GARIFUNA INDIANS IN BELIZE

THE GARIFUNA ARE AN ARAWAKEN SPEAKING TRIBE. THEY ARE MIXED RACE. BY 1600'S THE CARIB TRIBES ATTACKED SPANISH SHIPS AND FREED AFRICAN SLAVES. THE GARIFUNA ARE ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE. WITH A DISTINCT LANGUAGE. THESE FOLKS HAD STRONG BODIES AND MONGOLOID FEATURES. THEIR MEN WORE SKIRTS.

THE FORMATION OF THEIR SOCIETIES WAS IT RECORDED IN 1635 WHEN THEY RANK TWO SPANISH SHIPS LOADED WITH BLACK SLAVES. THEY KEPT THE SUPPLIES OF GOLD, WINE, AND SLAVES AND KILLED THE CREW! THE BLACKS ADOPTED THEIR LANGUAGE AND MARRIED CALIPONAN WOMEN. THE NEW SOCIETY (GARIFUNA) CENTERED THEIR FAMILY LIFE IN A SEXUAL DIVISION OF WORK.

BY THE 17TH CENTURY A DRASTIC CHANGE OCCURRED IN THE VICENTINIAN SOCIETY. THE BLACK SOCIETY HAD BECOME THE DOMINANT GROUP BECAUSE OF THE IMMIGRATION OF REFUGEES. FINALLY THE GARIFUNA FORCED THE CALIPONAN TO MOVE TO THE WESTERN PART OF THE ISLAND. BOTH GROUPS TRIED TO RESOLVE THEIR DIFFERENCES BECAUSE THEY WERE AWARE OF INTERNAL DIVISION.

THE NEWS ABOUT THEIR DIFFERENCES REACHED FRANCE. THE FRENCH SUPPORTED THE CHIPONAN. THE FRENCH HAD TO MAINTAIN PEACE LINKS WITH GARIFUNAS. THE GARIFUNAS ACQUIRED FRENCH TASTES AND CUSTOMS, AND WINE.

SOME INDIANS LIVE IN THE CARIBBEAN,AS WELL AS IN L.A. AND NEW YORK CITY. ACCORDING TO ORAL HISTORY THE ENGLISH GOVERNOR, WILLIAM YOUNG, IN 1785 THE CARIB SPEAKING PEOPLE CAME TO SAINT VICENT BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF THE EUROPEANS TO THE NEW WORLD.

THE AFRICANS AND OTHER RUNAWAY TOOK REFUGEES ARE IN THE MOUNTAINS. THEY RAIDED THE CARIBS UNTIL THEY GREATLY REDUCED THEM IN NUMBERS. VISITORS WERE RARE.

IN RECENT HISTORY THE RARE GARIFUNA POPULATION IS ABOUT 600,000. MANY HAVE MOVED TO THE
U.S. SOME OF THE NICARAGUAN GARIFUNA HAVE MIGRATED TO THE U.S. ONE INTERESTING THING ABOUT THERE VOCABULARY IS THAT THERE IS A SPLIT BETWEEN THE TERMS USED BY MEN AND THOSE USED BY WOMEN! THE MEN USE TERMS FROM THE CARRIB WHILE THE WOMEN USE WORDS FROM ARAWAK.

THEIR RELIGION TODAY IS MOSTLY CATHOLIC. THEIR BELIEFS ARE MERGED WITH TRADITIONAL PRACTICES. THEIR SHAMAN KNOWN AS A BUYER IS THE HEAD OF THEIR TRADITIONAL PRACTICES. THEIR RELIGION HAS SIMILAR QUALITIES TO THE VOODOO RITUALS. THEY HAVE MYSTICAL PRACTICES. THERE IS A RASTAFARIAN MINORITY.

IN 2001 UNESCO PROCLAIMED THEIR LANGUAGE, MUSIC AND DANCES ARE MASTERPIECES OF THE ORAL TRADITION AND INTANGIBLE HERITAGE.

THEY COOK A WIDE VARIETY OF DISHES IN A AREA - CASAVA BREAD WITH GARLIC AND YUCCA. THIS HAS BEEN DONE SINCE ANCIENT TIMES AND IS A TIME CONSUMING PRACTICING. THEY BAKE PANCAKES ON A GRIDDLE. IT IS EATEN WITH FISH AND PLAINTAINS WITH GRAVY. THEY ALSO MAKE MAZAPAN.

THEIR MUSIC IS QUITE DIFFERENT FROM CALIFORNIA. THE MOST FAMOUS IS PUNTA, A MUSICAL STYLE OF HIP SWINGING. THEY HAVE A MUSICAL STYLE OF HIP SWINGING. THEY HAD MANY FORMS OF MUSICAL DANCE.WOMEN COMPOSE THEIR LYRICS. MEN SING DIFFERENT WORK SONGS. DRUMS PLAY IMPORTANT ROLE IN MUSIC. THEY MAKE THEIR DRUMS IN FROM HARDWOOD (MAHOGANY) AND USE SHAKERS OF DRIED FRUIT. THEY MAKE GOURDS FILLED WITH SEEDS. BY THE 199O'S THEIR MUSIC BEGAN TO BE RECORDED.

THEY DANCE THE DUGUU, A RITUAL DONE FOR A DEATH IN THE FAMILY TO PAY THEIR RESPECT TO THEIR LOVED ONES.

THESE FOLKS RELY ON FARMING FOR MOST OF THE YEARS INCOME. BUT MUCH OF THEIR LAND WAS TAKEN FROM THEM BY FRUIT COMPANIES. THE COMPANIES WERE WELCOMED TO BRING AN INCOME, BUT AS BUSINESS DECLINED THESE LARGE COMPANIES SOLD THE LAND AND IT WAS INHABITED BY MESTIZO FARMERS. THE GARIFUNA WOMEN ARE FORCED TO RELY ON MEN FOR STEADY INCOME IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES. THEY ARE RELYING ON EXPORT COMPANIES. THE WOMEN ARE HIGHLY DISCRIMINATED AGAINST AND ARE UNABLE TO GET A JOB. SOME SELL HOMEMADE GOODS AND DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO RELY ON. THE WOMEN BELIEVE IN MAGIC TO CONTROL THE MEN IN THEIR LIVES.
THE MEN HAVE MULTIPLE GIRLFRIENDS IN ADDITION TO MARRIAGE. THE WOMEN BELIEVE MAGIC HELPS THEM TO KEEP THE HUSBANDS IN LOVE WITH THEM. THEY BELIEVE THEIR IS A STRONG CONNECTION BETWEEN FATHER AND SON.. IT IS IMPORTANT TO WORK TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES. THE GARIFUNA CULTURE IS GREATLY AFFECTED BY THE ECONOMIC ATMOSPHERE AND SUSCEPTIBLE TO OUTSIDE INFUENCE. SOME THINK IT WILL BECOME COMMERCIALIZED.

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