost, we’ll have to revise the law that governs the parades to make certain amendments because the financial and other elements will be challenging this year. We have to put a plan in place to ensure the safety of the public as well as our participants as well. So it may be different than years past,” he said.

Dion Miller said no official decision has been made, however.

“In terms of Boxing Day and the New Year’s Day parade, no official decision has been made if the parade will be held this year,” Mr Miller told The Tribune.

“The focus right now is on containing the COVID virus and so right now we’re focusing on making sure that our members and the community vaccinate as much as possible so that when the decision is made we can begin those plans.”

“As I said the country has been trending in the right direction… in terms of the amount of persons that are vaccinated. So I’m optimistic and I’m hopeful that with continued progress in regards to the pandemic that we will be able to hold some sort of parade.”

Junkanoo parades for the 2020/2021 season were scrapped due to COVID-19, but Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis previously suggested in March the possibility of having Independence Day and Junkanoo celebrations later this year.

The JCNP chairman explained the push for vaccinations has been going “as best” as it can.

“You know the JCNP (has) not mandated that persons have to be vaccinated to partake in Junkanoo. We encourage persons to do what’s best for themselves. We have a lot of executives and a lot of members that are vaccinated.”

Asked what type of restrictions would be in place if there were a parade this year, he noted: “So there are several different plans that we have in place in regards to the year. So first and foremost, we’ll have to revise the law that governs the parades to make certain amendments because the financial and other elements will be challenging this year. We have to put a plan in place to ensure the safety of the public as well as our participants as well. So it may be different than years past,” he said.

 

POLICE said they had no reports regarding a post-funeral Junkanoo rush out in the Centreville area on the weekend with what appeared to be over a hundred people congregating closely together while playing and dancing to native music.

The Tribune understands the mini rush out followed a funeral service for the late Jacklin Woodside-Bullard. #In a video of the event circulating online, two females can be seen holding what appears to be a banner bearing a photo of the deceased woman as a crowd of people dance to a funeral hymn being played by a host of Junkanoo musicians. The celebration included three sections of instrumentalists playing drums, cowbells and horned instruments. In the video, people could be seen marching up the street in the elaborate procession. The majority of the individuals who appeared to be wearing face masks had them pulled down to their chins instead of covering their noses and mouths as stipulated in the emergency orders. #When The Tribune reached out to press liaison officer ASP Audley Peters for comment, he said the matter was not currently under investigation because officers never received a report of the event. #“There were no reports to the control room and no reports to any of the stations,” he said. “I spoke with the officer in charge of the COVID unit and we don’t have any report of the incident.” #Last night, Centreville MP Reece Chipman said he was “disheartened” by the lack of protocols exhibited in the video but added when government officials send “mixed messages” by campaigning in large groups, situations like the one on the weekend are the end result. #“That particular event apparently from what I understand was on the opposite side of East Street is what I was told,” Mr Chipman said. “But nevertheless, the issue is that we can’t be sending mixed messages to the country. I think that this was what the (House of Assembly) Speaker (Halson Moultrie) was speaking to when he asked the prime minister to speak directly to the country regarding COVID protocols because there seems to be mixed messages (and) there seems to be inconsistencies in what these protocols are. #“We’ve seen the prime minister himself campaigning in the Centreville community with over at least 100 persons and when young people in our community see that, they interpret that as a part of the protocols... So, when you get mixed messages those would be the results. “But notwithstanding that though, I myself would encourage all people to maintain our fundamental understanding of what the protocols are which is to wash your hands, keep out of crowds and of course wear your masks. Unfortunately, we didn’t see that happening.

The Tribune understands the mini rush out followed a funeral service for the late Jacklin Woodside-Bullard.

In a video of the event circulating online, two females can be seen holding what appears to be a banner bearing a photo of the deceased woman as a crowd of people dance to a funeral hymn being played by a host of Junkanoo musicians. The celebration included three sections of instrumentalists playing drums, cowbells and horned instruments. In the video, people could be seen marching up the street in the elaborate procession. The majority of the individuals who appeared to be wearing face masks had them pulled down to their chins instead of covering their noses and mouths as stipulated in the emergency orders.

When The Tribune reached out to press liaison officer ASP Audley Peters for comment, he said the matter was not currently under investigation because officers never received a report of the event.

“There were no reports to the control room and no reports to any of the stations,” he said. “I spoke with the officer in charge of the COVID unit and we don’t have any report of the incident.”

Last night, Centreville MP Reece Chipman said he was “disheartened” by the lack of protocols exhibited in the video but added when government officials send “mixed messages” by campaigning in large groups, situations like the one on the weekend are the end result.

“That particular event apparently from what I understand was on the opposite side of East Street is what I was told,” Mr Chipman said. “But nevertheless, the issue is that we can’t be sending mixed messages to the country. I think that this was what the (House of Assembly) Speaker (Halson Moultrie) was speaking to when he asked the prime minister to speak directly to the country regarding COVID protocols because there seems to be mixed messages (and) there seems to be inconsistencies in what these protocols are.

“We’ve seen the prime minister himself campaigning in the Centreville community with over at least 100 persons and when young people in our community see that, they interpret that as a part of the protocols... So, when you get mixed messages those would be the results. “But notwithstanding that though, I myself would encourage all people to maintain our fundamental understanding of what the protocols are which is to wash your hands, keep out of crowds and of course wear your masks. Unfortunately, we didn’t see that happening.