The tradition of Jankunu dancers going through the city streets carrying the spirit of a Christmas bram has been in decline for at least the last three decades. But not too long ago, before we privatized ourselves to the television, the sound of those rolling drums and the laughter and merriment of the brammers is what defined Christmas in the city. But it's a tradition that's died so fast that many don't even know what Jankunu is, and why it was so popular. For some historical perspective, we today visited with Sebastian Cayetano, of the Luba Garifuna Museum in Belize City. He told us how the tradition developed.
Sebastian Cayetano,
"As you know before the Jankunu, you have the precursor and that is the Wari. The Wari is the one that's featured around this time between the 3rd and the 24th and later on the 24th the real Jankunu comes out. This is a very very important tradition as part of the Garifuna culture. In the past men from Dangriga would come to Belize city to perform Jankunu on our streets here, that was so good. Now, its interesting Jules that the Jankunu was a dance staged out there in the Caribbean islands in the days of slavery. You will notice, looking at the Jankunu, that it's a pink face which is supposed to replicate the white man, a white face. Its imitation or mimicry of the Europeans hence you have the pink face and the head gear, the shells there, and they also use a sword, and that is supposed to be the eyeglasses. Its all a mimicry of the white master. Way in the days of slavery, at Christmas time the slaves would go around the house of the master to entertain them and make fun and drink and all that fun. They were having their fun, the masters don't know what's happening."
Jules Vasquez,
He doesn't know he's being mocked?
Sebastian Cayetano,
"He doesn't know he is being mocked and it goes on like that."
Jules Vasquez,
"So how old would you say the tradition is?
Sebastian Cayetano,
"Our people brought it along with them when they came to Belize and we've been here 200 years and its 200 years here. Our people have been dancing Jankunu ever since from St. Vincent."
Jules Vasquez,
It became part of a tradition for a bram, how did that happen and what is the significance of the Christmas bram going back to 13 days or so before Christmas?
Sebastian Cayetano,
"Well Jules I don't know much about the bramming part but what I've read about and heard about is the big drumming by Water Lane by the Mosquito men. I heard Water Lane used to be their center for bramming all night and this was to enjoy the Christmas festivities, a change of activities from the Mahogany camps. First of all Jules, this is Belizean and this is not a foreign import. This is the way we used to celebrate Christmas. Now people are just glued to the television and don't bother to even visit their neighbor. That's not Christmas. We have to reach out and go out and celebrate."
Tonight, a small young collective of Jankunu players from Pelican street will be making the rounds in the Collet area and beyond. And tomorrow, a group of Honduran Jankunu dancers from Honduras will be arriving to do the Wanaragu style Jankunu.
