Legendary Belizean dancer, performer and musical artist, Bella Carib, also known as Dr. Glenda Arnold-Heon died today in the United States. She had been ailing for some time.
With two decades in the music business, Bella Carib was best known for her culturally rich brukdown music and also as a dance with the famous Bob Reneau musical and dance group. This made her a dynamic performer with a trademark style that was both vivacious and rootsy.
Today we remembered her with her brother Pupa Curly in LA:
Pupa Curly, Bella Carib's Brother
"She has been kind of sick for a little while and pretty much the family was getting prepared for this moment, even though its one that no family wants to see. But here we are. She always wanted to stick to a cultural type of offering to the audience and to leave that kind of legacy behind, the way she writes, the way she performs - it was sort of a one of a kind, because she came out of that dancing background with Bob Reneau and you may know a little bit about her history, so she put the two together once she hit the stage and it was usually a good visual."
Jules Vasquez
"But how will we view her in the context of her contribution, the cultural preservation...?"
Pupa Curly, Bella Carib's Brother
"If I would point to one person, Lila Vernon. I would say she left a legacy in that respect where she was creating and displaying Belizean culture in every place that she performed, so I think I would look at her as a cultural icon."
Jules Vasquez
"Which song of hers' would you be listening to tonight?"
Pupa Curly, Bella Carib's Brother
"Interesting question. Probably rice and beans, because I am hungry right now."
