I want my Junkanoo

Dear Editor,

I want my Junkanoo, bro!

How dare they? Talking ‘bout there will be no Boxing Day Junkanoo Parade; talking ‘bout there will be no New Year’s Day Junkanoo Parade.

Who are these people? Don’t they know that Junkanoo is a Bahamian tradition; and a very rich one at that?

Don’t they know that Bahamians have waited 12 months for the biggest entertainment extravaganza of the year? Don’t they know that I had planned to sit in Rawson Square because this is where most of the energy is exuded during the Boxing Day Junkanoo Parade?

How dare they?

Don’t they know the sweetest sounds come from the goatskin drums? The rhythmic sounds of these drums will literally force you out of your seat and stimulate the blood in your veins.

Are they oblivious to the brass section? The music from the brass section can literally raise the dead and heal the incapacitated. Seriously!

Tiredness evaporates. Sadness and depression are emotions that are removed from the body, once you hear the sounds of the whistles, goatskin drums, cowbells and that fine brass.

Who can forget the beautiful musical renditions of songs like “Stagger Lee”, “City of Gold” and “Where Have All the Flowers Gone”?

My body gets filled with goosebumps even as I reminisce. Junkanoo music, in my view, for a few minutes, fixes all. Everything comes into perspective.

“Who’s the best? The Saxons.

Who’s the best? The Saxons.

Who’s the best? The Saxons”.

“Orrr, they scared they scared. Orr, they scared, they scared.”

I was hot with them from they cancelled The Emancipation Day rush-out in August. SMT (suck my teeth).

What am I to do on Boxing Day morning, man? I can’t even go to the carnival.

I was planning to go to one nice party, get some free food and drinks and then head Bay Street with my family.

We can’t dance on the bleachers. We won’t see the always beautiful costumes from the Valley Boys.

We won’t see the tantalizing dancers from the Roots. We won’t hear music from One Family and the Prodigal Sons. We won’t see the Sting. We won’t see the performance of the world’s greatest Junkanoo group, the Shell Saxons Superstars. We the best. Point blank. Period.

There will be no weaving and bobbing through the crowd for me this year.

There will be no arguments over who sounded the best, who looked the best. There will be no chants saying, “They rob us.” There will be no rowing on the bleachers.

There will not be the occasional glimpse of a celebrity or tourist trying to dance in rhythm to our Junkanoo beat. I won’t even hear “THEY COMING”.

Ma boy, they better fix this, ya know! They round here talking bout COVID-19 and coronavirus.

I want my Junkanoo, bro!

— Dehavilland Moss

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