It might not have had the turn out that organizers had hoped for, but those students who attended the annual Garifuna Children’s Rally did enjoy three hours of entertainment at the House of Culture in Belize City. The rally is just one of many activities taking place countrywide for the upcoming Garifuna Day Celebrations on November nineteenth. Adette Tillett, from the National Garifuna Council told me more.
Adette Tillett, National Garifuna Council (Belize City)
“The Council feels that in order for the Garifuna culture to be taken into the future that it has to be done with our children. We have to train our children from young to appreciate the Garifuna culture and so they need to be included in all the activities that happen for the 19th celebration.
We approached the different and we extended an invitation to them and we also tried to find out from the different schools the different activities that they will be involved in as well for the November celebrations and most of the schools that you see here today will be doing their different activities leading up to the November 19th celebrations.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
Listening to the roll call there are only six schools represented here. Are you disappointed?
Adette Tillett,
“We are happy that they joined us today. We had about twelve schools who had indicated they would be present today.”
Some primary schools celebrate the occasion by hosting a cultural day in which the children are asked to bring in foods and wear clothing that showcases the Garifuna culture.
