John Canoe, from which the name Junkanoo came, was an African trader on the West Coast of Africa for the duration of slavery. Celebrations began with slaves transported across the Atlantic. Slaves in British Colonies were set three days holiday at Christmas. Junkanoo has been documented in British territories such as Jamaica, North and South Carolina and Belize, but only has it grown into such an intricate festival in the Bahamas.
Legend has it that slaves attempted to decorate themselves by sticking materials to be found in their won environment, such as paper and feathers onto clothes. Through the centuries, costumes have always reflected the availability of materials in society. So from feathers and scraps of the plantation, costumes grew through a variety of materials such as plant life, straw work, sponge, newspaper and finally crepe paper today. Finely cut crepe paper is pasted onto cardboard shapes in the most intricate designs using every color of the spectrum. Costumes may be as tall as fifteen feet and are danced for the entire parade. Music is also historically based, still centered on the traditional cowbells and the goatskin drum, a staple African instrument. The traditional horn of Junkanoo was a conch shell and today a variety of horns and whistles are used. Junkanoo, a major cultural festival of the Bahamas is a magnificent celebration of life and freedom.
Journal of Rev. W. Dowson, a Methodist Missionary for Christmas Day, December25,1811-(Turks Island was part of The Bahamas at this time).
"On December 25th, Christmas Day landed on the largest of the Turks Island by Spaniards called Las Annas, who probably derived names from natives. I never witnessed such a Christmas Day; the Negroes have been beating their tambourines and dancing the whole day and now between 8:00 and 9:00, they are pursuing their sport as hotly as ever. How my heart was pained to see the Redeemer's Birthday so commemorated.