Yesterday was Garifuna Settlement Day in Belize and I had the privilege to attend holiday celebrations in Hopkins, Belize. As we were driving down the countryside, I spotted traditional Garifuna style clothes drying in several peoples’ yards around the village of Dangriga. The Garifuna, or Garinagu, are descendants of Carib, Arawak, and West African people who came to settle on the coast of Belize and neighboring countries like Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Honduras.
November 19 is a national holiday in Belize and recognizes the arrival of the Garifuna in Belize. Villages around the country celebrate with parades, reenactment ceremonies, concerts, and more.
