Tag Archives: Junkanoo

Fish Fry on Provo

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Excitement builds as the Junkanoo band dances through and with the crowds

A great evening was had at the Island Fish Fry held every Thursday night at the Children’s Park in the Bight. Local restaurants served up the most delicious fry and grilled fish, peas and rice, macaroni, lobster and conch and fresh corn. It was my first taste of “gullywash”…….. I took a small sample and just had to fill the glass up to the brim it was that good. Oh yes…..for those of you like me that don’t know what gullywash is, it’s a drink usually served in a coconut not a glass so rum and coconut milk are the main ingredients. Visitors and locals were all treated to some of the best island entertainment.

Colourful costumes, noise makers and shakers as everyone gets dancing.

Uncle Dough’s has the best #1 conch salad and the most delicious “gullywash”!!!

David Bowen often will emcee, sing, dance and play harmonica with local Rake and Scrape Bands.

The lively island sounds of V6 Rake and Scrape Band

Dancers getting ready to perform.

Henry the Conch was dancing and greeting people at the Fish Fry.

Henry the Conch was a real hit with everyone as he stopped for many photo opportunities with visitors and local kids. We were treated to some folk story telling and skits, the maypole plaiting and a junkanoo rush by “We Funk.”

The young dancers braided the Maypole as the crowds watched and cheered.

Everyone joined in and danced to We Funk Junkanoo band.

These drummers were sensational.

How low can you go?

This youngster was wearing several hats as he blew his whistle.

Ripsaw player in the Rake and Scrape band.

A drummer from the We Funk Junkanoo band.

Here’s the young lady who had be up dancing with everyone and to the Junkanoo band.

Please remember that the Fish Fry is being held every Thursday down at the Children’s Park in the Bight. Bring the kids and head down for a few hours of fun, entertainment and the most delicious fry fish! See you there.

Marta.

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Island Fish Fry and Miss TCI Universe

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Miss Salt Cay ready to compete in the Miss TCI Universe competition this weekend.

Great excitement this evening at the Island Fish Fry as everyone prepares to cheer on all six beauties vying for the Miss TCI Universe 2013-2014 crown. This has to be the largest crowd yet ….. a mix of visitors and locals enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of delicious fry fish, peas and rice, conch fritters, fish fingers, jerk chicken served up by many of the island’s great local restaurants. It was a chance for the six beautiful young ladies to strut their stuff infront of an enthusiastic crowd. Lively entertainment, a rake and scrape band and a Junkanoo rush by We Funk. Here’s some photos of this great event and don’t forget if you are visiting, come on down to the Children’s Park in the Bight on Thursdays.

These gorgeous contestants pose for all the cameras before taking centre stage.

 

Man, could this fellow play that saw and he had all the moves to go with it!

 

Six beautiful ladies on stage and ready to walk the catwalk.

 

Miss Salt Cay takes centre stage

 

Emcee David Bowen watching contestants trying to win Turks and Caicos Tourism sponsored bags and T shirts.

David shows how to "step on the roach".

 

Doing "around the world"

 

Henry the Conch leads the Junkanoo rush with We Funk.

 

One of the younger members of We Funk Junkanoo band.

Whistles and drumming, dancing to the Junkanoo band.

 

The booming beat of the drum and scraping of the grater makes the crowd join in and dance.

We Funk entertaining the crowds at the Fish Fry this evening.

Another sensational evening at the Island Fish Fry. Don’t forget to come on down.

See you there!

 

Marta

 

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Tanka

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The Turks and Caicos Islands has said a final goodbye to Wesley ‘Tanka’ Williams R.I.P.  I only knew him from the enjoyment he gave all of us on the many occasions we were lucky enough to join in the Junkanoo. I searched through my photos and sure enough, there he was………..a giant of a man, a gentle man with a vision, a mentor, a teacher, a no-nonsense man, a coach who encouraged his kids to to be successful in whatever they did. He worked towards giving less fortunate kids a second chance through athletic scholarships and training. He played an important role in helping to develope the Turks and Caicos Culture and bringing Junkanoo to our islands.

Wesley 'Tanka' Williams entertaining the crowds at Junkanoo

 

Tanka Williams R.I.P.

 

Marta

 

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Maskanoo 2010

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David Bowen danced up a storm as he led the Maskanoo parade last night in Grace Bay.

David Bowen danced up a storm as he led the Maskanoo parade last night in Grace Bay.

Wow!!     What a spectacular evening we all had as hundreds of people turned out to enjoy the sights and sounds and the fun of Maskanoo 2010. Maskanoo is a combination of Masquerade or “Massin” as it’s known in the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Bahamian Junkanoo.

Young and old came out to watch the masked revellers as they paraded and danced their way down Grace Bay Road.

Young and old came out to watch the masked revellers as they paraded and danced their way down Grace Bay Road.

Locals were out in full force dancing to the rhythms along with our island visitors as everyone joined in together to celebrate the TCI’s FIRST Maskanoo.

This Maskanoo-er had unique bottle shakers with colourful decorations.

This Maskanoo-er had unique bottle shakers with colourful decorations.

David Bowen, the cultural director and his group of dedicated helpers and workers have put in hours to stage this event. It’s important for the younger generation to get involved as well as educated about our island’s heritage and culture. What a great way to pull everyone in together for a funfilled Maskanoo.

Turks and Caicos Islands Maskanoo

Happy smiles and dancing feet during last evening's Maskanoo parade.

Dancers from the We Funk group up on the stage.

Dancers from the We Funk group up on the stage.

The evening was full of local entertainment with dancers, bands, ripsaw, drums, arts and crafts displays, food, drinks…a great showcase of the islands’ cultural heritage.

 

This local youngster was part of the great entertainment.

This local youngster was part of the great entertainment.

Dancing to the beat of the drums, whistles, shakers and other instruments

Dancing to the beat of the drums, whistles, shakers and other instruments

Mark your calendars……….an event NOT to be missed. Next year will be bigger and with more participants. See you there.

 

Well done everyone. We had a super fun filled Maskanoo evening.

 

 

Marta

 

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Conch Festival

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The annual Conch Festival was held this afternoon down in Blue Hills

The annual Conch Festival was held this afternoon down in Blue Hills

The Turks and Caicos Conch Festival is held each year in Blue Hills and today was the day for fun and conch tasting. The weather was a little cloudy but nonetheless all kinds of delectable conch dishes were prepared and samples served up by the islands best restaurants.

Delicious servings of conch were tasted by the crowds attending this annual event

Delicious servings of conch were tasted by the crowds attending this annual event

The 6th annual Conch Festival had all kinds of events from marching brass bands, our island queen’s were in attendance, conch blowing, cultural performances, Mojito contest along with my favourite event… the Bamberra Rum Junk A Noo Rush.

Junkanoo is a must to see and enjoy........Blue Hills is the place to be.

Junkanoo is a must to see and enjoy........Blue Hills is the place to be.

You can't help but dance along with the drum beats, whistles and bells.

You can't help but dance along with the drum beats, whistles and bells.

The colourful costumes of the swirling dancers combined with goatskin drums, cowbells, horns and other instruments. Everyone joins in as the performers go through some wild and uninhibited dancing as they bang on drums and move down the Blue Hills road.  The word “rush” is given to this all-out form of dancing in the streets as people “jump up” to the island rhythms.

Mark your calendars.  November is the month for the conch festival so come join us on Provo.

 

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Turks and Caicos flora

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Shak Shak Tree

Shak Shak Tree

 Here’s a photo of the Flamboyant tree or Royal Poinciana ablaze with colourful flowers on Provo.  I mentioned in a previous post that the Junkanoo band often has many percussion instruments that include the shak-shak.  This instrument is like a maracas and at one time, the seed pods of the Royal Poinciana or Flamboyant tree were used as a shak-shak in the Turks and Caicos Islands. I thought this was interesting as I didn’t know what a shak-shak was.

Marta

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Turks and Caicos Junkanoo

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Junkanoo festivities on Provo

Junkanoo parade in the Turks and Caicos Islands

We made it to midnight and watched the fireworks from our deck. We had to get up at five to take guests to the airport for the early Miami flight. The downtown traffic circle was blocked off by police as the New Year’s festivities and junkanoo on Provo were just winding down. At the same time that we are going to bed, our island friends are heading out in the wee hours of New Year’s Day to celebrate and party till the morning. The junkanoo parade is the highlight of the festivities… full of people in colourful costumes dancing to up tempo combinations of goatskin drums, cowbells, horns, shak shak (see post) and other instruments. You can’t help but join in as the performers go through some wild, uninhibited and hypnotic dancing as they bang on drums and move to the island rhythms. The term “rush” is given to this all-out, no holds barred form of dancing in the streets and everyone joins in (“jump up”). We wish everyone all the best in 2009.

Marta

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com