Creation Rebel Independent Man (1981)
Drums pounding, masks flashing, dancers weaving through the streets—Junkanoo (also spelled Jonkanoo or John Canoe) is a parade celebrating freedom, remembrance and the power of performance. Born in the British colonies in the Caribbean during the era of African chattel slavery, it fused African masquerade and drumming traditions with a festive flair, transforming the period around Christmas into a stage for both joy and resistance.
The festival’s name likely draws from John Canoe (also January Conny), an early 18th-century Ahanta warrior-chief from present-day Ghana. Canoe famously defended his people and their fortress against European forces—particularly the Prussians and the Dutch—inspiring enslaved Africans who brought his legend into the Caribbean. This cultural memory, intertwined with masquerade traditions like those of the Igbo and Yoruba, evolved into celebrations across Jamaica, the Bahamas, Belize and at one point even in North Carolina. Today, Junkanoo continues to energize communities: parades erupt during Christmas in Jamaica and the Bahamas (where it often runs all-year-round), while competitive performances have thrived in Belize and the occasional parade is held in Miami and Key West.
The tradition has also left its mark on more recent music. Take Creation Rebel, originally the backing band for reggae producer Prince Far-I. Around 1980, they recorded several albums with British producer Adrian Sherwood, including Psychotic Jonkanoo. The album’s fusion of heavy militant-style dub and conscious vocals runs through all eight original tracks, making it hard to pick a favorite. So, despite punk legend John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols) lending his voice to the standout track “Mother Don’t Cry”, our song of the day is “Independent Man.”
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