Dec 22, 2015 notwithstanding these differences to be recognized across the island, traditional jonkonnu most often includes as core participants, the cow head, the horsehead, the devil, the different categories of warriors and indians, as well as a character known as pitchy patchy. Kingston, jamaica jonkunoo characters pitchy patchy, belly woman and cow head along constant spring road saturday afternoon. Jamaica was a major centre for the trade in slaves to the usa and throughout the caribbean. Jonkonnu called john canoe by the british is a band of masqueraders which. 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. The character belly woman, a pregnant woman is primarily played by a male. The masquerade of characters like the horned cow head, policeman, horse head, wild indian, devil, bellywoman, pitchypatchy and sometimes a bride and house head who carries an image of a great house sitting on a plantation on his head. Johnkunno characters include, king, queen, devil, pitchy patchy, and belly woman. The changes continued in the last half of the 20th century, and characters such as the horse head, belly woman, pitchypatchy, the devil, and some fictional ones, were added to the cast of masquerades. He also jumped and spun in the air and turned cartwheels. Jamaica cultural alliance jonkunno the forgotten christmas. Jamaicas national festival view title pitchy patchy, from the spanish town road jonkonnu band, performing in kingston for jamaicas national festival creatorculture jamaican siterepository site. Jonkonnu article about jonkonnu by the free dictionary. They also danced the jig step, using hatchets and bows and arrows in exciting gestures.
Some of the major characters include pitchy patchy, horse head and belly woman. Jonkonnu, an annual performance that had been reenacted for centuries, was now being performed for the last time as a ritual of the enslaved. In particular, see sheila barnett, jonkonnu pitchy patchy, jamaica journal 1979. The argument develops along the same lines as those to substantiate the belief that jack in thegreen was the prototype of pitchy patchy. John canoe was most prolific during the plantation era where slaves used jonkonnu as a form of self. Jamaica is credited with the longest running tradition of jonkanoo. Pitchy patchy also did quick steps sideways from foot to foot, which caused his costume of brightly colored rags and tatters to tremble. 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 bands play drums, rattles, fifes and even bottles and graters. Here, jamaica youth theatre shares this folk form with vis. Jonkonnu festival article about jonkonnu festival by the. The traditional marching group jonkunoo has not been a prominent part.
In december we had our jonkonnu, we enjoyed making different costumes such as belly woman, pitchy patchy, the devil, sailors and caribs, and parading and jonkonnu parades making a junkanoo costume is a timeconsuming, tedious process that takes skill and creativity. Notwithstanding these differences to be recognized across the island, traditional jonkonnu most often includes as core participants, the cow head, the horsehead, the devil, the different categories of warriors and indians, as well as a character known as pitchypatchy. Characters in the johnkonnu masquerade are quite frightening to onlookers. And, except for a single 19thcentury historical reference to a jonkonnu celebration in suffolk, va, historians have been unable to.
Masqueraders are normally dressed in costumes such as king and queen, cow head, horse head, devil, pitchy patchy, red indians and belly woman. Today these mysterious bands with their creative costumes appear more at cultural events such as christmas, emancipation and independence days. Traditional christmas celebration in jamaica the georgian. The dance group usually consists of several instruments, drum, bass, rattler, and fife. Dec 23, 2017 the traditional masquerade party of john canoe or jonkanoo is a highlight of jamaican christmas. Jonkonnu in jamaica the origins of jonkonnu reflect jamaica s colonial history. John canoe was most prolific during the plantation era where slaves used jonkonnu as a.
Whether european settlers or african slaves, every new jamaican brought their own native dances, and many have evolved and combined to form traditional. Sep 23, 2011 jamaica was a major centre for the trade in slaves to the usa and throughout the caribbean. The tradition dates back to hundreds of years and was widely indulged by the slaves as part of their principal holiday celebration. Now you can read the jamaica observer epaper anytime, anywhere. Police this costume is occasional and is a show of mockery to the policemen who used to be assigned to put an end to the parade during the periods it was banned, only to find themselves joining in when the music took over. Sep 01, 2011 jamaica is credited with the longest running tradition of jonkanoo. Jonkonnu, or john canoe british influenced writers spell it, is a folk. Cow head, horse head, devil, pitchy patchy, red indians and belly woman. He certainly is not a later development of jackinthegreen. Babu, an east indian cowboy with a long cattle prod.
Pitchypatchy in particular was a striking sight his costume made up of. Jonkonnu characters 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. One of the original figures of jamaican carnival, pitchy patchy is usually represented by a suit made of tattered, colorful pieces of cloth. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study. Jamaica is credited with the longest running tradition of jonkonnu. A traditional dance of jamaica by fridien nana on prezi. The pitchy patchy costume made entirely of colorful rags represents. Men in strange masks and brightly coloured costumes walking on stilts terrified many of us as children. The pitchy patchy costume made entirely of colorful rags represents many familys spirits.
Bands jonkonnu include a mix of traditional and modern characters, such as cow head, horse head, king, queen this wearing a veil, the devil, pitchypatchy, the red indians, the belly woman a character who dresses to simulate having a pregnancy with a huge belly and the police, a gendarme of pretend that seeks to keep the crowd in order. The jonkonnu customs go as far back as the days of slavery, at that time the bands were very large and elaborate. 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 s role in the carnival is to keep masqueraders and the surrounding crowd in order by cracking a cattle whip. While very colourful and entertaining, their antics and mingling with onlookers often had the effect of scaring young children. Jonkonnu the john canoe or jonkonnu has a very long tradition as a folk festival, incorporating both. Just a mere mention of a jonkonnu character will get most children to do what their parents want. 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. The main feature of the parade is a band of masqueraders usually dressed in hideous costumes and known by names such as.
However, jonkonnu dance traditions make it the islands oldest style on record. But the history of jonkonnu still fascinates us as adults, especially as we get closer to christmas and this holiday tradition. Pitchy patchys role in the carnival is to keep masqueraders and the surrounding crowd in order by cracking a cattle whip. Jan 21, 2018 now you can read the jamaica observer epaper anytime, anywhere. Paul pride costumed as pitchy patchy at the national jonkonnu competitions. Some of these characters are pitchy patchy, devil, horsehead, cowhead, actor boy, belly woman, warrior, wild indian, to name a few. Pitchy patchy this character is known to dance in quick small steps, while dancing in a circular motion and taking up as much space as possible. Generoso and lilys bovine ska and rocksteady radio. The characters included the king and queen, cow head, horse head, pitchy patchy, red indians and belly woman. 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. Pitchy patchy and devil, john canoe characters, dancing during jonkonnu john canoe parade. Queen, devil, pitchypatchy, belly woman, cow head, policeman.
They are sometimes invited to perform at heritage festivities. Jonkonnu, pronounced john canoe is an african american holiday celebration whose roots can be traced back to jamaica and to the slave ships from west africa. He certainly is not a later development of jack in thegreen. Kingston, jamaica jonkunoo characters pitchy patchy, belly woman and cow head along constant spring road saturday. The traditional set of jonkonnu characters includes bellywoman, policeman, devil, horsehead, pitchy patchy, cowhead and househead to name a few. Pitchypatchy also did quick steps sideways from foot to foot, which caused his costume of brightly colored rags and tatters to tremble.
On another note, children also get a special treatment at the community fares during the christmas holidays. The british seized control of jamaica from the spanish in 1660 and established a colonial outpost there. He is masked, and he often uses a whip to make sure that the crowd does not get too rowdy. Jamaica s national festival view title pitchy patchy, from the spanish town road jonkonnu band, performing in kingston for jamaica s national festival creatorculture jamaican siterepository site. Jonkonnu in jamaica the origins of jonkonnu reflect jamaicas colonial history. Dance is a popular pastime in jamaica, and travelers can enjoy performances or join in on the dance floor fun dance is a part of jamaican culture and everyday life, and it always has been. It blends authentically jamaican styles to become the dance performed at todays celebrations. Some of the major characters include pitchypatchy, horse head and belly woman. Indian chiefs moved with long steps and menacing actions. 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.
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. The argument develops along the same lines as those to substantiate the belief that jackinthegreen was the prototype of pitchy patchy. Aug 19, 2018 the main feature of the parade is a band of masqueraders usually dressed in hideous costumes and known by names such as. In jamaica, the jonkonnu procession includes a king and queen with their courtiers. Many of the colonies jonkonnu was prominent, bahamas, jamaica as jankunu, virginia celebrated jonkonnu.
Pitchy patchy is a jamaican jankunu festival figure. Historical records mention celebrations of jonkonnu taking place near edenton, n. Over time, the themes of the costumes, which had strong european elements, evolved to be more afrocentric. Jun 03, 20 the jonkonnu dancers are commonly referred to as masqueraders and mostly perform during christmas or independence. The traditional masquerade party of john canoe or jonkanoo is a highlight of jamaican christmas. Jonkonnu a christmastime tradition, jonkonnu is a bawdy street dance, one of the oldest traditional performances and a clear mix of african mime and the folk theaters of. The matmaking tradition of sane mae dunkley perspectives. 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. Jamaica traditional foods and dances kevin4esturiene. John canoe jonkonnu history in jamaica the jamaican celebrations of john canoe took the form of masked dancing, acting, processions, and revelry at christmas time.
The festival survives today in jamaica, the bahamas, belize, st. Other john canoe characters and spectators are looking on. One of the original figures of jamaican carnival, pitchy patchy is usually represented by a suit made of. A special gleaner feature on pieces of the past a jamaican. Jonkonnu is a band of masquerades usually performed in towns and villages at christmas time. Devil this entertaining character is accustom to making movements that simulate the. Jan 18, 2018 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 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. Pitchypatchy specific to jamaican jonkonnu, pitchy patchy is the crowd control character whose costume is made of many colorful strips of fabric. One major character in the jonkonnu bands is pitchypatchy, 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. History of art department, visual resources collections. The ashanti swordsman became the horned headed man. Jamaican christmas customs jamaica information service. One of the main cultural contributions of the igbo people in jamaica is the jonkonnu.
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