The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

“You cannot discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.”

These words are so appropriate when I think about where we are in our cultural innovation and evolution. Junkanoo and rake n’ scrape are the premier sounds of The Bahamas.

If these two foundations of cultural expressions are to not only survive but take its place on the global stage then massive changes must take place.

Nicolette Bethel published a report for the College of The Bahamas title: Pricing the Dream – The Economics of Junkanoo.

In that report, she stated that the direct and indirect cost of putting on the two Junkanoo parades was $18,535,000 at that time.

A lot of people seem to think that culture is supposed to be for free.

However, the first page of any Economics text book states that there is no free lunch. In the end, someone always has to pay.

Without a profit motive, nothing can sustain itself long-term.

Carnival is a money-making venture and Junkanoo is not. The danger is that what you feed grows and what you neglect eventually dies.

Some people also believe that culture is supposed to remain static or stay the same over time. That is exactly what has happened to rake ’n scrape.

It is still the same since Ed Moxey gave it that name almost 50 years ago. As a result of that, the sound has not gone through commercial innovation the way reggae has even though both emerged around the same time. 

If you listen to Bob Marley through the ages, you will notice the change in sound. It started as Ska then moved on to Rocksteady and then Reggae. It has now evolved into a new concept called Dancehall which is heard all around the world. 

You often hear people talk about Goombay, but few can tell you what it is. It was the sound that Freddy Munnings Sr and others gave to the music of the night club era. They wanted a different name from Calypso that the rest in the Caribbean were doing.When the night clubs died, so did Goombay. We fail to acknowledge it but that is the reality. The Ministry of Tourism has used the name Goombay on various festivals but that is just in name only.

The two remaining important elements of our musical culture, Junkanoo and rake ’n scrape has not gone through much commercial innovation.

After the first Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival, many ask why not put nine million dollars into Junkanoo. The problem with that is no one has ever produced a business plan to show how to make Junkanoo profitable. One thing we have learnt is that Bahamians want to have fun and also participate. I think it is time for a major overhaul of Junkanoo in order to take it to the next level. Here are my suggestions:

1) Each Junkanoo group must incorporate and treat the group as a business entity with proper policies, procedures and corporate governance.

2) Have a week-long Junkanoo Festival from December 25 – January 1.

3) Have different contest on various days at the Cultural Village on Western Esplanade with the same format that was used for Junkanoo Carnival. This could consist of drums, horns, dance, etc.

4) Have large concerts on various nights. Byron Lee & the Dragonaires used to perform here every Christmas for a whole week.

5) Have one big parade from the Eastern Parade grounds in the east to Western Esplanade in the west.

6) Have judging and viewing of big customs under a big tent on Western Esplanade. Many of the big customs are so tall that they touch the electrical wires and so wide that they touch people on the sideline.

7) Each group can have a separate section for fan participation at the end of the official group performance. Fans and tourists can purchase t-shirts, small costumes and musical tools from each group.

8) Allow a Junkanoo Group Co-Operative to control all revenues from the bleachers and vendors at the parade and everything that happens in the Cultural Village.

We must also get away from the mentality of begging for sponsorship every year and focus on commercial activities supported by the fan base. It will give a new meaning to being a Valley, Saxon, etc. Each Junkanoo group can have year round parties, events, performances and merchandise.

They would then be able to employ many members of their group full time. This would be the beginning of the new Junkanoo industry that would separate Junkanoo from Carnival. Both can co-exist but has to be separate and different from each other. Also not to confuse the visitor, a better name for our Carnival is Bahamas Beach Carnival. This has great marketing appeal for tourism and highlights the uniqueness that this is the only Carnival that is held on a beach.

I understand that Trinidad is interested in starting their version of Junkanoo. They know of the economic impact of Carnival and are looking to duplicate that with another festival. It would be a shame for them to take what we have and commercialise it while we are forever stuck on who got rob by the judges at the end of each parade.

RUDOLPH DEAN

Nassau,

May 15, 2015.