For the past 36 years, Garifuna Settlement Day has been celebrated nationally as a public and bank holiday in Belize; and this year was no exception.

According to the National Garifuna Council of Belize, November 19th – the date on which the holiday is commemorated – is esteemed as the most important day in the Garifuna calendar for the G.arinagu descendants who populate our country.

Since 1977 when it was declared a national holiday, the yearly festivities have not been limited solely to the southern districts of Belize where the Garinagu population is centered; but rather, wherever Garinagu people are present.

During this rich cultural celebration, the initial arrival and subsequent settlement of the first set of Garinagu to Belize is enthusiastically celebrated in the Garifuna communities across the country. The first Garinagu descendants are believed to have arrived at our shores on November 19 over 200 years ago, via a fleet of dugout canoes, better known as ‘doreys.’ They had successfully absconded to this part of the Caribbean after being exiled from St. Vincent and the Grenadines by British armed forces.

Therefore, it marks a truly meaningful day for their proud descendants who now refer to Belize as their homeland. This was evident yesterday before daybreak at the Belcan Bridge in Belize City, where dozens of Garinagu Belizeans dressed in colorful traditional outfits – as well as other interested individuals – patiently awaited the annual re-enactment of the arrival of their ancestors. They waited with the vibrant sounds of beating Garifuna drums combined with customary Garifuna song and dance permeating the air.

At the height of the event, three boatloads of local, energetic Garinagu descendants arrived with samples of their traditional staples – such as sticks of cassava and cane; cocoa and palm leaves, and bunches of plantains and coconuts – which are all part of the provisions that the original Garifuna settlers are believed to have brought with them on their seafaring journey. They were also dressed in their traditional clothing – singing and dancing to their traditional music with their traditional yellow, black and white Garifuna flag flying briskly.

It was plain to be seen that Garifuna Settlement Day holds great significance in the Garifuna culture in Belize. During the street procession that took place afterwards, Amandala spoke to the president of the National Garifuna Council for the Belize City Branch, Francisco Zuniga, who further explained the day’s importance and some of the historical events that led up to the arrival of their predecessors. He said that the Garinagu people first landed near the coast of Nicaragua and Honduras, before they arrived in Belize (then British Honduras) where ardently they sought the permission of the Governor and other Heads of State in order to gain asylum. Zuniga said, “It’s a very significant day that we [as Garifuna] should all cherish and keep in mind, especially the younger generation.”

We also spoke to some of the participants who took part in the parade and found out that Garifuna Settlement Day is quite meaningful to them.

Also partaking in the procession was Belize City Mayor Darrell Bradley. He told us that this is the second year that he has been a part of the Garifuna Settlement Day festivities. Bradley said, “It’s really an honor for me to have welcomed the Garifuna people to our shores [this morning] … and it’s good to see the Garifuna people celebrating their identity. I think we all appreciate the contribution that these people have made to the development of Belize.”

There was also a procession following the Garifuna Mass which was held at St. Martin De Porres Church. That parade led to the commencement of the official ceremony at BTL Northside Park. All-day festivities, which were organized by the Belize City Council, were then conducted at the ITVET Compound on Freetown Road in Belize City.

This year’s national Garifuna Settlement Day activities were celebrated under the fitting theme: “Let us progress in unity in God’s goodness and the protection of our ancestors.”