Warasa Garifuna Drum School

Tag: garifuna

  • 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…

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  • Dügü – Garifuna Spirituality

    Here is a wonderful first-hand narrative of one women’s experience of Garifuna spirtuality in 1996 taken from http://judylumb.com/dugu.html. An Extended Family Reunion I was honoured to be invited to a Garifuna dügü by my friend, Sebastian Cayetano (Sab), because it is a private family affair, not a cultural event to which the public is invited.…

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  • Small Business Struggles in Belize

    NOTICE: I have amended this from the original post, as the issue has been resolved honourably with the Facebook page in question.  However I think it is good to leave it up in some form, so that people become more aware of copyright laws and intellectual property rights. I have previously written about some of…

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  • About Warasa Garifuna Drum School

    About Warasa Garifuna Drum School About Ray Warasa Garifuna Drum School is the dream of its founder and master drummer and teacher, Ronald Raymond McDonald. Ronald, or Ray, learned drums by watching his family group from childhood. He is a former drummer, dancer and singer for the Belize National Dance Company. He has performed all…

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  • Garifuna Drums of Belize and the Caribbean

    Here at Warasa we make Garifuna drums by hollowing out solid trunks of hardwood. Garifuna drums are genuine solid wood drums with no joins or glue  The hollow is traditionally started by burning hot coals in the centre of the trunk, but these days, unless some termites have chewed out a hollow for us, it…

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  • 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.…

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  • Garifuna People (Garinagu)

    Garifuna People (Garinagu) descend from shipwrecked Africans who mixed with Carib and Arawak Amerindians on the island of Saint Vincent.   Around 1635, some slave ships from the west coast of Africa were wrecked near the coast of Saint Vincent in the Caribbean.  The slaves who survived mixed with the descendants of Arawak and Carib…

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  • Garifuna Culture

    Garifuna culture unites Garinagu people in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and also those who now live in other countries including the United States. In 2008 the Garifuna language, music and song were inscribed as part of the Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO (UNESCO – Intangible Heritage of the Garifuna) Origin of the Garifuna Culture…

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  • Warasa Garifuna Drum School

    Authentic Garifuna drumming lessons, dancing, drum making and more in bonnie Belize The number one location to experience authentic Garifuna drumming, dancing, drum making and more in beautiful Belize! As featured on CNN, the BBC and on TripAdivisor! Warasa offers authentic and enriching cultural experiences for both local and international visitors. Warasa’s founder has over…

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  • 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…

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