Tomorrow, Belize's garinagu will be reliving the day their ancestors arrived in Belize. Like every other event this year, though, the celebration will be virtual. Still, the Yurumei must go on and the drums must be heard. Courtney Menzies found out how they'll do it:
Every 19th of November, Belizeans are accustomed to seeing the yellow, black and white flags waving in the air and hearing the loud & proud beating of drums as they celebrate Garifuna Settlement Day. This has been the norm since the holiday was first celebrated in Stann Creek in 1941.
But after seventy-nine years, the Garifuna community will have to celebrate this holiday at home. Only a pandemic could have kept this tightly knit community from coming out in numbers in their cultural wear to honour their ancestors' journey to Belize.
The National Garifuna Council was tasked with ensuring that the Garifuna people, and the wider public, still felt the spirit of the holiday and a sense of pride for their culture.
Melissa Zuniga - Project Coordinator, NCG "We are used to meeting and congregating under the shed to the drums so it was difficult but all the branches and the executive, we all made it happen so that we're able to pull off the different activities on this calendar. We had our launch on the first of November and we did that on Facebook live so most of our activities are either via Facebook or Zoom. We have different jam sessions so we're still trying to recreate that being under the shed type of feel but you're at home. So, we have different sessions, we have five of those scheduled throughout the month."
And while it is disappointing for those that normally make an annual trip to the culture capital and were anticipating a hot bowl of hudut, there are still some benefits to a virtual celebration.
For once, people from all corners of the world who have access to social media will be able to be a part of the party. Zuniga also named another benefit.
Melissa Zuniga "I think it also highlights some of the communities that are not necessarily highlighted as much, for example in our launch we featured Libertad, people were able to see the different branch presidents so they got to see who those persons were. So I think the virtual in that way it's very good because we're able to try to highlight all of the different branches and get people to see our different communities and to see what is happening in those different communities."
Viewers can also anticipate a virtual concert with long lineup of artists and that Garifuna vibe that the south knows all too well. One of the artists, Aziatic, told us how they plan to keep the good vibes rolling.
Aziatic - Artist "Just knowing that we have thousand of fans out there tuning in, that in itself is used as motivation to go out and perform like they were right there in front of you. It just hypes you up because, again, as a professional you just have to know how to turn that on by making sure you bringing all the hits that people know and people can sing along to. The people we know, they gonna be turning it up at home. A lot of people been talking about it and I'm 100% certain people will be tuning in, people want that celebration vibe, people are still hungry for it."
Throughout the month, the NGC also organized various other events, including a tribute to the late TV Ramos, Panel discussions on the Garifuna History and Impact of COVID
And showcasing pictures of Garifuna people in their cultural outfits.
Tickets for the virtual concert are being sold on Belize On - a mobile app.
