the things we fear are about as real
as...
8" x 11", mixed media on canvas
South Shore Jumbie
36" x 36", coconut palm fiber, feathers, brake light from Lincoln
Continental and acrylic on canvas
Always Watching
22 1/8" x 22 1/8", acrylic on paper
Moko Jumbies exist today in the Caribbean as costumed dancers on stilts, often seen in parades. They originated in African villages as spiritual figures who would participate in coming-of-age rituals and were thought to protect believers from evildoers.
When enslaved Africans brought the tradition to the West Indies they subjugated the spiritual aspects of the figures but continued to perform the dances with the costumes, which have evolved over time.
To me, Moko Jumbies are an interesting manifestation of human belief systems. We have fears. We can seek control of fear by understanding the scientific cause of it, or by assigning its outcome to a power greater than ourselves. Moko Jumbies are very deliberate, large and live representations of greater powers performed by anonymized individuals. You see similar human physical embodiment of deity in Haitian/Congo voudon practices. Western religions and societies typically feel very threatened by this type of "pagan" worship. Viscerally, a god is much more powerful standing over you than simply painted on a wall or carved into immovable stone.
These three works were exhibited as part of an invitational group show at the Walsh Metal Works Gallery, St. Croix, USVI in February 2005. Over 40 artists participated, and the opening reception included performances by The Guardians of Culture Moko Jumbie troupe.
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