Tag: garifuna music
Ms Dami – Uruwei (The Government)
A wonderful and kind woman passed away this weekend, 18th Jan 2020. Ms Damiana Gutierrez, mother of Cecil Gutierrez, Giovanni, Ronald, Alva and Ivan McDonald, sister to Victor, Virgin and Guadalupe and aunt to many by blood or through love alone. Ms. Dami is one of the vocalists on the song Uruwei – The Government,…
Paranda
The Paranda is the only traditional drumbeat and song genre in Garifuna culture to involve the guitar. The integration of the guitar into Garifuna music clearly reflects the Latin American influence that occurred when the Garifuna people migrated to Central America. The Paranda is one of the mostly popular Garifuna styles, and songs are often…
Malate Isien (Worthless Love)
Malate Isien is one of the most popular traditional Garifuna songs. It is a catchy Paranda song, and as with many Garifuna songs, it relates to daily life. In this case, it is giving advice about love. It was originally written by Bernard “Gabaga” Williams. Our group also regularly perform this song. There are…
The Lord’s Prayer in Garifuna
The Lord’s Prayer in Garifuna is beautiful. Even if you are not a Christian or not even a religious person, you will enjoy watching and listening to this Garifuna version of the Lord’s Prayer. You can learn the lyrics and meaning of another classic Garifuna song, “Malate Isien”, here. Lafureidun Aburemei Waguchi Bungiu, lidan sun…
Garifuna Music
Music is an integral part of Garifuna culture. Garifuna music is very distinct from the other styles of music found in Central and Latin America. The Garinagu integrate song and music into all aspects of their life. Therefore many songs are about activities like fishing or cooking or giving advice to a loved one.…
How to shake your arse (Belize style)
Go to any bar with live music at night in Belize, and you will witness the dominant form of Belizean dancing, which like the dominant form of Belizean music (Punta rock), originates from traditional Garifuna culture. That is, it involves shaking your arse. Visitors to Belize often marvel at how Belizean women especially are able…
Yurumein: The story of the Garifuna
Every year on 19th November, Ray, his family, and pretty much every Garifuna person in Belize (plus lots of other interested Belizeans and visitors) will attend their local “Yurumein” on the national holiday known as Garifuna Settlement Day, the anniversary of when the largest group of Garifuna people arrived on the shores of Belize. …
Ronald McDonald learns to ceilidh
According to Ray, I dance to everything the same way. I admit I’m not the world’s greatest dancer, but I know for a fact that I definitely do not dance to Teenage Kicks the same way I dance to Ray’s drumming. Living in Belize for several years has a strange affect on your dancing style…
The Drum Whisperer
Ray is famous in PG for his drumming. He may never have one the annual “Battle of the Drums” competition in PG (clearly the judges aren’t in their correct minds), but anyone that loves drumming will hire Ray and his family to drum for any event above any other local group. As Ludwig Palacio, local…