With about one more week left in October, the Garifuna Council is gearing up for the November celebrations. Today was the launch of the calendar of events in Belize City. According to the branch president, Raphael Martinez, there's plenty to do right here if you can't make it down south.
Raphael Martinez, President, NGC Belize City
"What I want to highlight is our main event that coming up this weekend. This weekend is the selection of the Miss Garifuna Queen and last year we had seven candidates and this year, 8 showed up but we whittled it down to four so it will be very tight, very interesting because the young ladies will be showcasing Garifuna culture, Garifuna dance, singing, and their presentation including their attire so it should be very interesting and this will be taking place at the Belize Elementary School Auditorium starting at 6:30 in the evening."
"Trust me, this is going toward a worthy cause in retrieving and of course the preservation and the practice of the Garifuna culture, especially the language the we've been losing for so long. Quite a few of us in Belize City grew up without actually speaking the Garifuna language so it's something that is near and dear to my heart and it's also another program that we're looking at sometimes soon that I want to be a part of is an intervention regarding the violence in Belize City."
"The national pageant will be taking place on the first of November, prior to that though, on the first we have what we call the Solidarity Mass, it starts at 10:00, it's a thanksgiving service and we should be having a representation from all the Garifuna groups, the branches, throughout the country from Libertad all the way to Barranco in PG and after that solidarity mass there's a meet and greet, we try to exchange best practices and all this. Then we should be having a motorcade through the principal streets of Belize City."
"It's a prelude for the Miss Garifuna Pageant that will start off at 7pm at the Belize Civic Center."
Courtney Menzies
"What else can people looking forward to here in Belize City, especially those who maybe can't make it to Dangriga on the 19th?"
Raphael Martinez, President, NGC Belize City
"I'm glad you asked that question because on the 18th and the 19th there's a good and music festival at the Belize Civic Center open lot. And trust me, we have Garifuna cuisine, we have a line up of artists and drummers. We also have, listen, just come out because 18th and 19th, we have the yurumein enactment on the 19th, we have the official ceremonies, we're having a parade. Listen, 18th and 19th, from 6pm on the 18th to 6pm on the 19th, you will be there."
The prices for the tickets are $10 for general, $15 for reserved, and $5 for children.
