Jonkunoo-A Dying Tradition

A confluence of costume, dancing, theater and music- the traditions of Jonkunoo at Christmastime seem to be fading away from the culture. Leaving some to wonder if western traditions have superseded the African retentions that the traditions sought to maintain. However, for Kenny Salmon, Chairman and Creative Director at the Institute for Creative Training and Development, which is driving the revival of Jonkunoo traditions in Jamaica, something may have been lost in translation across generations.

In the digital age however that form of covert resistance has given way to new forms of expression in music and dance. Salmon says many of the moves currently expressed in the dancehall, have their origins in Jonkunoo, where pageantry and social commentary have taken on a more modern guise. Salmon however hopes that retention of its cultural significance will be bolstered by agencies such as the Jamaica cultural development commission and the Edna Manley College for the Visual and Performing Arts.

Reporter: Joel Crosskill