January’s Jankunu Dance Festival becomes annual event

In culture capital Dangriga, the first ever Habinahan Wanaragua otherwise known as the Dance Jankunu Festival and Competition was held over the weekend. Seven of the top Jankunu groups in the south competed in the dance festival, giving the five judges a tough task to determine the best. At the close of the fest, Ligemeri Wanaragua from Seine Bight won first place and one thousand five hundred dollars in cash. Taking the one thousand dollar second prize was Stephen Valentine’s Group from Back-A-Town while the Ecumenical College’s Culture Club came in third, winning five hundred dollars. According the National Institute of Culture and History, the event aimed to promote cultural and economic development as well as to develop the quality of the Jankunu dances. The activity is also expected to become an annual event on the national calendar of events. Here are some highlights from the competition.

{Highlights from performances…}

Neville Lopez Jr. from Seine Bight won the junior competition.  All participants in the junior competition were winners as they were all awarded cash prizes.