We interviewed them while they dined at the Chateau Caribbean Hotel Wednesday night.
Fascinatingly, three of the contestants, Polonio, Alvarez, and Roches are students of Gwen Lizarraga High School, the young ladies revealed. Martinez is a graduate of Gwen Liz, while Bernardez is a student of Sadie Vernon High School.
Karima says that she occupies her time by staying at home and baking her ?johnny cakes? to sell. She had entered the contest about 3 years ago, and decided to re-enter to showcase the different dances and languages.
Apart from these benefits, she hopes to capture the Miss Garifuna Belize City title this time around.
Karima, originally from Hopkins Village, said that the assets she brings to the pageants are: ?My dancing and my language, because I could talk Garifuna fluently.?
She plans to perform a Garifuna poem written by Gwen Nunez Gonzalez which asks, ?Why? Am I not as human?? She said that her reason for choosing the piece is that it encourages women to stand proud.
Franka is also returning to the contest a second time: ?Last year, I had a good experience. It was fun. I learned a lot and I want to learn more this year, so I decided to go up again,? Franka said.
She said that the most important things she wants to showcase are the language and the dance.
?The language, it?s not difficult but it takes time for you to learn it and the dances, you have fun learning them? most of all, I like the dancing ?cause I like to dance Punta,? she shared.
Franka said that the contest itself has taught her more about her culture.
Hyrra also participated last year with Franka and decided to participate again. She said that her reasons are simply to get closer to the other contestants and to learn more about her culture, the correct way to do the traditional dances and the right pronunciation for Garifuna words.
On Saturday, she performs a dramatic monologue about her culture. The basic message, she says, is for the Garifuna youth or any Garifuna person to reclaim and revive the culture.
?Where has the culture gone? Where is the sweet sound of our drums?? she questions in her piece.
While Martinez, Polonio and Alvarez are all repeat contestants, Sadie Vernon?s Sody Bernardez, originally from Honduras, is a first-time entrant. She is looking forward to participating, even though she knows she has to go up against contestants that have been through it before.
In her talent segment, she present a speech about a friend who comes back from the United States and scoffs at the hudut meal, refusing to eat it.
Sody says that she is most proud of the language and the dances, as well as they traditional lifestyle.
The fifth contestant, another newcomer, is Vashti. The pageant is a means for her to have fun while learning about her culture, she said.
The focus of her talent is the Garifuna music. She does a short presentation on Garifuna music, and then she plays the guitar and sings a paranda song, Tuagu Bigidara, done by the late Gabaga Williams and Paul Nabor.
?From being in the pageant, I?ve learnt a lot of stuff that I didn?t known. I have learnt dancing, speaking a bit of the language and so on,? said Vashti.
To other young women who are thinking about joining the contest next year, Vashti encourages them to come on board because it is fun, and young women can learn more about their culture.
One of the chaperones, Bridget Miranda, said that patrons could look forward to some unusual talent selections as well as the dances, such as the Chumba ? a mime-dance that depicts daily activities and experiences in Garifuna life.
Saturday night?s winner goes on to compete in the national Miss Garifuna Pageant.