The sights and sounds that the some 29 young men associated with the Falcons’ Boys Club were recently exposed to at the opening of the Junkanoo exhibition at the Organization of American States Headquarters in Washington, D.C. evoked a pleasant reminder of home for them.
The exhibition, which was put on in recognition of The Bahamas’ 32nd year of Independence, intensified some of the boys’ desires to perform at the “Feel the Rush” Junkanoo parade, which took place on July 31, according to the club’s founder, Darrin Rolle.
Since gaining its Independence in 1973, The Bahamas’ history, art, and culture have over the years received a considerable measure of exposure in the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia areas, said a proud Ambassador of The Bahamas to the United States His Excellency Joshua Sears during his opening remarks at the exhibition.
“Since 2000, some major art and historical exhibitions have been held in the city of Washington,” he recalled.
Some of those exhibitions, he said, included “On The Edge of Time ﾖ Contemporary Art From The Bahamas,” held in June of 2000; “Highlights in the History of the Twentieth Century Bahamas, 1990 ﾖ 2000,” held in July of 2001; “The Exploration and Settlement of The Bahamas, 1500 ﾖ 1700,” held in July of 2002; and “The People of The Bahamas,” held in July of 2003.
The majority of such exhibitions outlining Bahamian culture, history, and heritage have been held at OAS.
Another venue that The Bahamas’ cultural display has been added to in the Washington, D.C. area has been the annual Washing-ton, D.C. Caribbean Carnival. A Bahamian representation at the Carnival had been absent for more than two decades, so its addition has understandably been a delightful one for Ambassador Sears as well as the thousands of Bahamians that reside in the D.C. region.
“On June 25, a Bahamas Junkanoo group took part in the D.C. Carnival for the first time. From all accounts, we have reason to believe that it was a welcomed addition to the Carnival,” he said. “The holding of this Junkanoo museum coming upon the heels of our participation in the Carnival provides viewers with an opportunity to obtain a practical appreciation of Junka-noo.”
Two days later, on July 8, a reception was held at OAS Headquarters commemorating The Bahamas’ 32nd anniversary of Independence.
At the reception, Ambassador Sears told attendees, who included officials from the Department of State, members of the United States Congress, excellencies and members of the Diplomatic Corps to the White House and the OAS, and other distinguished guests, of some of the country’s milestone accomplishments over the course of those 32 years.
“Last year, The Bahamas received its five millionth visitor to our shores,” Ambassador Sears boasted. “This milestone was achieved by a network of persons and organizations in the tourism and travel industry . . . I wish to thank our industry partners for their commitment to our destination which has enabled us to continue to experience growth in this sector.”
Ambassador Sears also boasted of the country’s innumerable persons and organizations, particularly Santa’s Helpers, that work with Bahamian communities to bring joy to less fortunate children during the Christmas season.
“Finally, to you, the Bahamians present, the Bahamian association needs to be re-established, and I invite all of you to join in this effort,” he concluded.
By JEREMY FRANCIS, Freeport News Reporter
