A Moko Jumbie (also known as Mocko Jumbie, Moko Jumbi, Moko Jumby, or Moko Zumbi) is a traditional stilt walker or dancer associated with Caribbean Carnivals for over 200 years.[1] Originating from West African traditions, Moko Jumbie cultural practices were introduced to the Caribbean island by enslaved Africans during the 19th century. [2][3][4]
Moko Jumbie performers usually wear masks and costumes that blend African and European traditions. Their choreography often incorporates jumps and elements of masquerade.[3] Traditionally, one or two Moko Jumbies would parade with a small band of musicians, often issuing blessings and warding off evil spirits.[3][5] Moko Jumbies remain central to many Caribbean celebrations around the world, and now whole troupes of Moko Jumbies may march together.[3]
Etymology
The name Moko Jumbie has African and Caribbean origins.[6]Moko originates from Central Africa, meaning a healer, spirit guardian, or deity of retribution.[7]Jumbie is commonly used across the Caribbean to refer to spirits,[8][9] and comes from the Kongo language word "zumbi".[6]
Moko is an Orisha from Central and West African cultures such as the Congo and Nigerian cultures, revered as a guardian figure. His tall stature allowed him to perceive malevolence before it was visible to ordinary individuals.[5] Reverence for Moko was likely brought to the Caribbean during the Atlantic slave trade, when Africans were enslaved to work on the islands' plantations.[3][4]
From the 1870s, records describe early Moko Jumbie costumes in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines that consisted of European women's dresses under layers of petticoats, often with headdresses to increase their height. African motifs and beadwork were gradually introduced into the designs through a process of Creolization, and likely overtook the European elements around the middle of the 20th century.[3]
Following a period of decline in the 20th century, Moko Jumbie underwent revivals across the Caribbean, including in St. Thomas in the 1970s and in Trinidad in the 1980s.[1][3][4]
Many Caribbean islands celebrate their Moko Jumbie traditions, including Antigua, Bermuda, and Trinidad and Tobago.[5][10][11][12] It is common to see groups of Moko Jumbie performers walking together at carnival.[3] Training programs for young people offer mentorship as well as instruction in the techniques and historical context of Moko Jumbie.[13][14]
Popular culture
In 1978, Trinidadian choreographer Geoffrey Holder used Moko Jumbies in the Broadway musical Timbuktu![4]
In 2004, German photographer Stephan Falke published Moko Jumbies: The Dancing Spirits of Trinidad, which documented the activities of Glen de Souza (known as Dragon) in reviving Moko Jumbie in Trinidad and Tobago.[4]
In 2009, the U.S. Department of Tourism of the U.S. Virgin Islands released a new logo which features the Moko Jumbie.[15][1][16]
In the late 2000s, Noggin, fine edutainment spin-off of the Nick Jr. Channel, released an animated music video called "Papa Moco Jumbie", in which a little boy wants to dance like his father, a moko jumbie, in the carnival.[17]
↑ Farrell, Sylvin (October 18, 2022). "Mocko Jumbie Today". The Antigua & Barbuda Cultural Information System. Archived from the original on May 2, 2024. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
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