Times of the Islands Fall 2022

In the Turks & Caicos Islands, Junkanoo started as
the tradition of “massing,” a masquerade event held at
Christmas consisting of a street procession of characters
in traditional costumes dancing to drums, bells, and
whistles. Its roots lie in the Islands’ period of slavery —the
New Year and Christmas holidays were a break for the
enslaved people, a time to celebrate! They used all they
had to construct vibrant clothes and instruments to create
a sound that realised their surging spirits of joy.
The backstory
TCI’s Junkanoo Museum is the result of the creative efforts
of its owner and coordinator Kitchener “Kitch” Penn. The
museum is located on Old Airport Road in Providenciales,
(to the right of The Snack Spot) and you can’t miss it!
It makes itself known with a striking, colourful outside
display.
Kitch Penn is also the head of the “We Funk” Junkanoo
band, which regularly performs at the Island Fish Fry,
Maskanoo, and other events across the country. He’s
been a fixture of the Junkanoo culture on these Islands
since the 1980s when he was hired to put on the first
Junkanoo festival.
After Penn’s Junkanoo events, he says, many partakers
wanted to “put that costume on, even though it
was sweaty! They wanted to beat the drum and feel the
instrument.” An idea flared to life inside him. A way for
people to experience Junkanoo outside of being observers.
They could have fun putting the costume on, playing
the instruments, and learning more about the history.
But these were not the only motivating factors in creating
a Junkanoo museum. The other factor? “A lot of
people don’t understand my passion and why I do what
I do, but it is principally because of the pledge I made to
my dad,” Penn says. “He challenged me to help the youth
of the Turks & Caicos Islands.” To learn more about their
roots, island youth can take advantage of the museum,
which also focuses on the entirety of TCI.
Penn’s father-—Simpson Calfred Penn MBE—also
helped youth, but he did so in the Bahamas as captain of
the Boys Brigade there. Simpson moved to the Bahamas
from Lorimers, Middle Caicos, when he was 17.
While Penn has lived here in the TCI, he has used
his love for basketball and Junkanoo to fulfill his pledge.
One way is by making basketball courts available on
Providenciales so the youth could further their skills. “I
took my life savings (to build that court),” Penn says. It
furthermore gave police a facility to play basketball and
volleyball. He also helped develop the Provo Basketball
David Bowen has played an important role in preserving TCI culture
for decades. Here, he wears a costume more reflective of the local
tradition of “massing,” which preceded Junkanoo in the Islands.
Association as well as associations in Grand Turk and
South Caicos. “I will proudly say that through our program
emphasizing discipline, self-respect, and true Christian
manliness I have accomplished my goal and pledge to my
dad.”
Inside the museum
The first steps inside the Junkanoo Museum open to its
entrance room where photographs of people participating
in Junkanoo line the colorful walls. You will also see
real-life Junkanoo costumes made out of strips of cardboard,
toilet paper, and newspaper.
On a tour of the museum, guests can expect to be
able to try on the Junkanoo costumes, beat on the goat-
or cow-skin drums, and take pictures—it’s all about
enjoying and experiencing the culture. As you’re having
MARTA MORTON—WWW.HARBOURCLUBVILLAS.COM
48 www.timespub.tc