Here in Florida, Caribbean people may not celebrate with Junkonoos, but with their cousins the Mocko Jumbies. All over South Florida the Kwuya or stilt dance has become quite popular and includes the participation of children as well. This ritual dance is especially popular among Trinidadians. A newly-formed parang group, the Punto Finale, is testimony to the enduring appeal of Caribbean Christmas celebrations even when one is miles away from home. Led y Ruby Limare, with Dr. Dawn Batson as one of the 12 members, this group has been serenading South Floridians with lively Spanish-style Christmas music that has been part of the season's celebrations in Trinidad for centuries. Kwanzaa, which means first fruits of harvest, is a celebration that many Caribbean people can relate to because of its Afro-Centric base and its focus on family life, self-reliance, and culture. Although Kwanzaa begins the day after Christmas, its celebrations embraces this age-old tradition of Christmas day.
The genesis of these carnivals carries the intent of resisting on some level, by Caribbean migrants, the otherwise alienating conditions of life in migration, to "carnivalise" these landscapes with some of the joy and space commensurate with Caribbean carnival. Indeed, Caribbean intellectual contributions have had successful impact on the development of U.S., European and African thought. Still, the Caribbean in most imaginings, and in particular to those who do not know it well, is the place of "sun and fun," a vacation land devoid of serious engagement with the world. Caribbean carnival then is the climax of all those "sun and fun" constructions. Yet, there is a history and politics to carnival - a "carnival of resistance" beyond the outer face of "carnival of tourism" - that demands exposure.
They continued to avoid the racially-motivated behavior of many in the Cuban population in South Florida. In fact, the Caribbean (black?) organizers of the carnival care so little that they were happily prepared to give away the carnival's culture-driven economic and social enterprise to the Cuban community, even if the Cubans didn't really want anything to do with it, like Jewish Miami Beach and WASP downtown didn't. Does this mean that the huge economic infusion that was offered to other communities for acceptance is going to be realized by the people in Opa-Locka? Because, suddenly, it's as if some people belatedly became a little blacker; after all, they're home, they claim, to Opa-Locka. Yeah, right. The carnival organizers have some cojones, if not much sense of appropriateness. They outdid themselves in their fantasizing (but then, that's carnival). They opted for Hialeah and tried to hitch their wagon to Mayor Penelas' new coattail. Somebody needed to remind them of some of the politics involved. Seems Mayor Alex and Mayor [Raul Martinez] `don't tek tea', as we say in the Caribbean. Probably something to do with Alex backing the candidate who ran against Raul. Next stop, Hialeah City Hall. The rest, they say, is history.
The fall season is always a kickoff for months of celebrations. From Rosh Hashanah to Columbus Day to Veteran's Day and of course Thanksgiving fall becomes a season of celebrations. And Caribbean folk in their usual creative manner fit their traditions and celebrations right into the thick of things. "Ethnic Brides is all about acknowledging the rich heritage of our African and cosmopolitan background, of mixing traditional with contemporary to make one's wedding memorable, exciting and rich in heritage," says Jacqui Scott, who hosted the event. Especially thought provoking was the poem "Dat bumpy Head Gal", inspired by her real-life experience where she was criticized by some members of the Jamaican public for wearing her "chiney bump" hairstyle on television.
Mocko Jumbie, as it is called in the Caribbean, has been a part of the Virgin Islands culture for more than 200 years. The phrase "Mocko Jumbie" may have different meanings according to the different tribes that practices the art. "Mocko" could mean "Mock" or it could mean "Good God."
Each session runs for three to four weeks and involves two courses covering such topics as: English and the Caribbean Child; Arts and Culture in Trinidad and Tobago; Caribbean Dance; Caribbean History and Politics; Heritage Studies on Barbados; Caribbean Marine Environment; Gender in the Caribbean Society; Languages and Dialects of the Caribbean; and, Reggae, Rastafari and Jamaican Culture. Depending on the courses chosen, students may find themselves in Barbados, Jamaica or Trinidad and Tobago. However, Caribbean Marine Environment is a regional course which takes participants to at least two countries in the region. Accommodation is offered in the residence halls of each campus. [Summer] in any of the Caribbean islands presents a wonderful opportunity for participation in cultural activities. These include the various emancipation and independence celebrations, Crop Over (a Barbados carnival) and other festivals, including folk and popular music festivals such as Sumfest (Jamaica's largest reggae festival).
As a little girl, [Annee] had become the favorite of a high voodoo priestess, who held considerable influence in King [Henry Christophe]'s court. Widowed and childless, she turned her attentions to Annee with trinkets and valuable gifts. Annee's parents encouraged the woman's interest because they felt her influence with the Kin could benefit them. It was this woman who taught Annee to believe in spirits, to regard the air as charged with the supernatural, over which she could gain control. She attended forbidden voodoo orgies, summoned by eerie drum beats in the dead of night. She saw the fear the people had of the high priestess and was carefully schooled by the latter in the ways of creating this fear...black magic and death. The priestess convinced Annee that she had the powers of a God. But the priestess died and Annee's parents also died leaving Annee very much alone in Haiti.
The term, "To run a boat," originated in the Caribbean. A group of boys or grown men would trump up whatever they had, little flour, bully beef, corn, cassava for bammy, salt pork, sugar, lime and water. Each person would bring one item and the firewood or stove would be lit. The resulting cornucopia would be most pleasing and satisfying, both to the palate and the gullet. The success would be measured by the hearty belches and the question, "So when we going to run the next boat?" Very much like the camel and its' hump. "Lord, Miss Gwen, de baby need to fatten up; mek sure him eat four bowl of porridge every day, plus two quart of milk, plus four boil eggs. Remember, a fat baby is a healthy baby." No function succeeds without plenty food, and in fact the measure of its status and success is the abundance of food that is served. Not even the dearly departed is spared. Nine days after a person dies, a wake or "nine night" is held. Just another excuse to wolf down the family's food. Other cultures burry the corpse within 24 hours, but not us, who choose to keep it until enough food can be bought to feed the ravaging hordes that are expecting to descend on the premises.
