Earlier on we showed you the eruptive reaction on Belize City's streets as Andy Palacio's hearse was carried to the municipal airstrip. It was a far more austere event inside the Bliss Center for the memorial service for Andy Palacio. That started at 10:30 this morning and finished after 1:00 in the afternoon. It aired live on Channel 7 and here's a recap.
Andy Palacio Performing: 'I am on my way home to Barranco' [Continuing in Garifuna]
That's just one of the moving clips shown at this morning event to honor Andy Palacio and memorialize his passing. There was also singing from a children's choir and personal remembrances from close friends. E. Roy Cayetano knew Andy from he was a child in Barranco and remembered him tearfully.
E. Roy Cayetano, Childhood Friend
[Beginning in Garifuna] "Except for his mortal remains, Andy Vivian Palacio is no longer with us. No death is what you should have told him, 'I will not go with you.' So this is what sorrow is like, this is what death is like. No death is what you should have told him, 'I will not go with
you,' is what you should have said to him. Every fiber of Garifuna body wills Andy to get up from that coffin so he can be with us to continue his life work for there is still so much to do."
And much of what Andy did culminated in the success of Watina.
E. Roy Cayetano,
"I joined him in following and celebrating the progress of Watina as it entered European world music charts at number 36 we were told. Number 36, number 36...you know 36 is kerub number right, 36 miles from Dangriga, and then rose to 18, that is half kerub, that was the following week and then eventually to number one. It blew my mind and I told him so. He was humble but he was not surprised and with boyish glee he said to me, Dr. Palacio was so surprised when he heard it that he told me, (talking in Garifuna), that is to say, 'now my little brother you can die,' and we laughed because we knew that was the greatest tribute Mr. Palacio could have given him. What it meant was that even if he, Andy Palacio, never composed another song, never
produced another album, his face would have been sketched in Belizean history.
There is no doubt about it, my large little brother will not rise out of that coffin. He has ran his race, finished his course. And while we had been expecting more, he has stepped on, out of the circle of this life, he has moved on to join (Garifuna word), to join Chatuye, Alejo Beni, TV Ramos - he is now with the ancestors. We honor him for his contribution for showing us how to live and how to die."
And from Andy Palacio, the attention turned to his children.
Yasser Musa, President - NICH
"Your father's work will never be in vain. Your father's life will be properly remembered. The children of Belize will know your father and learn about your father. They will learn about Andy Vivian, the music man,
the Garifuna man, the Belizean man. Yes our time with him was too short but it is going to be alright Kami. It is going to be alright Wani, it is going to be alright Nita, it is going to be alright Tara and it is going to be alright Kamao. The pain is difficult to bear. We won't give up, we won't. I promise you this, I will make sure his name and honor will be with us. Goodbye Andy Vivian."
And two of his children, Tara and Kamao,
performed his prophetic song Amunegu, meaning in times to come.
[Children Performing]
And to close out the ceremony, Andy's close friend and a man who calls him brother Aurelio Martinez and the Garifuna Collective finished what had been an emotional morning on a cresting note.
[Aurelio Martinez Performing]
Aurelio Martinez and the Garifuna Collective will perform a free Andy Palacio tribute concert live tonight in the parking lot behind the bliss center. It will also be aired live on Channel 7 when the news is finished.
