About this Event
Junkanoo is the national festival of The Bahamas. The tradition dates to the 1800s when enslavers gave their slaves time off for Christmas. In the post emancipation era, it was used to protest unjust social and economic conditions faced by Black Bahamians, eventually leading it to being banned from 1942-1947. Realizing the touristic appeal of this tradition, the government allowed celebrations to continue in 1948 and from there on in it remains a cherished cultural practice in The Bahamas and across the Bahamian diaspora. Despite its long history, women only began participating in Junkanoo Rushes in the 1950s.
Our invited panelists, Kishlane Smith (former Deputy Co-Chair of the National Junkanoo Committee), A’Keitha Carey (FIU), Sasha Wells (University of the Bahamas), will discuss the factors that led to it becoming possible for women to participate in Junkanoo and the impact women have had on the practice of this cultural tradition. The discussion will be chaired by Marya Meyer (The Women’s Fund Miami-Dade).
Photo credit: Smith, Jason A. Opening Night of Goombay Festival of Coconut Grove. United States Miami Florida, 2024. Miami, Florida, May 31. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2024004_001_ph010/.
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Event venue & nearby stays
Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs, 11200 Southwest 8th Street, Miami, United States
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.