History Essay

Gillett, Lamb, Leslie 1
Sincere Gillett, Letisha Lamb, Shayden Leslie
HIS 145-6
Mrs. Lisa Revers
October 23, 2022
How the Garinagu came to Belize
Belize is a country known for its wide variety of different cultures, ethnic groups and
practices. For hundreds of years people of different origins continued to add to what has become
a part of Belize’s history. There are many reasons that contribute to how and why the ancestors
of these ethnic groups migrated to Belize, whether it be the problems they were facing at their
respective homelands, the features and attributes of Belize or both, more often than not. One of
the more popular ethnic groups throughout Belize are the Garifuna, though they only make up
about 6% of the population. The Garinagu are a resilient people, who endured many hardships to
ensure their survival.
The Garinagu are descendants of a shipwrecked slave ship, who intermarried with the
Arawak Indians of the island of St. Vincent, in the Caribbean. In the year 1660, the British
people granted the land of St. Vincent to the Garifuna as a perpetual possession. They later broke
this treaty and reclaimed the island, and began to exile the Garifuna, they were sent off in British
ships and abandoned on the Honduranian Bay Island of Roatan. As they escaped persecution,
they fled to the island of Roatan, and then the rest of Central America. “The Garinagu people
live mainly in small towns on the Caribbean coasts from Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and
Nicaragua” (Expeditions ). Upon arrival on the coast of Belize, the Garifuna sought the
permission of the British Settlers to occupy the land. Such permission was given with the
condition that they only occupy the southern part of the settlement. The arrival of the Garinagu
in Belize took place on November 19th in the year 1802. In southern Belize, the town of
Dangriga is considered the spiritual capital of the Garinagu people, as it has the greatest
concentration of them. Other Garifuna villages and towns in Belize include Hopkins, Punta
Gorda, Barranco, Monkey River, Seine Bight, and Punta Negra. Of course, the Garinagu people
are throughout Belize, but these villages have developed with their unique culture that continues
today through song, dance, food, and language. The Garifuna people also occupy a large part of
the Dangriga Town which is affectionately called the culture capital of Belize.
Belize was perfect for the Garinagu due to the fact that they could continue their daily
activity of fishing. “A small group of Garifunas originally settled in Belize’s Stann Creek area
around present-day town of Dangriga to partake in fishing and farming.” (Hardman, 2009). In
St. Vincent, the Garinagu were avid fishers which became their way of sustenance. This is
evident in the fact that most of their dishes contain fish. Therefore, Belize being on the coast and
having a healthy fishing population provided an ideal environment for them to continue fishing
and sustain their desired diet.
Another characteristic of Belize that played part in the Garifuna settlement was the arable
land. The Garifunas were subsistence farmers. They were accustomed to eating what they grew.
They love ground food, that is, tubular roots such as cassava, sweet potatoes, yams and cocoa
which are used to create their favorite traditional meals such as Serre and hudut. For the most
part the Garifuna are self-sufficient people who were able to provide for themselves what they
needed to survive. The land in Belize being very fertile gave them that opportunity which is
another contributing factor as to why the Garifunas chose to settle. Not to mention that Belize’s
climate is very conducive to the growth of their produce, having both rain and sunshine in its
tropical environment.
The ancestors of the Garifuna people journeyed a long, winding, and tragic path from
Africa to the Caribbean, but their sons and daughters have since found a home in Belize and
earned recognition for playing a significant role in the art, culture, and history of this Caribbean
country. ("Gulisi Garifuna Museum in Dangriga, Belize," 2021).

Works Cited
Rosenlund, Betsy. History of the Garifuna in Belize. September 12, 2018
https://www.grandbaymen.com/blog/garifuna-in-belize#:~:text=The%20primary%20goal%20of
%20this,Vincent.
Hardman, Jesse. Garifuna Ethnic Group Seeks Voice in New York City. NPR. November 15,
2009.
Nicaragua and Region Ratify UNESCO Convention, But Garifunas Need More. November 17,
2005.
http://globalsherpa.org/garifunas-garifuna/#:~:text=Belize%20%E2%80%93%20Dangriga%2C
%20Stann%20Creek%20and,partake%20in%20fishing%20and%20farming.
Expeditions , Island. “Cultures of Belize: The Garifuna People.” Island Expeditions, Island
Expeditions , 2021, https://www.islandexpeditions.com/belize-vacations-blog/cultures-belize-
garifuna-people.
"Garifuna people, history and culture." Global Sherpa, 23 Feb. 2011, globalsherpa.org/garifunas-
garifuna.
"Gulisi Garifuna Museum in Dangriga, Belize." unchartedjewelbelize, 20 Sept. 2021,
unchartedjewelbelize.com/gulisi-garifuna-museum-in-dangriga-belize/.
Rosenlund, B. "History of the Garifuna in Belize." Grand Baymen Gardens | Off Beach
Accommodations on Ambergris Caye, www.grandbaymen.com/blog/garifuna-in-belize.

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Gillett, Lamb, Leslie 1

Sincere Gillett, Letisha Lamb, Shayden Leslie

Mrs. Lisa Revers

October 23, 2022

How the Garinagu came to Belize

ensure their survival.

and sustain their desired diet.

country. ("Gulisi Garifuna Museum in Dangriga, Belize," 2021).

"Garifuna people, history and culture." Global Sherpa, 23 Feb. 2011, globalsherpa.org/garifunas-

"Gulisi Garifuna Museum in Dangriga, Belize." unchartedjewelbelize, 20 Sept. 2021,

Accommodations on Ambergris Caye, www.grandbaymen.com/blog/garifuna-in-belize.

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