Week of October 11th – 2nd Territory – US Virgin Islands

Tourism and duty free shopping is the backbone of the VI economy. Since a vacation to the Caribbean wasn’t in the cards this week we went to Plan B. Truthfully that should be “I went to Plan B” since the celebration I explored was kind of a solitary activity. Much as I did for Puerto Rico I sought out an art form that was unique to the Virgin Island culture. What I found was the creative exploration of an endeared symbol of the territory – the Mocko Jumbie doll.

I have no intention of turning this post into a Mocko Jumbie history lesson (there are much more enlightened ones on the web) but I need to give you some background. Mocko Jumbies are stilt walkers who ward off evil spirits and protect villages from the enemy. You can see them at local festivals and parades in their brightly colored costumes and masks borrowed from West African imagery. It is said that they walk on stilts because it gives them a better view to see evil approaching. In 2009 the US Department of Tourism declared the Mocko Jumbie a symbol of the Islands.

In celebration of these revered cultural symbols, Virgin Island artisans capture the imagery in dolls. The dolls, just like their inspiration, are created with bright fabrics, beads, feathers and tribal masks.

So I spent the better part of the week gathering fabrics, feathers, structural materials and inspirational imagery. I started by cutting strips and strips of bright colored fabrics and drawing masks. I painted dowels for their stilts and chose feathers for their headdresses. One of the VI artisans puts bright colored sunglasses and straw hats on her Mocko Jumbie dolls. I found some great sunglasses to use but failed to find any little bity straw hats, so mine will all have masks.

Although I’ve never lacked for creativity I found the experience was that much better while accompanied by an island cocktail made with Cruzan Rum (St. Croix). The making of Cruzan Rum goes back to the time when sugar production was the Virgin Island’s main industry. So the cocktails were historic and cultural in nature.

Unlike our Puerto Rican celebration, where we paraded with our masks, I declined the offer to parade my dolls and opted for an exhibit of dolls, flowers and native fabrics. And of course, a rum salute to their color, power, and protective spirits.

Color in the US Virgin Islands with the essence of the Mocko Jumbie and move on to fill in the eastern seaboard with the Old Line state - Maryland. 47 down – 5 to go.