Award-winning Canadian Musicians, The Meliszwe brothers are in Belize.
They've come to celebrate, share and learn about their Garifuna heritage as well as help high schoolers in the south reach fulfill their athletic dreams with better access to training.
And this morning several Belize City Schools gathered at the Civic to see the Melisizwe take the stage. 7 News was there and spoke one on one with Mark, Seth and Zachary about music, sports, and why they say Belize feels like home.
They burst into the music biz 5 years ago when they became winners of Showtime at the Apollo
And took the world by storm when they were featured on the Ellen Degeneres show
But in March of 2023 the Melisizwe whose parents are from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, have come to Belize to experience a people and a culture very much their own. We caught up with Mark, Seth, and Zachary today just before they took the stage at the civic and found out why this visit was at the top of their list.
Seth Melisizwe, Keyboard Player
"It's really a lot of fun, this is our first performance for Belize at the civic centre, for all of the students especially, we really want to share a message that you know you have to find your goldmine, you have to put a lot of time into succeeding, practice and we really just want to share you know that great message for all of the students today and you know we feel that they could relate to us because they are really close to our age as well, right, you know we can show them, you know the excellence and show them that it's possible to become something great."
"Belize being having Garifuna roots as well, recently we found out that you know St. Vincent is very connected to the Garifuna culture and we are just so happy to be, we feel at home here and we feel that great connection with our Garifuna people and we are so excited to learn the language and to learn about our culture and our history and to hear from the people, the Garifuna people, it just feels amazing to be here in Belize."
And apart from being musicians, the brothers also run track, their athleticism is one of the reasons they're here, working to help high schoolers in the south build a professional track so that they can practice for regional competitions without having to come all the way to Marion Jones's stadium, currently the only professional track in the country.
Zachary Melisizwe, Keyboard Player
"Yes, you know. We are in support of the Yuremi project. Along with the Ministry of sports, the Ministry of education, the UNDP as well as Minister Rodwell Ferguson to build you know a track, a track and field facility in the south of Belize in Stann Creek District and you know it's all a part of you know, that the youths here have a gift and that gift is to use it, it's also to develop it so you know we hope that this project you know helps out the youths, you know in terms of building proper physique, in terms of technique and everything. So you know and the goldmine is all about supporting the youths and the youth's dreams, and you know I am so happy that we are here in Belize to do all of these events here."
Mark Melisizwe, Lead Guitar
"I am really happy to be here with my brothers. It's a movement and it's a collaboration with Yuremi project and the goldmine is, we just hope to inspire others to, go after their dreams and their goals. So, what we are doing here is just really being a part of the mission and that collaboration to help others to achieve those things and I am just really excited to be here. It's really great and I love, I love Belize."
"We always. Knew that we would come to Belize one day, our dad said that it's our home and we sincerely believe that Belize is home. And we are so glad."
"To be here for the first time and performing for everyone as well. We know there is so much to come in the future as well and we hope to continue doing work here in Belize."
Zachary Melisizwe, Singer
"We'll be doing a song in Garifuna and it's Mongulu. Mongulu is a young boy and when he grows up he grows to know discipline, and he comes to know and to watch over his mother when he becomes older. So, his mother raises him to become a young man, a good young man. So I'm really excited to perform this."
As you heard, The Yurumein Project, in partnership with The Melisizwe Brothers, is hosting a Youth Symposium and benefit concert dubbed "I have a GOLD MIND!" for our youths of Belize. The purpose of this initiative is to raise funds to build a running track in the south.
