Eccentric Moko Jumbies
March 2022 Youth Culture Bearers of the Month
View students' video interviews here
Participating in the traditional art form of Moko Jumbie is a family affair for some Joseph Sibilly Elementary School students who are a part of the Eccentric Moko Jumbies group on St. Thomas.
It seemed natural that 4th grader Zahira Belle, 4th grader Carmelo Febres, and 5th grader Enrique Febres, who are cousins, and 6th grader Malik Wells would one day dance Moko Jumbie because their mothers—Zolayma Belle, Camelia Febres, Alnesah Popo-Febres, and Apryl Vialet—were, themselves, members of various Moko Jumbie troops in the mid-late ’90s. Today, devoted parents are actively involved in their children’s learning of the art form.
Enrique, Zahira, and Carmelo all learned Moko Jumbie under the tutelage of Eccentric’s Randall “Coach Senio” Donovan; and Malik learned the art form during his time with Culture Shock.
According to local culture bearer Willard John of Guardians of Culture, “Moko Jumbies originated in Africa, where masked and costumed stilt-walkers fulfilled a spiritual role among tribes in the Gambia, Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, and other countries. Stilt-walkers were said to represent the powers of the gods; we're able to communicate with the ancestors and played a role in coming-of-age ceremonies.”
The mission of Eccentric Moko Jumbies, founded by brothers Randall and Randolph Donovan in 2019, is simply to “keep the art form of Moko Jumbies alive.” The group is in search of a facility that will allow for year-round programming and looks forward to resuming practices, now that many COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted.
The Youth Culture Bearer of the Month initiative seeks to raise awareness of the numerous students within the Territory’s schools who are practitioners of Virgin Islands cultural and traditional art forms.
