Photo: Gwen Nunez Gonzalez, Co-Chair of the Garifuna Language Commission

Garifuna language to be introduced as subject in southern schools

by Marco Lopez

BELIZE CITY, Mon. Mar. 4, 2024

Last Monday, the National Garifuna Council (NGC), in association with the Battle of the Drums Secretariat (BODS), announced that the Ministry of Education has approved the use of a Garifuna Language Curriculum.

The Garifuna language will be taught in southern schools to preserve and revitalize the ancestral language. In its joint release issued earlier this week, the NGC and BODS shared that in a meeting with the CEO of the Ministry of Education, Dian Maheia, and the Chief Education Officer, Yolanda Gongora, the curriculum formed by the Garifuna Language Commission was approved for rollout.

In addition to this, a Professional Development Plan, and a commitment to ensure the implementation of the Garifuna Language Curriculum in school programs were given.

The release states, “This approval comes after years of dedicated effort and collaboration between the National Garifuna Council and the Battle of the Drums Secretariat.”

Amandala spoke to the Co-Chair of the Garifuna Language Commission, Gwen Nunez Gonzalez.

“The Garifuna Language Program is timely because our Language usage has deteriorated over the years for many reasons, including the approach of learning from the Ministry of Education. It is only fitting that the system that has contributed to the state of the Garifuna Language, be one of the tools to fix the problem. Our grandparents were not allowed to speak Garifuna on school campus, and some of the then educators were brazen to tell parents not to speak Garifuna to their children at home. So here we are,” Gonzalez shared.

The two entities have been working tirelessly for years to foster the revitalization and preservation of the Garifuna culture. This approval marks a “significant milestone” and is a “pivotal moment” according to the organizations.

Both the curriculum and the Professional Development Plan were created under the Garifuna Language Commission, a body organized by the NGC and BODS.

“The curriculum will serve as a cornerstone in ensuring the preservation of the language for future generations, reinforcing its significance as a fundamental element of the Garifuna culture,” the release states.

In her comment, Gonzalez expressed, “I am committed to ensuring that our Language survives amidst the noise of defiance, unacceptance, cultural thwart, and the likes. The program will be piloted and then those who are desirous of using our documents can have a well-organized document to assist with the Language Retention-Revitalization. My heart is overjoyed with the formal continuation of the mission, because we have had many attempts, but Gulisi Community Primary School and St. Peter Claver Primary School are testament to the power of unity and determination to the cause.”

The Professional Development Plan will ensure the teachers and instructors are prepared to deliver curriculum content effectively, while allowing participants to attain Continual Professional Development credits.

Darius Avila, the President of the Battle of the Drums Secretariat, in comments to Amandala, said, “The approval of the Garifuna Language Curriculum, which will be used to guide the teaching of the Garifuna Language in the target schools, and the professional development plan which will inform and guide the development of teaching capacity for effective service delivery, is a dream come true. Sixty/seventy years ago, in some of the same target schools, talking of the Garifuna language at school was forbidden by the school authorities. This, and other factors contributed to the decline in the speaking and learning of the language. This initiative will expose the Garifuna language to approximately 3,000 students in the school system. It is well known that using an intercultural bilingual approach to teaching, validates indigenous identities, promotes inclusion and appreciation for cultural diversity, reduces racism and prejudices, enriches learning, and enhances indigenous self-esteem and academic performance.”

Schools in six southern communities will be the first to implement the curriculum. These locations include Barangu (Barranco), Peini (Punta Gorga), Senbeidi (Seine Bight), Georgetown, Dangriga, and Yugadan (Hopkins).

Gonzalez, who is a lifelong Garinagu educator and advocate for the Garifuna culture, in comments said, “Developing the Garifuna Curriculum with our team was educational, heart-warming, and amazing. I learned many ways of expressing thoughts from various communities, and it gave me an elation to know that other like-minded people have been and continue to push the cause forward. Garifuna encompasses respect, conscious thinking, and mutual understanding of roles. I am honored to play an integral part in the process.”

The passing on of the Garifuna language has drastically diminished over recent decades. Recognizing the urgent need to address this deterioration, these two organizations joined forces to create this initiative in hopes of safeguarding the Garifuna language.

A release issued by the Ministry states, “Mrs. Dian Maheia, Chief Executive Officer in the MoECST, and Ms. Yolanda Gongora, Chief Education Officer, today held cordial discussions with the National Garifuna Council on the Garifuna Language in Schools Programme. CEO Maheia affirmed the Ministry’s support in this vital endeavor. The Garifuna Language in Schools Programme is crucial in the preservation of the Garifuna language. It helps to maintain cultural heritage, foster intergenerational communication, and safeguard the linguistic diversity of the Garinagu.”

In 2001, UNESCO declared the Garifuna language, dance, and music in Belize a “Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.”