Down Albert Street, the Main Thoroughfare in Belize
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PHOTO CREDIT: YUQUILLA BY IRMA MCCLAURIN “…Down Albert Street, the main thoroughfare in Belize influence that resonated across many different borders City, the ‘punta’ sounds of Andy Palacio and Chico Ramos inside Belize, and touched the hearts and souls of African- can be heard rocking the streets.” (Women of Belize: Gender descended people throughout Central and South America, the and Change in Central America, p. 34). Caribbean, the United States, Canada, Europe and Africa. Andy, and his people represent the spirit of resistance, creativity and I remember vividly finally mastering the undulating hip and innovation that we know is part of the character of the African shuffling feet movements that are the trade mark of punta, a Diaspora. The origins of the Garifuna people are complicated, dance form in Belize, Central America popularized by Andy and filled with many serendipitous events, resistance, will power, Palacio, a local artist. and genius. On Saturday, January 19, 2008, at the very young age of 47, As the story goes, West African slaves believed to come from Andy Palacio, a Belizean national treasure, died. His was an “the Yoruba, Ibo and Ashanti tribes” were shipwrecked off the coast of the Island of St. Vincent. X INSIGHT NEWS REPRINT | www.insightnews.com | 612-588-1313 They came ashore and were protected by the occurred. The French surrendered one year and culture. But Palacio was much more. indigenous population of Island Caribs with later, but the Garinagu continued for another For those of us in the African Diaspora in the whom they formed strong alliances. The year. Despite their surrender, the British United States who may never travel beyond Island Caribs were an amalgamation of Carib decided to exile the survivors. According to the boundaries of our neighborhoods or and Arawak Indians that occurred sometimes anthropologist, Mark Anderson, the British regional and national borders, Andy’s music through warfare, with Arawak women often “seized upon the blackness of the Garifuna was a window into our dynamic African taken as war prizes. As a result, the Arawak- to question their [ethnic] purity and Diaspora past, present and future. He Carib women spoke a different language legitimacy and to justify their expulsion.” proved through his music how resilient than men. This women’s language pattern In 1772, the British, distinguishing the Red African culture could be and how relevant it survives into the present. The intermixing and Yellow Caribs from those who appeared still is to contemporary culture. and intermarriage of the maroon (escaped) Black to them, separating families and loved Andy’s work and his music will serve as an Africans and the Island Caribs resulted in a ones, placed 4,338 people on a boat to the inspiration for us to think about ourselves as new people -the Garifuna- whose language Roatan, one of islands off the coast of the an African Diaspora people who have given drew upon its African roots mixed with Carib Honduras. Only 2,026 people survived the and Arawak. Sometimes called Karaphuna, journey. As I’ve written elsewhere, they “… “He was only 47-years-old; according to one source, “ ‘Gari’ is African for were able to do so because of the cassava food,” and “Garifuna roughly translates into plant that they were able to hide among their those who had the good ‘cassava-eating people.’” clothes, keeping it moist through the sweat of fortune to meet him would Anthropologists labeled this newest group their own bodies.” The importance of “black Carib” as a way of distinguishing them cassava bread continues among Garinagua attest to his modesty and from the original indigenous populations of today. St. Vincent. This distinction would later have Only a small group stayed to found what humility despite the dire consequences. Over time, the Garifuna would become Punta Gorda, the oldest popularity of his music.” adopted the term Garinagu to describe Garinagu town; the majority moved on, themselves as a group, and Garifuna to refer establishing themselves along the coast of the world tremendous cultural riches. He will to their language and culture. Guatemala, Nicaragua, and much later always be a Belizean national treasure. But While the Red, Yellow, and Black Carib co- Belize. It is this latter group who in 1832 he is also an African Diaspora treasure. He existed peacefully with the French, they were arrived in Belize (formerly the British joins the ranks of some of our own Black in constant battle with Honduras, and the only country in all of American departed greats: Paul Robeson, British forces, Central and South America where English is Marian Anderson, Luther Vandross, and especially the national language) and took up residence James Brown, to name a few. after the in the district known as Stann Creek, but now We shall miss you Andy, even as the signing of called Dangriga, to which the late Palacio sounds of punta rock on. the traces his cultural and historical roots. 1763 What the Garifuna carried with them, as Irma McClaurin is the author of Women of Treaty they formed a diaspora scattered throughout Belize: Gender and Change in Central of Central America (Spanish Honduras, America. As an anthropologist, she has Paris Guatemala, and Belize, formerly the British conducted research in Belize since 1991. that Honduras), was a rich cultural tradition of She joined the University of Minnesota in gave music, foodways (especially their survival December as the new Associate VP for the food- cassava bread), and dugu (or ancestor System Academic Administration and British worship), which they mingled successfully Executive Director of the Urban Research control with their beliefs in the Anglican church. And, and Outreach/Engagement Center in North of the of course, music. Minneapolis. The opinions expressed here island. Belize mourns the loss of Palacio. He was are entirely her own. The French only 47-years-old; those who had the good allied themselves fortune to meet him would attest to his For more on Andy Palacio, his music and his with the Caribs, modesty and humility despite the popularity country, visit: and in 1795, of his music. And most of us remember his • http://www.cumbancha.com/welcome.php despite a previous passion for preserving Garinagu culture and • http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php? treaty, a major music. storyId=18287881 final battle In a January 21, 2008, interview for “All • http://soundroots.org/2008/01/remembering- over land things Considered” on Minnesota Public andy-palacio.html • http://worldmusiccentral.org/article.php/andy_ Radio, Said Musa, former Prime Minister, and palacio_seriously_ill now president of the National Institute of History and Culture, called Andy “a cultural YouTube: activist.” • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8No65Jdrm50 Indeed he was that and much • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nt6oOzyG9ec because of his unwavering commitment to preserve the Garinagu history, language PHOTO CREDIT: YUQUILLA.