“I am thankful to have been able to experience and learn from his contributions to the Anglican Church, the Parish of Christ the King, the Dangriga community, and indeed our country; such contributions will long be valued and remembered,” Rev. Barbara Rosado, Priest of Christ the King Parish in Dangriga, stated.

by Marco Lopez

BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Oct. 19, 2023

Canon Jerris Valentine, an unapologetic advocate for Garifuna culture, priest of the Anglican Church, educator, author, and cultural icon in his community and across Belize, died in his home in Dangriga Town in the early hours of Sunday, October 8. He was 79.

His son in a media interview said that the clergyman’s health began to deteriorate recently, and he passed peacefully in his bed at home, with his wife of 54 years and mother of his five children – Mrs. Lorraine Valentine—at his side.

“Canon Val”, as he was affectionally called by his parishioners, past students, and anyone who grew to know and love him, intersected the line of traditional indigenous belief and the doctrines of the Christian church effortlessly. In a March 2022 podcast episode with the Garifuna sisters, Canon Valentine recalled that as far back as he remembered, he always wanted to be a priest.

Jerris Jones Valentine was born and raised in Dangriga Town. He lived at #66 Gumagarugu Road — where he believed he was born—all his life. He shared that as a child he always knew he was Garifuna, and it was only in school, where they were forbidden to speak their language, that he felt a hint of oppression. At home, he would speak the language, and practice the culture of his ancestors. This influenced him greatly, he recalled.

Since the age of 12, however, Valentine was active in the church in Dangriga. He said that when he told his spiritual leader that he would like to become a priest, he was rebuffed, because he did not have a high school diploma. He opted to become a Jesuit brother instead. After being accepted into the Jesuit Order and spending two years at a seminary in St. Louis Missouri, in the United States, from the age of 16 to 18, he decided it was not for him and returned home.

He would then get a late start to high school – entering first form at the age of 19 years old. He recalled that at the time, his contemporaries were already having children and building families of their own. He would complete his secondary education at 23 – and go on to marry his wife three years later.

He was immersed in Garifuna culture at the time, and with others from the community rekindled interest in Garifuna spirituality and ancestral knowledge. This did not get in the way of his work with the church, and unlike many others in the varying denominations present in Dangriga, he did not have to choose between his Garifuna culture and his service as a man of the cloth.

In his formative years, the to-be clergyman would be one of the first Wanaragua dancers – this is the famous “Jankunu” dance performed house to house around the Christmas season. His last dance was in 1988 – a very sad moment for him, he recounted.

But having to start on the path of priesthood brought new responsibilities, especially on New Year’s Day when the dancing was most sought after. He recalled that he was also a skilled drummer – even playing inside the Dabuyaba (Garifuna temple) at one point. Valentine served as the chairman of the Settlement Day celebrations for several years. His immersion in his culture and the church caught the interest of a missionary nun who successfully advocated for his attendance at a university in Louisville, Kentucky. He would go on to get a Master’s degree in theology and forge a liking for the Anglican Church.

He recalled that a bond with a fellow priest and eventual close friend during his school days would kindle his interest in the Anglican denomination – recalling that he liked how the service was conducted and the robes.

He shared that at one time he approached the bishop of the church he was attending in the US, requesting to serve after he finished school. He was advised, instead, to not become a priest in the US, and to go back home and serve in his country – advice he called very wise.

He shared that he was accepted and grew into the Anglican Church, at the same nurturing his growth as a Garifuna spiritual leader. He would use his pulpit to not only spread the message of Christ to his community, but to also advocate for the continuance of the Garifuna culture.

He worked as an educator, serving as a teacher and principal at the Anglican Cathedral College, and had the distinction of being one of the founding members of the Belize Defence Force. In 1993, after years of personal study and growth, he finally took to the pen and published his first book, Garifuna’s Understanding of Death, where he delved into the oftentimes controversially viewed teachings of Garifuna spirituality.

Canon Valentine held on to the teachings of his ancestors and was relied upon within his community to preside over traditional ceremonies as well as Christian rites and services.

In the end, he believed that the final abode of all Garinagu is Seiri; and unlike the concept of heaven and hell taught by the Judeo-Christian religions that have influenced the Garifuna, this final resting place is made for all Garinagu people.

Rev. Barbara Rosado is the current priest at Christ the King Parish in Dangriga where Canon Valentine served for more than 13 years leading up to his retirement. In an interview with Amandala, she shared that Canon Valentine was her parish priest before she went to the seminary and took up the priesthood.

“Upon my return to the parish as a priest in 2014, I had the privilege to share in ministry with him although he was already retired. His sense of discipline and his knowledge and appreciation for liturgy, which guided both his life and ministry, were key examples that I still treasure and strive to live by,” Rev. Rosado shared.

She shared that his pride in the Garifuna culture reshaped the way services are conducted to incorporate the Garifuna identity.

“I was proud of the fact that he was a Garifuna priest in the Anglican Diocese and the only one for a very long time. He was bold enough to challenge the Eurocentricity of worship by composing hymns and incorporating Garifuna music and culture into our services. This afforded and still affords us the opportunity to think beyond the inherited rubrics to be able to incorporate more of who we are as a people,” she added.

A prayer service for Canon Valentine will be held today at 6:00 p.m. followed by a tribute event, which is to take place at his residence at 66 Gumagarugu Road in Dangriga.

We at Amandala extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Canon Valentine. May he rest in peace!