There is a huge controversy about the origin of Junkanoo, as many historians have offered explanations for the origins and beginning of this festival. The most accepted on is that the word “Junkanoo” comes from the name John Canoe, who was an African prince and slave trader operating on the Gold Coast in the seventeenth (17th) century. He was said to have outwitted the English and subsequently gained control of Fort Brandenbury. Therefore, the Dutch and English alike feared him. However, to the slaves, he was a hero and was worshipped and idolized by them. Those slaves who were brought here to the Bahamas kept up this distinct form of worship.

In the pre-Emancipation era, the slaves were allowed three (3) days off during the year: 1st January, 25th December and 26th December. On the 1st January and the 26th December, they were allowed to perform their Junkanoo festival. The 26th December was the day for exchanging gifts and visiting friends. After Emancipation however, the festival continued, and individual characters such as Neptune and Amphitrite portrayed John Canoe.

In the 1920’s, the Bahamas Development Board commercialized Junkanoo, as the festival was held on Bay Street for the first time. Prizes were offered and the parade became more competitive, thus eventually becoming the main tourist attraction for the Bahamas.

In 1938, December 26th was declared a public holiday and given the name “Boxing Day”, which was synonymous with the boxing and exchanging of gifts that would normally occur on this day.

The Junkanoo parades continued up to 1942, when they were suspended after the Burma Road Riots. They were again revived in 1947. In the 1950’s the parade became more organized, as categories were introduced and groups were formed to represent different districts.

The first evidence of this organization was witnessed in 1954 when a group led by David Kemp, Maureen Duvalier and Bruce Beneby entered the parade as “the Mexicans”. Other persons responsible for bringing organization to the parade include such illustrious names as Sweet Richard, Johnny Kemp and the Chipman family.

In 1960, the pioneering Valley Boys was the first group to have Junkanoo participants parade in lines. Consequently, the 1960’s saw the advent of other famous groups such as the Saxons (1963) and the Vikings, which is said by many to be the oldest Junkanoo group. The Music Makers, credited by many to have pioneered the up-tempo beat, came on the local scene in 1976.

Today, we have four (4) major Junkanoo groups that compete earnestly every year for the grand prize. The “Valley Boys” and the “Saxons Superstars” are considered to be the two senior groups. We now have “Roots”, which was formed in 1991, after most of it’s members left the Valley Boys. There is also the “One Family” Junkanoo group, which was formed and organized in 1993 after most of it’s members left the Saxons Superstars.

Other prominent senior groups, which have fallen on hard times of late, attributable to the serious lack of sponsorship and certain internal leadership problems, include the “Music Makers” and “Vikings” which merged in 1991 to give birth to the formation of the “Musical Kings” The upstart “Fox Hill Congos”, formed in 1986 and comprised mainly of residents of the Fox Hill area in the eastern district of New Providence island, have also experienced the identical growing pains associated with the budding Junkanoo groups. The community of Fox Hill played an important role in the final emancipation of slavery in the Bahamas in 1838, as it is widely believed that the joyous news of this proclamation was received almost a week late, as evidenced by Fox Hill Day being celebrated on an annual basis even today, on the Tuesday Following Emancipation Day which is the first Monday in August.

In addition to these major Junkanoo groups, we have smaller ones with such outlandish names as Most Qualified, Fancy Dancers, Redland Soldiers and the P.I.G.S (Power, Integrity, guts and Strength), just to name a few. Even though these smaller groups seemingly have little or no chance when going up against the more formidable veteran groups, it still does not detract from that Junkanoo fever exuded by every reveler who has paraded down Bay Street come December 26th and January 1st each year.

Our unique, authentic, real Bahamian Junkanoo parade normally begins with a shotgun start at 2 a.m., on both Boxing Day (26th December) and New Year’s Day (1st January), and continues until approximately 9 a.m when the results of the parade are publicly announced in world-famous Rawson Square. After all, winning is no everything. To anyone who is either an active participant or spectator in this unique street parade, just being there and rocking to the sounds of the Junkanoo drummers, cowbellers and dancers, completely exonerates one form getting up and going to Bay Street at 2 a.m. in the morning.