Well, I'm just sitting here Junkanoo dreaming. Missed the Fox Hill Day rush for the first time in a couple of years, and my husband (senior Valley performer, Steve "Papa" Newton) tells me it was the biggest and best ones he's seen in Fox Hill--that most of the groups were out and in full costume. Man, I can't believe I missed that! But as you can see from this graphic, I've got not one, but two sets of "rushin' shoes" and as often as I can, "a ticket to rush." Thanks to my Bahamian sisters and brothers who asked my husband, "Where's that Junkanoo woman?" I soon reach, chile!
Seems, though, that I've been on a Junkanoo missing streak. Missed the Roots and Music Maker practices the last time I was Nassau way, but after catching Junkanoo Talks on ZNS with Arlene Nash Ferguson and Jackson Burnside (ZNS-AM, every Saturday 10-11:30 a.m.), we heard about the Roots cookout down on Nassau Street, went down, and enjoyed spending most of the evening there. God was tres good to me that day. Got to rush with Roots and some of their guest Junkanooers. Had a fantastic cultural time, even though as Papa said the rushing space there at Christie Park was a tad "jammed up". Was also a tad disappointed that the second planned rush to close the evening didn't manifest, but hey, that's okay. Glad to hear Roots will be back at the Fish Fry for their practice sessions, as there's plenty of space there to rush hard and wide. Definitely want to catch that one on my next Brooklyn to Bahamas ticket to ride.
