Thank you so much. It is a privilege to be the chairperson of this amazing group. As members of the Junkanoo Think Tank we extend our thanks and gratitude to the thousands of Junkanoos who invest their time, energy and talents every year on a volunteer basis to treat the Bahamian community to the spectacular cultural display that we know as Junkanoo. They do it as a labour of love and we are all better for it.
Junkanoo is an important part of our Christmas ritual as a nation, and for so many reasons, for so many people it is one of the loves of our lives. It is truly the Bahamian spirit of community; the Bahamian spirit of passion; and when it is unleashed each year in the ritual we know as “Getting to Bay”, its impact is felt by many although, perhaps, only partially understood by all.
We are here today to recognize, the time has long past for us to take a deeper look at this phenomenon we call Junkanoo; to look past the beautiful façade of the parade at the full potential of Junkanoo; and to unleash this potential for the betterment of Junkanoos and the benefit of the nation as a whole.
For the Junkanoo Think Tank, this exploration begins with acknowledging a simple premise: That Junkanoo is more than a competition and more than a parade; rather, Junkanoo is a force for national development.
The Think Tank was charged with the responsibility of exploring the untapped potential of Junkanoo to be a source of economic empowerment for our people; social development for our communities and cultural development for our nation. That is what we call the Junkanoo model for development.
There is no question, that even as it stands now, a light hiding under a bushel, Junkanoo is having a tremendous impact on our communities that is not being recognized or fully quantified, from an economic, social and cultural point of view. Look at the number of entrepreneurs, the casual vendors who sell from street side stalls and the backs of cars that earn a living from vending at Junkanoo practices and parades.
Look at the way Junkanoo remains the corner stone of many communities, even now, after the population shifts and various migrations across groups: From Fowler Street to Fox Hill to Mason’s Edition, Junkanoo is a stabalising anchor for many communities. And look at the way Junkanoo is used as that shining example of Bahamian culture on just about every stage you can imagine, from the halls of hotels to the backyards of Bahamians. When we celebrate we celebrate with Junkanoo.
We are facing great challenges as a nation with poverty, crime prevention, education and wealth creation; they call on us to use every tool in our toolbox. Junkanoo is the biggest device we have yet to use, a vehicle of creative survival. Just think about it, we drew upon Junkanoo to survive the dehumanizing institution of slavery. Our ancestors knew its value and used it to survive and overcome extreme oppression. Surely its innovative and creative power can help us face the challenges of today.
And on a personal level for Junkanoos, for the builders, the designers, the carvers, the pasters, the truckers, the drummers, the shakers and horn blowers, the people who light the fire, the dancers, for all the people who make the sacrifice to bring Junkanoo to the people and to keep Junkanoo alive, for the Junkanoos, never before have the pressures of life been so acute. For many Junkanoos life is so difficult that the sacrifice of Junkanoo is becoming an unbearable strain. Yes, Junkanoo resides deep in our belly and the compulsion to do it anyway is almost uncontrollable, but there are life realities that we simply cannot ignore.
Life is not easy. It demands that we explore how Junkanoo can better be used to transform the communities in which we raise our children; to empower our people economically and to develop ourselves culturally. This is what the JCNP is calling the nation to do and has asked us to lead the way.
The JCNP is made up of the leaders of Junkanoo groups in New Providence. And as an organization its focus like that of most Junkanoos is “Getting to Bay”. So they assembled our team because we have the space to lift our heads up and look down the road. They know we will be relentless public advocates on behalf of Junkanoo, and not just in New Providence, but across the Bahamas.
From March of last year, on a voluntary basis, we have been meeting to think through this awesome responsibility and we have put together the skeleton of a 5-year strategic plan. We are now ready to engage the public in a national discussion on Junkanoo; to share what we envision and to get feedback and critical insights so that when the plan is completed it will truly be representative of the Junkanoo community and all Bahamians who have a love and passion for Junkanoo. We may not all be Junkanoos, but Junkanoo is in all of us.
So every single Junkanoo; every single Bahamian who wants to contribute will have an opportunity. It requires no more than having a simple reasoning, a conversation, with one of the members of the Think Tank, or to participate in the formal and informal activities we will have to reach out directly to the community.
We thank and congratulate the JCNP for bringing us together. But I must say, I hope they are ready for the warriors they let loose. This self examination is going to be thorough and frank, but always fair and grounded in our guiding principles.
No doubt, we will mash some corns as we shine light on the dark corners; as we flip over some stones to sweep out the dirt. Change is not always easy or pretty. Transformation most often entails struggle, just ask a mother in labour trying to bring forth a new life; just ask a seed trying to break through the hard earth to spring forth its new leaf. But with a shared sense of purpose, with relentless love and compassion and courage and vision, we will reach our goal.
So I will close with this: We are the latest in a long line of people who have tried to develop and uplift Junkanoo in one way or another. We may be the new kids on the block but we will be no less relentless public advocates for Junkanoo. We value Junkanoo and we believe the country needs to be visionary enough to see its unharnessed potential.
Without a doubt, Junkanoo has the potential to be a source of national development, the rising tide for The Bahamas, particularly in the areas of social, cultural and economic development. And it is our intent that our work – the strategic plan, the road map – will pave the way for an unprecedented investment in Junkanoo. We invite the public to know this as we do, and to support this effort.
At this time, we would also like to announce that during the last three Saturdays of August – August 13, 20, 27 from 1-3pm – the Junkanoo Think Tank will host a series of community conclaves with all interested members of all Junkanoo groups and the wider Bahamian public to consult on the strategic plan. We will publish the locations for these community conclaves at a later date, but they will take place at venues in the East, South and Central of New Providence.
At a later date, we will also announce plans for our Family Island outreach. We invite the public to attend these community conclaves to make their voices be heard. It is extremely important that we have a true dialogue amongst ourselves and use that exchange to inform and ground our recommendations and plans.
By Noelle Nicolls
Source: Q-Tech Communications
