Masks are signature pieces designed by renowned artistes Errol Allen and masquerading is a big part of the Jamaican tradition of Johnkunnu.
The first outing of the revived the Granville Jonkunnu Band, sponsored by the Jamaica National Foundation was initiated by the Granville Peace, Justice and Resource Development Foundation, a community based non-governmental organization, was on Christmas eve in keeping with a community tradition.
This activity is a component of the Youth at Risk Project of the Granville Peace, Justice and Resource Development Foundation, in response to the unacceptable levels of violent that has impacted the volatile Montego Bay community of community in recent years.
This traditional “go-round-street” was well received by a spontaneous outpouring of community support, which rekindles hopes for a peaceful, secure, stable and a prosperous Granville as the Jonkunnu meanders through the street of Granville climaxing in the wee hours of Christmas Morning.
Through this medium the Granville Peace, Justice and Resource Development is seeking to bridge the generational an social divide, as well as through sports, other culture activities. The Foundation will continue civic dialogue, a participatory process to engage the broad citizenry to find a solution to reduce violence in the Granville community to which the Granville Jonkunnu Band is an entry point.
The project is building on memories past of an authentic folk form that is uniquely Granville as a catalyst to engage the large Granville community in a process reconciliation and renewal.
This project comes at a critical time as the community is seeking ways and means to address the unacceptable levels of murder within the community.
This project therefore will be integrated as part of the overall social intervention strategy that is being employed by the community to bridge the social divided and to bring marginalized persons particularly youth who are at risk within the mainstream of community activities.
Owen Allen
It is good to see the revival of Jonkunnu. Kudos to the Granville Peace Justiice and Resource Development Foundation, in their efforts to revitalize and promote this once salient aspect of Jamaican life and culture.