The garifuna

Once upon a time... sorry, in 1635, two boats charged with human cargo, coming from Western Africa and on their way to the New World, capsized in front of the Caribbean island of San Vicente. The slaves managed to scape the boats and get ashore, where the locals welcomed them and offered them protection. Eventually, both groups hooked up and mixed, giving birth to the "garinagu" people, once known as "the black caribs", and nowadays know as Garifuna. This people, on their fights against the neigbouring French and British colonies captured more slaves that found shelter in their society.

The Garifuna flag.

In the days prior to 1796, the Brits and the French were in war in their Western Indies colonies. The Garifuna were allied of the French, who eventually lost the confrontation, surrendering the island of San Vicente to the Brits. The former considered the Garifuna enemies for their alliance with the later, and decided to deport them. These people had suffered enormous looses during the war, but the worst was still about to arrive. In a journey that led them first to Jamaica and, finally, to Roatán (Honduras) about a half of the 5000 Garifuna died.

The Garifuna journey.

Roatán Island turned out to be too small for its new inhabitants. Hence, they asked permission to the Spanish authorities in the nearby coast of Honduras to settle down there. The Spanish, very intelligent, agreed in exchange of using them as soldiers, shall the occasion arrive. The sign of the times was close to come, and with it the end of the Spanish dominion over their American colonies, which soon got their independence in different moments of the XIX century.

Don't get lost in Central America! (not kidding, I've discovered friends that
didn't know where Belize was!).

The Garifuna thrived in Roatán and Honduras, and they needed to expand their territories and find new lands in which to look for a living. This resulted in an expansion that made them spread towards Nicaragua, Guatemala and what in those days was the British Honduras (nowadays Belize). In Belize, for instance, the "Garifuna Settlement Day" is a National Holiday. In the XX century, the Garifuna, as well as many other Belizeans, have continued their particular diaspora towards the USA.

Celebrating Garifuna settlement day.

The Garifuna are famous for their extremely erotic dancing (that makes reggaeton look like a kindergarden yard game), their music style named "Punta" (or its modern and electric version, "Punta Rock") and their colorful arts, crafts and lifestyle. Actually, Garifuna culture has been declared Non-Material Cultural Mankind Heritage.

And guess what... PG Town is full of Garifuna people!