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n(and Junkanoo Parade Day!)
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Inhad already graduated from high school by the time the Bahamasnfinally won their independence from the United Kingdom (Britain),nafter being a colony for more than 250 years!
Inhad already graduated from high school by the time the Bahamasnfinally won their independence from the United Kingdom (Britain),nafter being a colony for more than 250 years!n
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ThenBahamas is an island nation that lies off the coasts of Florida andnCuba, between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Three arenmore than 3,000 islands, cays, and islets making up the Bahamas, butnall of those islands add up to an area smaller than the very smallnU.S. state of Connecticut. (By the way, some of these islets arenprivately owned. A cruise ship line owns one, and the only people whonlive there are the people that provide food and entertainment for thencruise ship customers. There are probably lots of other examples ofnthis, too…Wouldn’t you love to own an island in the Bahamas?)
ThenBahamas is an island nation that lies off the coasts of Florida andnCuba, between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Three arenmore than 3,000 islands, cays, and islets making up the Bahamas, butnall of those islands add up to an area smaller than the very smallnU.S. state of Connecticut. (By the way, some of these islets arenprivately owned. A cruise ship line owns one, and the only people whonlive there are the people that provide food and entertainment for thencruise ship customers. There are probably lots of other examples ofnthis, too…Wouldn’t you love to own an island in the Bahamas?)n
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nThenJunkanoo parade is an old tradition dating back to the 16thnCentury (the 1500s). Back then, slaves in the Bahamas were given anspecial holiday around Christmas time, and they were (finally!) ablento leave the plantations and spend time with their families. Duringnthis time, the slaves celebrated with African dance, music, andncostumes. After the slaves were freed, the Junkanoo festival andnparade continued on Boxing Day (the day after Christmas) and NewnYear’s Day. These days, Junkanoo parades are also held during summernholidays, and they have become much more organized and sophisticated.nRather than wearing costumes made from plants and old newspapers,npeople in modern Junkanoo parades often wear intricate costumes suchnas these.
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nChecknout the interactive map of the Bahamas here.
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nChecknout this video of a Junkanoo Parade. It seems to be celebrating thenU.S.’s Independence Day, rather than the Bahamas’…and a drum makerntalks about Junkanoo drums.
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nAlsonon this date:
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nPhilanthropist Ima Hogg’s birthday
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nInventor Nikola Tesla’s birthday
