Junkanoo or jonkonnu is a street parade with music, dance, and costumes of mixed african origin in many islands across the english speaking caribbean every boxing day 26 december and new years day 1 january, the same as kakamotobi or the fancy dress festival of ghana. Queen, devil, pitchypatchy, belly woman, cow head, policeman. Jonkonnu in jamaica and belisarios sketches of character. One major character in the jonkonnu bands is pitchy patchy, who wears a costume made from fabric strips, produced in a way that is technically and aesthetically similar to the fabric strip mats, and the fabric strips of this colourful costume bounce and swirl, amplifying the movements of the masquerader as he dances down the streets. The pitchy patchy costume made entirely of colorful rags represents many familys spirits. Pitchy patchy pitchy patchy is a jamaican jankunu festival figure. Dec 17, 2010 traditionally, men wearing white, mesh masks play the characters which include the horned cow head, the policeman, horsehead, wild indian, devil, bellywoman, pitchy patchy, and sometimes a bride and house head which is an image of a great house carried by the reveller on his head. Jamaican john canoe or masquerade a history youtube. It was the festive opportunity afforded to the slaves by the planter class, christmas was one of the few times that. Belly woman, pitchy patchy, houseboat head, and actor boy.
Pitchy patchy also did quick steps sideways from foot to foot, which caused his costume of brightly colored rags and tatters to tremble. The traditional set of jonkonnu characters included the horned cow hear, thepoliceman, horse head, wild indian, devil, bellywoman, pitchy patchy and sometimes a bride and house head who carried an image of a great house on his head. Misspitchypatchy, newcastle under lyme, united kingdom. Jonkonnu characters the traditional set of jonkonnu characters included the horned cow head, policeman, horse head, wild indian, devil, bellywoman, pitchy patchy and sometimes a bride and house head who carried an image of a great house on his head. Jonkonnu john canoe, john kooner, junkanoo at the beginning of the eighteenth century a new christmas custom arose in the british west indies. So over 10 years ago as grown up i couldnt resist creating my pitchypatchy. Jamaican christmas customs jamaica information service.
The few days preceding christmas, in kingston at least, were frenetic. Jonkonnu festival article about jonkonnu festival by the. This essay considers the links between jonkonnu and similar performances from the african. It is a jamaican traditional dance form of african descent. He is dressed in shredded strips of cloth bearing bright. The island of jamaica has rich cultural traditions and some unique practices when it comes to celebrating the festive christmas season.
Pitchy patchy s role in the carnival is to keep masqueraders and the surrounding crowd in order by cracking a cattle whip. Displayed in effigy are pitchy patchy, horsehead, belly woman, jack in the green, houseboat, and the sailor. While very colourful and entertaining, their antics and mingling with onlookers often had the effect of scaring young children. Jan 01, 2019 traditional jonkonnu features costumed characters such as king, queen, devil, pitchy patchy, belly woman, cow head, policeman, horse head, wild apache indian, bride and house head. Pitchy patchy, not jackinthegreen, was the original jonkonnu figure.
One of the things which surely lets you know that christmas season has. Called jonkonnu, this caribbean christmas celebration blended african and english masquerade and mumming traditions. Pitchy patchy is a jamaican jankunu festival figure. A special gleaner feature on pieces of the past a jamaican. While some claim that pitchy patchy s costume is based on a traditional african model, bettelheim argues that his costume is very similar to the jackin. His costume is made of layered strips of brightly colored fabric. December 5, 2016 pitchy patchy, belly woman, horse head, devil and policeman dance to the music of the drums, rattles, fife and grater in this jonkonnu masquerade. The costumes were colourful, even devil who, although dressed in black, had red decorations here and there, and pitchy patchy, as his name suggests, wore a costume made up of very colourful strips of cloth sewn in tiers. Traditionally, men wearing white, mesh masks play the characters which include the horned cow head, the policeman, horsehead, wild indian, devil, bellywoman, pitchy patchy, and sometimes a bride and house head which is an image of a great house carried by the reveller on his head. The traditional jonkonnu features characters dressed as king, queen, devil, pitchypatchy, belly woman, cow head, policeman, horse head, wild apache indian. The characters included the king and queen, cow head, horse head, pitchy patchy.
The november 22nd, 2016 generoso and lilys bovine ska and rocksteady is dedicated to hector bunny williams during this miserable year of 2016, we have lost some of truly great foundation artists in jamaican music. Edward longs the history of jamaica or, general survey. The carnevale network jonkunnu by hazel d williams. Dani andreu as various characters enric ases as various characters manel bartomeus as. To enhance access to its rich and varied collections, the national nlj has digitized thousands of historical photographs, prints, drawings, pamphlets, programmes, manuscripts, books, rare maps and. The origins of the name are largely unknown, but there are some theories. Jonkonnu article about jonkonnu by the free dictionary.
Generoso and lilys bovine ska and rocksteady radio. Another character that may reflect an african heritage is pitchy patchy. The characters included the king and queen, cow head, horse head, pitchy patchy, red indians and belly woman. The national library of jamaicas nlj holdings constitute the most comprehensive collection of jamaican documentary offering an invaluable representation of jamaicas history and heritage. Over time, the themes of the costumes, which had strong european elements, evolved to be more afrocentric. Introduction the origin of the word junkanoo is rather. Wild indian, devil, bellywoman, pitchypatchy, sailor and. The traditional characters wear white mesh masks, and go by the names of the horned cow head, policeman, horse head, wild indian, devil, bellywoman, and pitchy patchy. Jonkonnu characters typically look like the devil, complete with fork et al, and these masked creatures have been popular in jamaicas culture since the 1960s.
The traditional set of jonkonnu characters included the horned cow head, policeman, horse head, wild indian, devil, bellywoman, pitchypatchy and sometimes a bride and house head who carried an image of a great house on his head. The creek of the mersey gurgles, twice in the fourandtwenty hours, with eddying brine, clangorous with seafowl. Pitchy patchy was usually the most flamboyant and athletic troupe member and appeared in both jonkonnu and masquerade bands. Displayed in effigy are pitchypatchy, horsehead, belly woman, jack in the green, houseboat, and the sailor. It was the festive opportunity afforded to the slaves by the planter class, christmas was one of the few times that slaves were relieved of their duties. Vocalist, nora dean and producerartists, jimmy riley, winston blake and prince buster as well as label owner lloyd a campbell. Jonkonnu dance traditions make it the islands oldest manner on record. Jonkonnu is a band of masquerades usually performed in towns and villages at christmas time. Some of the major characters include pitchy patchy, horse head and belly woman. The characters, typically played by men in costume, include pitchy patchy bits of coloured cloth cover the dancer from head to foot, horse, cow, house, the devil, bellywoman pregnant woman, policeman, actor boy.
If, around christmas time, you see children of all ages and even some adults running away screaming and frightened from a spectacle in the streets, a good guess would be that they are running away from the scary jonkonnu. Traditional jonkonnu features costumed characters such as king. A brief walk through emancipation park this yuletide season will acquaint or reacquaint one with the characters who make up a jonkunnu band. Masqueraders are normally dressed in costumes such as king and queen, cow head, horse head, devil, pitchy patchy, red indians and belly woman. One of the many characters of jonkonnu, traditionally seen at christmas time. So, what did christmas mean to jamaicans this year. Jamaica traditional foods and dances kevin4esturiene.
Jamaica is credited with the longest running tradition of jonkanoo. Characters in the johnkonnu masquerade are quite frightening to onlookers. He is usually the most flamboyant and athletic troupe member and appears in both jonkonnu and masquerade bands. While some claim that pitchy patchys costume is based on a traditional african model, bettelheim argues that his costume is very similar to the jackin. It blends genuinely jamaican manners to go the dance performed at todays jubilations. A pitcher is charged with a wild pitch when his pitch is so errant that the catcher is unable to control it and, as a result, baserunners advance. One of the more exciting features of grand marketchristmas eve festivities of yesteryear was the sight of screaming children, and some adults, as they ran and hid from their pursuers, masked men and women. Some of these characters are pitchy patchy, devil, horsehead, cowhead, actor boy, belly woman, warrior, wild indian, to name a few. Minerals with a pitchy luster are often radioactive and have gone through the process of metamiction. Traffic swelled to gridlock levels, supermarkets were under siege and nerves were frayed as shoppers with limited budgets struggled to find the best. The skull is painted and eyes are added to give a real life experience. One of the main cultural contributions of the igbo people in jamaica is the jonkonnu. Johnkunno characters include, king, queen, devil, pitchy patchy, and belly woman. Traditional jonkonnu features costumed characters such as king, queen, devil, pitchypatchy, belly woman, cow head, policeman, horse head, wild apache indian, bride and house head.
The traditional set of jonkonnu characters includes the horned cow head, policeman, horse head, wild indian, devil, bellywoman, pitchy patchy, and sometimes a bride and house head, who carries an image of a great house on his head. Mirrors and tinsel generally add shine to costumes. Pitchy patchy specific to jamaican jonkonnu, pitchy patchy is the crowd control character whose costume is made of many colorful strips of fabric. The rise of revivalism in jamaica served the loudest purpose and expressions of our ancestors defiance to secular injustice and recognition that the long arc of. Sep 01, 2011 jamaica is credited with the longest running tradition of jonkanoo.
Pitchy patchys role in the carnival is to keep masqueraders and the surrounding crowd in order by cracking a cattle whip. The jonkonnu characters scaring the children is a longstanding tradition in jamaica, which. John canoe or jonkonnu has a very long tradition as a folk festival, incorporating both african and european forms. The parade and festival probably arrived with african slaves. The character of pitchy patchy, whose costume consists of layers of green cloth or strips of coconut leaves, epitomizes the fusion of african and english performance traditions in jonkonnu. Ill highlight some of the unique christmas traditions in this alluring nation, from a local perspective below. Jonkonnu, or jonkanoo john canoe is parade that links music, dance, symbols and mime. Some believe it honours john conny, an active, successful black merchant near axim along the guinea coast circa 1720. The rise of revivalism in jamaica jamaica observer. John canoe, jonkanoo, joncanu, johnkannu, jonkonnu, jonkunu. The carnevale network traditional christmas celebration in. The changes continued in the last half of the 20th century, and characters, such as the horse head, belly woman, pitchy patchy, the devil, and some fictional ones, were added to the cast of masquerades. We want to help you find the perfect campsite, whether you want to camp under the stars, find a dog friendly campsite or need some added luxury with a glamping spot.
The acceptance of jackinthegreen was logical because of his similarity to the original circumcision figures of west africa and the local bush symbols. At one time jonkonnu celebrations spread as far as the southern united states. Find uk campsites, glamping and caravan sites pitchy. John canoe was most prolific during the plantation era where slaves used jonkonnu as a form of self. Traditional jonkonnu features costumed characters such as king, queen, devil, pitchy patchy, belly woman, cow head, policeman, horse head, wild apache indian, bride and house head. He also jumped and spun in the air and turned cartwheels. Wild indian wears a very similar costume with the exception that he carries a tall. Today these mysterious bands with their creative costumes appear more at cultural events such as christmas, emancipation and independence days. Indian chiefs moved with long steps and menacing actions.
It is believed that this character represents the overseer of the plantation era who usually appeared mounted on a horse and clutching a whip. History of art department, visual resources collections. The masquerade of characters like the horned cow head, policeman, horse head, wild indian, devil, bellywoman, pitchy patchy and sometimes a bride and house head who carries an image of a great house sitting on a plantation on his head. Michael craton department of history, university of waterloo, waterloo, ontario, n2l 361, canada. Pitchy patchy, the cowhead, the horsehead, the devil. They are sometimes invited to perform at heritage festivities. He is masked, and he often uses a whip to make sure that the crowd does not get too rowdy. These enigmatic characters would revel through the streets, playing traditional drums and interacting with people, especially children, as they go along. Jonkonnu dancers most often wore costumes that would depict a cow, a horse, the devil, the different categories of warriors and indians, as well as a character known as pitchy patchy. There was no reason for pitchy patchy to be banished or to remain underground after emancipation. Pitchy patchy was a pretty sight, a restless character, twirling and leaping and dancing everywhere. The character pitchy patchy is perhaps the most popular jonkonnu figure. The jonkonnu customs go as far back as the days of slavery, at that time the bands were very large and elaborate.
This brief reflection considers the third act civil war sequence that resonates with maroon war dances and costumed rituals in the jonkonnu festival of jamaica that i saw as a child, focusing on the importance of the female in this sequence. Jonkonnu dates back to when slaves celebrated one of the few days they were relieved of their duties at christmas. Jun 17, 2009 if, around christmas time, you see children of all ages and even some adults running away screaming and frightened from a spectacle in the streets, a good guess would be that they are running away from the scary jonkonnu. One of the original figures of jamaican carnival, pitchy patchy is usually represented by a suit made of.
One of the original figures of jamaican carnival, pitchy patchy is usually represented by a suit made of tattered, colorful pieces of cloth. The jonkonnu festival is secular in nature and used to be performed at christmas. Kingston, jamaica jonkunoo characters pitchy patchy, belly woman and cow head along constant spring road saturday. Edward longs the history of jamaica or, general survey of the ancient and modern state of the island. Queen of the jonkonnu, and wild indian represents the presence of the east indian. In jamaica, john canoe is viewed as a recreational activity and is usually reserved for the christmas period when there emerges a band of diverse masqueraders. Traditional christmas celebration in jamaica the georgian. The jonkonnu festival is secular in nature and its performance at christmas time is merely historical. Traditional jamaican dances 10 popular jamaican folk dances.
Colourful jonkonnu troupes usually perform in communities at christmas time. Jun 03, 20 the jonkonnu dancers are commonly referred to as masqueraders and mostly perform during christmas or independence. The jonkonnu revelers parade through the streets in colorful masquerade costumes. Junkanoo or jonkonnu is a street parade with music, dance, and costumes of akan origin in many islands across the english speaking caribbean every boxing day 26 december and new years day 1 january, the same as kakamotobi or the fancy dress festival of ghana. The dance group usually consists of several instruments, drum, bass, rattler, and fife. In 1838, less than one year before the enslaved of jamaica were fully emancipated, isaac mendes belisario completed his sketches of character, a set of lithographs that today constitutes one of the first visual representations of the jamaican jonkonnu performance from the preemancipation period. The rhythm of the jonkunnu music is quite distinct from other ritual folk music with its fife and rattling drum carried on the shoulders and played with sticks.
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