Junior Junkanoo Is Back… Or Almost

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Junior Junkanoo experiencing a delay this year, but that doesn’t stop the excitement from building.

Wendi Bodie is the section head and Tum Tum drummer for the Valley Boys. She explains what Junior Junkanoo fits into the Junkanoo hierarchy.

“In basketball terms, you have a G-league. Junior Junkanoo is the G-league of the senior Junkanoo. You start there. You get your fundamentals, learn how to build a costume, learn how to paste. When you graduate from the junior, you move on to the senior. That’s how I started,” she explains.

Bodie says since graduating from performing in the junior parade she hasn’t missed a single year on Bay, rushing in the senior parade.

Junkanoo Cultural Affairs Officer at the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, Ellery Deveaux, says this transition is common and one of the reasons the junior parade is so important.

“Junior Junkanoo curves a lot of things in the community. It helps the kids socially and is and impact on the culture,” Deveaux says.

“It’s starts from the kids and these kids who are a part of Junior Junkanoo they end up in senior Junkanoo.”

Deveaux speaks from experience as he too is a graduate of Junior Junkanoo, having performed with Claridge Primary School.

Unfortunately, students eager to participated in what should have been this year’s Junior Junkanoo parade will have to wait just a little longer.

Junior Junkanoo is set for January 2023.