Cordell Thompson, local Exuma Historian and Director of the Pompey Center for Studies in Traditional Art, Music, Food and the Unresolved Mysteries, describes the origins and components of the Bahamian Junkanoo festival.

Q: What exactly is Junkanoo?
A: Junkanoo is the colorful, energetic, and breath-taking Bahamian festival that takes place every year on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Starting at 2:00 a.m. and coming to an end only when the sun rises (around 9:00 a.m.), hundreds of people dressed in bright, extravagant costumes parade through the streets playing authentic Bahamian instruments, performing choreographed dance routines, and celebrating their culture. The influence of Junkanoo is seen in all aspects of Bahamian society, in the fine arts, in music and dance, and particularly the personality and attitudes of the Bahamian people who understand the necessity for taking time out to celebrate life.

Found at ExpressionsByAnn

Q: When and how did it start? 
A: Around the 16^th or 17^th century, Bahamian slaves were given several days off around Christmas time, during which they would celebrate by spending time with their families. In their three days of freedom, they would dance, play music, and create costumes as a way to enjoy the holiday. Even after slavery was abolished, this tradition continued in the Bahamas and eventually transformed into the spectacular festival it is today.

Q: Where does Junkanoo take place?
A: Junkanoo has its roots in harvest festivals in the African countries of Ghana and Nigeria. Most Africans who came to the Americas came from these two countries and Junkanoo is celebrated in some shape or form from the Southern United States to as far south as Belize in Central America. It is still celebrated in the town of New Berne in South Carolina, in the town of Leon in Puerto Rico, in Jamaica, but nowhere is it observed with as much vigor and vitality as in The Bahamas today. Although the largest parade takes place in the Bahamian capital of Nassau, Junaknoo is also preformed in the Exumas, The Abacos, Bimini, Harbour Island, and Grand Bahama Island.

Found at Culture Quest

Q: Who participates in Junkanoo? 
A: In The Bahamas, Junkanoo has evolved to something closer to Carnival in Brazil, where groups of two thousand members or more, drawn from social clubs and close knit communities, take to the streets as organized “gangs”, to compete for the honor of simply being named and recognized as the best group on the island. The rivalry is friendly and gangs are judged on best music, best costumes, best dancing, with the accumulation of the most points in each category determining the winners. Groups spend almost half the year selecting, and executing their themes which are usually drawn from mythology, history or contemporary events, and which are executed with almost life like depiction from cardboard and fringed paper. Among the most famous Junkaroo groups include The Valley Boys, The Saxons, The Roots and One Family.

Q: What kinds of musical instruments are used in the festival?
A: During the procession, groups play traditional Bahamian instruments, such as cowbells, horns, scrapers, whistles, and drums made of sheep or goat skin. In addition, many participants use brass instruments (like trombones and flutes), which allow them to include famous pop songs and create a wider array of sounds in their music.

Q: What about the costumes?
A: The exquisite costumes worn during the parade take groups anywhere from 6 months to a year to create. The design is carefully drawn out on cardboard before aluminum rods are used to fashion the frame. Afterwards, groups meticulously layer crepe paper over the cardboard and add finishing touches with beads, glitter, and feathers. The costumes reflect the group’s chosen theme and often include headdresses, can be up to 15 feet tall, and weigh over 100 pounds.

Found at ExpressionsByAnn

Global marrying couple, Lisa and Alex of Manchester, England, say “yes” [to The Invite] and continue to their discovery of the world’s cultures and marriage traditions in The Bahamas while building their database of unique customs and unusual places to get married.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GEORGE TOWN, EXUMA, BAHAMAS (December, 2012) – Chat ‘N’ Chill®, Ltd., a Bahamian restaurant, beach bar and special event venue located in The Exumas, invites global marrying couple, Lisa Gant and Alex Pelling of Manchester, England, to marry on their 9 acre private island beach on Stocking Island. “I and thought ‘how cool is that!’ and wonder if they could come here to The Exumas to get married?”, says Kwanza Clay Bowe, co-owner of Chat ‘N’ Chill®.

Their journey began as a longtime desire to see and travel the world. After they saved up their money, sold everything they owned and planned their escape, they decided it might be nice to get married somewhere along the way. “While we both are very romantic, we also like to do things a little bit differently than most. We looked for ‘unique wedding locations,’ ‘wild weddings,’ ‘traveling weddings,’ we read wedding blogs, travel blogs, and love stories but we just couldn’t quite find what we wanted,” Alex said. So they set off to see what they could find on their own.

This is where destiny meets destination. After seeing their story on TV, owners, Kenneth and Kwanza Bowe proposed to Lisa and Alex by inviting them down to Chat ‘N’ Chill® to marry in an old time Bahamian themed wedding ceremony on the beach. “While Chat ‘N’ Chill® is accustomed to holding ‘off-the-beaten-aisle’ style wedding ceremonies, it is also the place where other world traveling adventure seekers meet up,” says Kwanza. Visitors come worldwide to enjoy the casual laid back atmosphere, menu of grilled island foods, fresh conch salad, tropical drinks, 6 regulation volleyball courts and to feed and swim with their friendly stingrays. While the décor is unpretentious and looks rather happenstance, the intention of the place was very deliberate when creator and owner, Kenneth Bowe says “I identified a trend of baby boomers selling off their possessions, buying boats and setting off on global sailing odysseys. At some time or another, most end up here, a place where they can kick back, relax and swap their travel stories and sea adventures.”

“Traveling and finding friends, adventure and fun whilst immersing themselves in the cultural differences of wedding ceremonies all over the World…’who wouldn’t get excited about that?’”, says the bride, Lisa Gant.

Lisa and Alex will tie the knot at Chat ‘N’ Chill® on 12-12-12 in an authentic Bahamas wedding ceremony and culminating a weeklong celebration of Exuma cuisine, culture and adventures. Lisa and Alex will stay at the luxurious Grand Isle Resort & Spa, located on the beautiful Emerald Bay Beach on Great Exuma Island. “From start to end, our festivities shall highlight all the specialties of The Bahamas, featuring Bahamian brewed beer, local musicians, the traditions of Junkanoo, Goombay dancers and the goat-skinned drum. All of the décor and design, including the invitations, wedding attire, wedding programs and wedding favors will be handmade in The Bahamas. We have partnered with local artisans to incorporate shells, coconuts, handcarved wood, handmade straw and fabric designs to showcase the beautiful talents of our 16 islands.” The ceremony space will be hand constructed using the native local flora, including coconut and silver top palms, seagrape and banana leaves along with the Bahamas national flower, the Yellow Elder,” says the wedding project’s visionary, Kwanza Clay Bowe.

“This is really great for The Exuma Islands as it will certainly provide substantial exposure not only for Chat ‘N’ Chill® and Exuma but for all of The Bahamas. This kind of publicity will also assist in developing other niche markets like boating and eco-tourism,” says Bahamas Ministry of Tourism’s Charity Armbrister, Director of Central & Southern Bahamas.

“We’re so happy to be able to host Alex and Lisa during their stay in Exuma,” says Don Jelinek, General Manager at Grand Isle Resort & Spa. “This is such a wonderful and unique time in their lives, and Grand Isle offers that perfect mixture of romance and ambiance that will contribute to a lifetime of memories. We look forward to them returning for an anniversary or two to keep the paradise experience going!”

“Brides and grooms come to us looking to escape the typical big-box wedding experience,” says Kwanza Clay Bowe, co-owner of Chat ‘N’ Chill® and founder of A Wedding Breeze, Exuma’s premiere destination wedding and event planning company. “Our high achieving bride and groom clients are ‘always on’ and connected with their successful careers and businesses, professionally. Here, they relish in the rustic, laid back surroundings where they can enjoy an intimate ceremony and simply relax with their guests, totally uninterrupted.” In today’s glossy wedding market, where everything often looks the same, some engaged couples are seeking out settings that are not just like the last 5 weddings they recently attended. And no doubt, Lisa and Alex is on top of the latest trend and has discovered a hidden jewel amongst The Exuma Islands in the beautiful Islands of The Bahamas.

About Lisa and Alex
Lisa Gant and Alex Pelling left their home in Manchester, England, more than 18 months ago and have driven across Canada, America and visited every country in Central America, and most countries in South America in their camper van, affectionately known as “Peggy”, which they ship from continent to continent. Always wanting to travel the world, they saved their money like crazy, threw caution to the wind, sold all of their possessions, including a home and business, and set off on their globe-trotting journey. They also decided they would like to get married, possibly, whilst on their trip of a lifetime. When they began to research, they couldn’t find exactly what they were looking for so they decided that they would research unique ways and unusual places to get married and build a database to help other couples find the wedding of their dreams.

“We want to experience the difference in each ceremony and find out what it is that makes the bringing of two people together such a worldwide tradition, and of course let the world know!” says Lisa and Alex. While initially their trip was 100% self-funded, Lisa and Alex, were surprised at the generosity and response of the global community when hearing their story. Not only did they attract worldwide media attention, but also amazing offers from people who just wanted to help them to achieve their dreams in some of the simplest ways to really big ways. At the end, Lisa and Alex will pick their favorite place where they will return to officially say their “I do’s” where they say, “it will be an extra special wedding ceremony to celebrate both their marriage and the start of a new adventure.”

If you want to help Lisa and Alex to support UNICEF through their UNICEF-Zankyou Wedding Registry you and a friend are in for the chance to be flown out all expenses paid to their final mystery destination wedding! For more stories about their journey and how it all began, visit their blog at http://2people1life.com.

About Chat ‘N’ Chill®

Chat ‘N’ Chill®, the world renowned Bahamas beach bar and social hub was founded by entrepreneur and University of Chicago trained economist, Kenneth “KB” Bowe in 1998, after a career in international banking and managing his family’s hotel and real estate enterprises on Great Exuma Island.  It was his desire to return to the “simple island life” and to deliver what he researched and determined what clients wanted: “The Charm of the Old Bahamas”.  Since then, not only has Chat ‘N’ Chill® grown into the go-to spot for escapees from the corporate world looking to slow down and get off the grid, it has also become sought after party venue and destination wedding location, and has appeared on the cover of Martha Stewart Destination Weddings & Dream Honeymoons.

Chat ‘N’ Chill® features a full service Exuma wedding planning division, A Wedding Breeze, and has Destination Island Wedding Specialists on staff.  Co-owner and Certified Wedding Specialist, Mrs. Kwanza Clay Bowe, known as The Exuma Destination Wedding Expert™, has planned and organized numerous weddings, teambuilding and special events for companies such as Sunseeker Yachts, Vocus, Charles Schwab, Siemens, Hormel, The Orange Bowl Committee, Miss Universe and many more.  Chat ‘N’ Chill® has been featured on the NBC Today Show, in Cosmo Bride, Conde Nast Traveler, Caribbean Travel & Life, Islands Magazine, Destination Weddings & Honeymoons and more. For more information, and to explore private event and destination wedding options, visit Chat ‘N’ Chill® at http://chatnchill.com.

About Grand Isle Resort & Spa

Located on Emerald Bay in Great Exuma, a magnificent island located in The Bahamas, Grand Isle Resort & Spa is a stunning ocean front villa resort. The exclusive gated community consists of 78 luxuriously appointed 1- to 4-bedroom villas, decorated in color palettes inspired by the sea, lush landscape and tropical ambience. The villas range from 1,250 sq. ft. to over 5,000 sq. ft. and offer a fully equipped kitchen, spacious living area, high-end amenities, and extraordinary views. Getting around the resort is quick and convenient, as every villa is equipped with a personal golf cart. Complimentary high-speed wireless internet is also available.

Grand Isle is one of the finest resorts in the Caribbean and is the perfect location for a Bahamas Out Islands vacation. Ideally suited for family holidays, romantic getaways, destination weddings and honeymoons, or for simply enjoying the beach, a luxury villa vacation at Grand Isle is an experience never to be forgotten. Villas are available for sale or rent.

Contact reservations at 214.393.2841 or reservations@grandisleresort.com. We’ll book both your air and hotel reservations for convenient one-stop travel planning. Visit www.GrandIsleResort.com for more information. To help visualize the beauty of the island’s pristine beaches, multi-hued turquoise seas, unique attractions, and authentic local lifestyle, the Grand Isle Experience offers a video show, 360o tours of the villas and resort grounds, and lifestyle photos.

Contact:
Kwanza Clay Bowe
954-636-1300

http://chatnchill.com

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America’s Most Trusted Guide to Weddings and Entertaining discovers a hidden jewel of The Caribbean and captures its unpretentious tropical island setting for the backdrop of its Special Travel Issue.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

“Brides and grooms come to us looking to escape the typical big-box wedding experience,” says Kwanza Clay Bowe, owner of Chat ‘N’ Chill® and founder of A Wedding Breeze, Exuma’s premiere destination wedding and event planning company. “Our high achieving bride and groom clients are ‘always on’ and connected with their successful careers and businesses, professionally. Here, they relish in the rustic, laid back surroundings where they can enjoy an intimate ceremony and simply relax with their guests, totally uninterrupted.” In today’s glossy wedding market, where everything often looks the same, some engaged couples are seeking out settings that are not just like the last 5 weddings they recently attended. And no doubt, Martha Stewart is on top of the latest trend and has discovered a hidden jewel amongst The Exuma Islands in the beautiful Islands of The Bahamas.

“This is really great for The Exuma Islands as it will certainly provide substantial exposure not only for Chat ‘N’ Chill® and Exuma but for all of The Bahamas.  This kind of publicity will also assist in developing other niche markets like boating and eco tourism,”says Bahamas Ministry of Tourism’s Charity Armbrister, Director of Central & Southern Bahamas.

About Chat ‘N’ Chill™

Founded in 1998 by Kenneth “KB” Bowe, Chat ‘N’ Chill® is located on 9 acres with over 1000 feet of pristine white sand beach. Chat ‘N’ Chill™ is the natural setting for a private island, pre-nuptial beach party or destination wedding.  KB says “I have always aimed provide ‘Knock Your Sandals Off Service’, where shoes are never required; it’s been our motto since the very beginning: ‘No Shoes, Kick Back, Just Relax’“.

Co owner and Certified Wedding Specialist, Mrs. Kwanza Clay Bowe, known as The Exuma Destination Wedding Expert™, has planned and organized numerous weddings and special events for companies such as Sunseeker Yachts, Vocus, Charles Schwab, Siemens, Hormel, The Orange Bowl Committee and many more. Chat ‘N’ Chill® was the location of the 2010 Miss Universe Beach Party when the event was hosted in The Bahamas.

Featured as one of the “Ultimate Beach Bars” in February 2009, Caribbean Travel & Life Magazine says Chat ‘N’ Chill® is a “successful-from-the-start beach bar that still manages not to feel contrived. Ken “KB” Bowe chose an ideal spot on Stocking Island – a beach-encrusted jewel just off Great Exuma – and built a bar/restaurant that excels at all the essentials. You can only get there by boat (which only helps the away-from-it-all ambiance).” For more information, and to explore private event and destination wedding options, visit Chat ‘N’ Chill® at chatnchill.com.

Contact:
Kwanza Clay Bowe
954-636-1300

http://chatnchill.com

Steve & Mary, July 17, 2004

Steve & Mary were my very first wedding clients at Chat ‘N’ Chill, 7 months after I moved to Great Exuma and I was 5 months pregnant. They threw a fun-filled wedding party spanning over 4 days for about 40 of their closest friends and family.  Since Mary & Steve fell in love while on a sailboat anchored at Chat ‘N’ Chill, they set their plans to have a wedding a Chat ‘N’ Chill.  Before the ceremony, Mary had an “Amazon” cruise where she and her best girlfriends cruised around the harbour in a houseboat that delivered her ashore for her late afternoon wedding.  During a special part of their ceremony, Mary’s son “scooped the sands” where they pledged their vows to preserve as a keepsake.

Scooping the sacred sands

They even “jumped the broom” too.

Jumping the Broom

A hot day it was, most of the wedding guests enjoyed cocktails during the ceremony and half of them stripped of their tropical attire and swimsuit cover-ups and cooled off in the sea immediately following the ceremony.

Fan programs help guests cool off for beach weddings

Everyone partied late into the evening to Bahamian, Calypso and Reggae music played by a local band. From the looks of the photos, Steve, Mary and all of their guests had very memorable destination wedding in paradise.

Beach Wedding Reception

Bubbles Farewell to Newlyweds Mary & Steve

And the crew at Chat ‘N’ Chill had a fabulous time throwing them an unforgettable island party!

Mary & Steve on the Sunset Deck

Unable to make the long trip back to the Caribbean this year, to celebrate their 6th anniversary, Steve & Mary are touring Italy while Steve is on break from his contract in Afghanistan.  Have a fun and safe trip and we look forward to seeing you next year in The Exumas!

Sonia & Arash's Chat 'N' Chill Beach Wedding 2005

It is an honor that you chose Chat ‘N’ Chill as the sacred place where you two became one. And it certainly was a priveledge to plan your island wedding ceremony, meet all of your friends, especially the Ya-Ya’s and listen to Rouzbeh’s beautiful music.  We will always remember being a part of your special day. Love & best wishes!

Review Chat ‘N’ Chill on TripAdvisor

The production crew along with two of the golf pros actually came to feed the stingrays, but the weather was not favorable (a little wind and a little rain) and our little friends were hiding.  So they actually sought shelter inside and did a little footage at the bar.  Don’t worry, we didn’t get them smashed!  We will post some pics later, but we don’t want to mess up any story lines for the show since we were successful at keeping it a secret this long.  In fact I almost forgot about it until my golf-loving Dad mentioned that he saw Great Exuma’s Sandals Emerald Bay on the Golf Channel the other day!

Greg Norman designed course at Emerald Bay

The episode I saw had a surprise visit from the shark himself, Greg Norman, who designed the exquisite Emerald Bay course.  It seemed like a pretty cool show.  I am counting on all you golf lovers to check it out.  So tune in and leave a comment to let us know if you see Chat ‘N’ Chill on the Golf Channel!

Mark called me up and said that Chat ‘N’ Chill was the highlight during their visit to Exuma and he wanted to share the experience with his brother and new sister-in-law.  We arranged a custom, full-day adventure, including round-trip transportation from Sandals to George Town, round-trip water taxi transfers across Elizabeth Harbour to Stocking Island, conch salad, food, tropical drinks, T-shirts, souvenirs and more.

Thank you Mark & Anne for sharing Chat ‘N’ Chill!

Thank you Matt & Amy for sharing your dolphin video from your day at Chat ‘N’ Chill with all of our guests!