Although commonly referred to as Garifuna, the people are properly called Garinagu and the culture and language are Garifuna. The Garinagu arrived in the early 1600s on the Caribbean island of St. Vincent, eventually settling the southern coast of Belize in the early 19th century. Today, the Garinagu people struggle to keep their culture alive. It is the devotion of the Garinagu to their roots which sets them apart from the other ethnic groups in Belize. While many of them are professed Catholics, they have retained many traditions and rituals from their Afro-Caribbean heritage.

Garifuna Culture

Central to the Garifuna community is the belief in and respect for the ancestors. The Garinagu retain their powerful spiritual connection with the past generations of any family group through a ritual called Dugu. A spiritual leader called a Buyei or shaman presides over family members, who travel from all over the world to gather at the dugu meeting place called a temple. No expense is spared as fresh seafood, pork; fowl and cassava bread are prepared for days of healing, drumming, dancing and commuting with the spiritual world.

This spiritualism leads to a wealth of creativity among Garinagu in the form of music, art and dance. Punta Rock is a modern musical interpretation of a Garinagu cultural dance. This dance, characterized by seductive movements and rhythmic beat, is the most popular dance in Belize. Another favorite dance is the John Canoe, performed during the Christmas season. The dancer wears a mask which resembles an English face topped by a handmade hat similar to the English naval hats of the 18th century. The dance displayed the skills of warrior-slaves while mocking their British overseers.

The traditional Garifuna colors are black, white and yellow. Women usually wear long dresses sewn from checkered material along with colored head pieces. Bright colors, historical themes and distorted perspective dominate the work of many Garinagu painters. Handmade drums of cedar and mahogany with deer skins continually pound African beat in most Garifuna villages. Garifuna crafts include coconut leaf baskets, traditional cloth dolls and maracas made of calabash gourds.

Garifuna Culture In San Pedro Belize

Traditional Garifuna foods are based on coconut milk, basil, garlic and black pepper. Banana and plantain are grated, boiled, mashed or baked. Fish boiled in coconut milk or serre, served with mashed plantain called hudut, is a very rich and delicious meal. Cassava or manioc is a woody shrub which has tuberous roots, like potatoes. The juice in its roots is poisonous, though, so the Garinago go through a careful 2-day process of extracting the root. Once done, it is made into flour which can be sifted and baked into flat round loaves. The sifting remains are baked black and simmered with sugar, ginger and sweet potatoes into a popular drink called Hiu.

Search For Belize Vacation Packages

If you want to experience more of Garifuna culture, you can avail of Belize vacation packages that offer trips and tours to many Garifuna villages, particularly in the town of San Pedro Belize. You should also find eco resorts Belize near popular villages, so you can live side by side with them and better understand their rich and interesting culture.