The Garifuna – an Iconic Belizean Culture!

The Garinagu – A history of Migration

Belize is considered a potpourri of cultures. People of different skin tones, different languages, and people belonging to different ethnic groups live in harmony with one another in this tiny Central American country. Ethnic groups in Belize include the Creole, Mestizo, Maya, Garinagu, Asian, East Indian, European and Mennonites

Every year on the 19th of November, thousands of Belizeans celebrate the arrival of the Garinagu people to the southern shores of Belize, a public and bank holiday known as Garifuna Settlement Day. Part of this celebration includes a reenactment of their arrival via dugout canoe.

The theme of Garifuna Settlement Day 2024 is “Afeduha waméi wagücha, afareinha waméi wanichigu!” Translated to English, it means “Celebrating our roots; sharing our culture!”

According to the National Garifuna Council of Belize the theme reflects, “significance of preserving and promoting Garifuna heritage, highlighting the community’s commitment to honoring their rich cultural roots while sharing their traditions with the wider world. As the nation prepares for the annual celebration on November 19th, events and activities are expected to showcase the Garifuna people’s history, music, dance, language, and cuisine.”

In light of this we decided to share some facts about the rich Garinagu history and culture:

Garifuna Facts

• Though commonly referred to as “Garifuna”, the people are properly called “Garinagu” and the culture and language are “Garifuna”.
• The Garifuna make up the fourth largest ethnic group in Belize, about 17.4% of the population.
• Garinagu or Black Caribs, are descendants of two ethnic groups, Carib Indians and Black Africans that lived on the island of St. Vincent.
• In 2001 the UNESCO recognized Garifuna language, music, and dance as a masterpiece of oral and intangible heritage.

Garifuna History

• In 1635, two Spanish ships carrying Nigerian slaves floundered and sank off the coast of St. Vincent. The slaves that survived and swam ashore found shelter in the existing Carib Indian settlements. Over the next century and a half, the two people intermixed, intermarried and eventually fused into a single culture, the Black Caribs or Garinagu.
• By 1773, the Black Carib was the dominant population of St. Vincent. But, European politics began to exert its influence throughout the Caribbean. A series of wars between the French and British on St. Vincent culminated in a final battle on June 10th, 1796, where the French and their Carib allies were forced to surrender and leave the island. Thus would start a journey by the exiled Caribs in search of a home.
• The British deposited the Caribs on the island of Roatan, Honduras. Shortly after, the entire marooned population migrated to the mainland of Honduras and allied with the Spanish in the fortress town of Trujillo. Unfortunately, a brief civil war in 1832 found the Caribs on the wrong side and once again many were forced to flee to neighboring Belize formally British Honduras.
• The first Garifuna arrived in British Honduras on November 19, 1802
• They established villages such as Barranco, Seine Bight, Dangriga, Hopkins and Punta Gorda

Garifuna Flag

• The Garifuna flag consists of three horizontal stripes of black, white and yellow, in that order, starting from the top.
• The colors each represent an individual aspect of the culture. The yellow represents the Garifuna people’s Amerindian ancestry their hope for a better life and their indigenous heritage. Yellow is also the color of cassava, a staple food in Garifuna culture. White symbolizes peace and black symbolizes the struggles of the Garifuna people and the color of their skin.

Garifuna Food

• Traditional Garifuna foods are based around fish, cassava, bananas, plantains and yams
• One of the staples of the diet is cassava. Cassava is made into a bread, a drink, a pudding, and even a wine! The cassava bread is served with most meals. The process of making the bread is very labor intensive and takes several days.
• Other common traditional Garifuna meals are, Hudut, Dharasa and Ereba which is a Cassava Bread.

Garifuna Music

• The main traditional instruments are drums and maracas.
• Drums play an important role in Garifuna music.
• The main drum is the Segunda (bass drum). The drums are normally made by hollowing out logs and stretching antelope skin over them.
• The two main Garifuna genres of music are Punta and Paranda.

Check out Classic Garifuna Sounds by Andy Palacio!

And Paul Nabor known as the king of Paranda!

Garifuna Religion and Beliefs

• Garifuna religion consists of a mix of Catholicism, African and Indian beliefs.
• A shaman known as a buyei is the head of all Garifuna traditional practices.
• They believe that the departed ancestors mediate between the individual and the external world. If a person behaves and performs well then he will have good fortune. If not, then the harmony that exists in relationships with others and the external world will be disrupted leading to misfortune and illness.
• Mystical practices and participation in the Dugu orders are also widespread among the Garifuna.
• Their spiritualism is creatively expressed through music, dancing and other art forms. They believe that everybody gets to “Seri” (Garifuna Heaven). Hell is a new concept. In general, there is forgiveness.
• Sacred rituals include the Beluria, a celebration held nine nights after a person’s death and the Dugu, a private family reunion to celebrate and connect the spirits of ancestors.

Contributions to Belize

The Garinagu have enriched Belize with their music, food, and vibrant nature but they are also known to be trained educators that traveled the country from the 1870s through the 1970s to provide education in rural primary schools.

From all of us here at Chaa Creek we wish our Garinagu friends, neighbors and family a Happy Garifuna Settlement Day!