I was also introduced to Rev. Tho Dalziel a Presbyterian clergyman, an old man, I suppose about seventy years old, lately married to a young woman of twenty-two. I thought he was in liquor. His response to the celebration was, the week of Christmas is the only time in the whole year in which to be merry and I am pleased to see them enjoy themselves.".
JUNKANOO HISTORY.
JUNKANOO GROUPS.
The Junkanoo festival is a community-wide effort. Families, friends and neighbours gather within groups-usually from five hundred to one thousand members- who perform together at the parade. Competition among groups is fierce so members choose a theme and keep it a secret until the day of Junkanoo. They spend months preparing for the event at their "base camp" or "shacks". The dancers work at choreography, the musicians practice music and the costumers work on their creations. .
One Family.
One Family defected from the Saxon Superstars in early 1993 and in the same year participated in the Boxing Day Parade. One Family's leadership consists of a steering committee whose chairperson changes annually. According to Mr. Jackson Burnside the reason One Family broke away from the Saxons was that the group grew too large. One Family needs to expose their talents and an opportunity to express their creativity.
The Pigs.
The Pigs were formed in 1971 by members of the Valley Boys. The group's leader, Tyrone 'Dr. Off' Fritzgerald, and his associates left the Valley Boys. The reason being was that the increasing bulk of the costumes hindered movement.
The Roots.
Roots Junkanoo group is the realism of an ideal dreamt up by four young men who were stagnated within the old-time despotic machinations of one of the powerhouses in the Junkanoo World.
Leslie Johnson Les", Kevin Rahming "Dribbs, Anthony Smith Chinese" and Wendell Francis Guts" persuaded three other icons in the field, Paul Knowles Diamond", Peter Turn quest Gold" and Quentin Woodside Barabbas", to form a new democratically run organization.