October is almost over and with that end, we hail the arrival of culture month in Belize. November is inseparably connected to the Garifuna culture and already gearing up for the celebrations leading up to the 19th of November the National Garifuna Council has begun its work. On Saturday night, Belize City will be host to the central region’s miss Garifuna Pageant. We today caught up with the 5 girls that will be participating in the event this year.
Contestant #1,
“I decided to become a part of this pageant because I am proud of my culture and I want everyone to see me in my Garifuna clothes and I want them to go at the Holy Redeemer Parish Hall to see which one of these 5 beautiful young ladies will win this pageant.”
Contestant #2,
“I decided to come and be a part of this pageant because I am very proud of my culture and my language.”
Contestant #3,
“I wanted to show other young Garifuna youths that I am proud of my culture and to show other Belizean youths that they could do the same thing that I am doing and be proud of their culture.”
Contestant #4,
“I wanted to keep the culture alive. Show other children that I am doing what they could do too and help other people who do not understand the culture to understand it more.”
Contestant #5,
“When I hear the word Garifuns it just shakes me up inside. I love my culture. I am very proud of it and I would want other Garifuna to be proud of their culture too.”
Alfonso Noble,
As a young person representing your culture what does this do for you to be up there on stage representing your culture. What does this do for you?
Contestant #1,
“It helps me a lot.”
Alfonso Noble,
In what way?
Contestant #1,
“I go around and I hear people talk my language and I am proud of it.”
Contestant #2,
“It helps me a lot in the way that I am proud and I am showing a little bit what they should expect especially in activities.”
Contestant #4,
“Really it helps me to understand the culture more and just gives me an experience feeling about the culture.”
The Miss Garifuna Belize pageant will take place on Saturday at the Parish Hall.