Being Garifuna

Photos and Video from New Media man Teofilo Colon Jr (a.k.a. "Tio Teo" from www.beinggarifuna.com

[mreeves2]

Honduran and Central American Parade.  New York City.  2014.

[arnade-deactivated20181214]

Garifuna: Rightful Pride

“I look like a mechanic, I work like a mechanic, but being Garifuna, that is how I see myself.”

The history, and mythology, of the Garifuna people is one of strength from tragedy.

Forcefully taken, to become slaves, from Africa their freedom came from a shipwreck.

The survivors swam to an island and married the local Caribs. The following four hundred years was a long fight to never become slaves.

Migration, often forced, led them to Honduras and Belize. Racism, stigma, and little opportunity have led to a more recent migration, to the US, and in the US mostly to the Bronx. They are now part of the Bronx, a minority that fits the puzzle that is New York City. The language of the Garifuna is what gives them away. It still retains much of its West Africa roots, four hundred years later. And the food. Hot peanut fish soup. Pounded Yam. Ethnic pride, often confusing to others, is understandable when forged from such tragedy. More info here: Wikepedia My photos of a Garifuna town in Belize: Seine Bight

[blaxicansofla-blog]

“Our father was born in Honduras and is Garifuna. He doesn’t really identify as that but when he was growing up, we always knew that he was. He would speak a certain dialect and play certain types of music. He wouldn’t really talk about it though because his parents died when he was really young, so we learned about our family history through aunts and uncles. Today, we find ourselves not knowing what box to check. We want to check the Latino box but we know have African heritage. It’s obvious that we’re not African American but it’s also obvious that we’re not fully Latino. It’s pretty complicated.”

[beinggarifuna]

Garifuna Dance Company, The Chief Joseph Chatoyer Garifuna Folkloric Ballet of New York, will join with other Bronx-based Dance Companies to celebrate Dance Traditions at FREE Concert at Lincoln Center on SUNDAY, July 24th 2016.  Click on the link to learn more about the Garifuna Dance Company  FREE concert at Lincoln Center on SUNDAY, July 24th 2016. 

[caribbeanmassive]

A Garifuna woman breaks down into tears after making the pilgrimage to the place where her ancestors were deported from on St. Vincent’s Grenadine island of balliceaux.

The Grenadine island of Balliceaux, which lies to the west of Bequia and north of Mustique, is of immense significance to persons of Garifuna ancestry. It is to this island that the English banished about 5000 of their ancestors following the defeat of Chief Joseph Chatoyer in the 1795.   Half of them died on the island; the others were deported to Roatan Island off the coast of Honduras. Today, they reside in Honduras, Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua, the USA and other countries around the world. Yurumei, the Garifuna name for St. Vincent, is recognized as their ancestral home.   As has become the custom over the recent past, a pilgrimage to Balliceaux was held to coincide with the celebration of Nationals Heroes Day (March 14) here, and to remember this country’s first national hero, Paramount Garifuna Chief Joseph Chatoyer.

Photo via searchlight.vc

More at 

http://www.discoversvg.com/index.php/en/home/latest-news/587-making-the-pilgrimage-to-balliceaux

[beinggarifuna]

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE INANIMATE OBJECT?

camear

[beinggarifuna]

Check me out in The New Movie THINK LIKE A MAN, opening in movie theaters across The United States of America on FRIDAY April 20th 2012.

[beinggarifuna]

Contestant CRISTY Performing The Wanaragua Dance (usually performed by Garifuna Men) at The 2012 Miss Garifuna Cultural Pageant in the Bronx.  SUNDAY April 1st 2012.  

[beinggarifuna]

Contestant CRISTY performing a Wanaragua Dance at The 2012 Miss Garifuna Cultural Pageant in the Bronx.  SUNDAY April 1st 2012.  

[beinggarifuna]

Garifuna Choreographer Dancer FELIX with Contestant DIANA at The 2012 Miss Garifuna Cultural Pageant in the Bronx.  SUNDAY April 1st 2012.  She is demonstrating the buyei. 

[beinggarifuna]

Contestant JANELY with Garifuna Choreographer and Dancer FELIX at The 2012 Miss Garifuna Cultural Pageant in the Bronx.  SUNDAY April 1st 2012.  

[beinggarifuna]

Garifuna Audience at The 2012 Miss Garifuna Cultural Pageant in The Bronx.  SUNDAY April 1st 2012.  

[beinggarifuna]

Contestant CRISTY at The 2012 Miss Garifuna Cultural Pageant in the Bronx.  SUNDAY April 1st 2012.  

[beinggarifuna]

Contestant DIANA at The 2012 Miss Garifuna Cultural Pageant in the Bronx.  SUNDAY April 1st 2012.  

[beinggarifuna]

Contestant BRANDY at The 2012 Miss Garifuna Cultural Pageant in the Bronx.  SUNDAY April 1st 2012.  

[beinggarifuna]

Contestant ANA at The 2012 Miss Garifuna Cultural Pageant in the Bronx.  SUNDAY April 1st 2012.  

[beinggarifuna]

Garifuna Audience at The 2012 Miss Garifuna Cultural Pageant.  SUNDAY April 1st 2012.