Bahamas News

Fans and members of the Roots group danced themselves into a frenzy after their Junkanoo group was declared the 2006 Boxing Day champions on Thursday.

Hundreds of Junkanooers, who turned up to the reading of the parade’s results at Arawak Cay yesterday anxiously listened to the roll call that determined what position their group would be placed in. The results of the parade were a reflection of the group’s overall performance at Wednesday’s parade said Junkanoo officials.

Deputy leader of the Roots Junkanoo group Vincent King said the win was long overdue.

“This (win) means a lot. The monkey is finally off our backs. For the past 15 years now we’ve never had a Boxing Day,” said Mr King. “A lot of the groups said we were cursed and this means the curse is finally off our backs.

We know what it takes to win now and we’re ready to continue to win many (other) parades.”

With the long-anticipated win, the Roots group, whose theme was ‘Treasures of Arabian Knights,’ racked up 3281 points in the overall category and 788 points in the best music category during the Winston Churchill-Rolle parade. They also took home the top prize for best banner.

Self-proclaimed Roots consultant and well-known Junkanoo lover, ‘Barabas,’ said he was certain from the beginning of the parade that the group would have come out on top.

“When I saw the performance at the end of the day, I knew we had won the parade. There was no way the other groups could have beaten us,” he said.

Parades scores put the One Family group in second place with 3112 points. Closely trailing behind was the Valley Boys in third position with 3102 points. Despite putting on a splendid performance on Bay Street, the Saxons, Music Makers and the Prodigal Sons were consecutively placed in fourth, fifth and sixth positions.

“I think as a Valley Boy, we could take a blow like this. Whatever the judges scored us that was their score. I feel a little disappointed in the music and banner category because I felt like we really had both of those categories cornered. But the judges spoke,” said Dominic Sweeting, who has been a member of the Valley Boys for roughly 25 years.

Teran ‘Bapy’ Davis, who has been with the One family group over 14 years said his group has settled for second place this time around. “I could live with what took place. I think that Roots was a little more thorough than us. They should have won the parade in all fairness. But what I had a problem with was the music category. I don’t think our group should have gotten 5th place for music.”

Despite the Roots’ 2006 victory, its group members have said they are not going to celebrate right now, said Barabas. He exclaimed that the upcoming 2007 New Year’s day parade is quickly approaching and the Roots have every intention of holding onto their Junkanoo heavyweight title.

By Lashonne Outten
The Nassau Guardian