What the heck is Junkanoo?

It's Christmas in the Bahamas! And, it's amazing! It can be compared to a Mardi Gras or Carnival parade and it's totally unique to the Bahamas (which I now like to call the 'Hamas for short ... even though the locals do not). They hold the street festival twice per year, December 26th and January 1st.

The parade consists of several different junkanoo groups that compete for cash prizes and dates back to the days of slavery. Each junkanoo group is made up of a number of "rushers". Each rusher wears a costume, some of which more resemble floats, that he/she must be able to power on his/her own. Only recently did officials change the rules to allow the use of wheels on a float. Motors are not allowed. Each group is judged as a whole and prizes are awarded after the second parade on January 1st.

The costumes are so extravagent. I have never seen anything like it before. They are made mostly of crepe paper, feathers and sequins. Oh yeah, and alot of Christmas balls. I can't even come close to describing how intricate these costumes are. They are breathtaking when a group of 2500 come marching down the road dancing to a giant marching band.

Check out this rusher ... there is a man in there, I swear!

Christmas in the Bahamas is awesome! The people are so friendly (with the exception of the other tourists) and they love to celebrate! I highly recommend it. Not to mention, it's a helluva lot warmer than Canada!