By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

ONE Family emerged as the unofficial winner of the New Year’s Day Junkanoo Parade, kicking off the new year with back-to-back wins after rushing to victory just days earlier on Boxing Day.

It marks a significant milestone for the group following a two-year hiatus of the cultural event, as it has been some 20 years since One Family secured consecutive wins, according to its chairwoman.

The group first took Bay Street by storm a week ago, captivating the judges and crowd with its warrior-like theme that saw them finish first place at the Boxing Day Junkanoo Parade.

Committed to winning for a second time, One Family returned to Bay Street to put on another spectacular show, but this time under the theme: “Happy Hour, Come Celebrate with Us.”

The group wore several eye-catching pieces that paid homage to popular beverages and other forms of entertainment that Bahamians would usually take part in during “happy hour”, wowing the crowd with a colourful display and lively performances.

 Ahead of One Family’s performance, fans chanted “Two straight” and “One Family coming,” exciting event goers.

 And just as fans had predicted, the group remained undefeated and was declared the unofficial winner of the New Year’s Day event, securing a winning score of 93.37.

 They also won several categories, including best music, best off the shoulder, best overall performances, best overall costume and best Shirley Street scores.

 The unofficial results were released at around noon yesterday.

 Saxons, who won the 2019 New Year’s Day Parade, came in second place with 90.62 points — beating Roots by just one point — and swept categories of best lead costume.

 Roots finished third with 90.61 points, the Valley Boys placed fourth with 90.29 points, while Genesis finished fifth with 76.94 points after a ten-point penalty deduction.

 Music Makers rounded out the top six after suffering a 42-point penalty.

 Christina “Muffin” Fernander, One Family’s chairwoman, was elated about the group’s second victory, describing it as “overwhelming.”

 “It is very overwhelming,” she said with tears in her eyes. “We’ve lost members this week preparing for the parade and so you know while we were on the high from winning the Boxing Day, we also (grieving) in losing two of our One Family members.

 “After a two-year break and to walk away as successful as One Family did this Junkanoo season, it’s just - words cannot express but it’s all teamwork. It’s not just me. It takes 200 plus persons to get this all done, and I am grateful and appreciative of all of (the) One Family members that support us.”

 She explained that last year was a difficult one for the group financially, among other things, but noted that through it all, One Family endured and “pulled through.”

 “It’s great motivation to get us now to kick off our 2023/24 season,” she said.

 She also told The Tribune the victory was historic, as she was the first female chairman of One Family or any other Junkanoo organisation to secure two consecutive wins.

 However, this is not the first time the group has won the parades twice in a row, according to Ms Fernander.

 “It’s been 20 years since we’ve done it and have had a consecutive win, but this was my first time as chairman,” she said.

 With respect to the B Division groups, Colours emerged victorious, beating the Fancy Dancers, the Immortals, Original Congos, and Body of Christ, which rounded out the top five.