The Garifuna People

Who Are the Garifuna?

The Garifuna (also known as Garinagu or Black Caribs) are an Afro-indigenous people descended from West African, Central African, and indigenous Arawak and Kalinago (Island Carib) peoples. Their unique culture emerged on the island of St. Vincent in the 17th century when shipwrecked and escaped enslaved Africans intermarried with indigenous Caribbean peoples. After British colonial forces deported them from St. Vincent in 1797, the Garifuna established communities along the Caribbean coast of Central America, from Belize to Nicaragua. In 2001, UNESCO proclaimed Garifuna language, dance, and music a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

Origins & Diaspora

Garifuna history begins with shipwrecks and marronage in the 1600s, when Africans from West and Central Africa reached St. Vincent and found refuge with indigenous Kalinago people. Over generations, intermarriage created a new ethnicity combining African and indigenous Caribbean heritage. The Garifuna successfully resisted British colonization for decades.

In 1797, after the Second Carib War, British forces captured and deported over 5,000 Garifuna to the island of Roatán (Honduras). From there, they migrated along Central America's Caribbean coast, establishing vibrant communities in Honduras, Belize, Guatemala, and Nicaragua. Today, significant Garifuna diaspora communities thrive in New York City, Los Angeles, and other urban centers.

Language & Cultural Identity

The Garifuna language is unique—an Arawakan language with significant Carib, French, English, and Spanish influences, plus West African vocabulary. Remarkably, it preserves indigenous Caribbean linguistic features lost elsewhere. Men and women historically used different vocabulary in certain contexts, reflecting both African and Carib traditions. Language preservation efforts include schools, radio programs, and cultural organizations working to transmit Garifuna to younger generations.

Music, Dance & Drumming

Garifuna music represents an extraordinary synthesis of African and indigenous traditions. The punta is the most famous Garifuna dance—a celebratory drum-and-dance tradition with rapid hip movements performed at wakes and celebrations. Garifuna drumming uses three drums (primera, segunda, tercera) with complex polyrhythmic patterns rooted in West African traditions.

Punta rock, a modern fusion genre created by musicians like Pen Cayetano and Andy Palacio, combines traditional Garifuna rhythms with electric guitars and modern production, achieving international acclaim while preserving cultural roots.

Spiritual Traditions & Dugu

Garifuna spirituality blends African ancestral veneration, indigenous shamanism, and Catholicism. The dugu ceremony is the most sacred Garifuna ritual—a days-long ceremony involving drumming, dancing, feasting, and spirit possession to honor deceased ancestors (gubida) and request their guidance. Spiritual leaders called buyeis (shamans) conduct healing ceremonies, diagnose spiritual ailments, and communicate with ancestors.

Food & Cassava Traditions

Garifuna cuisine centers on cassava (yuca), maintaining indigenous Caribbean agricultural and processing traditions. Ereba (cassava bread) requires elaborate preparation: grating, pressing to remove toxins, drying, and cooking on griddles—techniques passed directly from Arawak/Kalinago ancestors. Other staples include hudut (fish in coconut broth with mashed plantain), darasa (green banana in coconut milk), and fresh seafood.

Modern Garifuna

Today's Garifuna maintain strong cultural identity while navigating modernization and transnational migration. Garifuna Settlement Day (November 19) celebrates the 1797 arrival in Honduras with parades, drumming, and reenactments across Central America. Organizations like the National Garifuna Council work for cultural preservation, land rights, and political representation. Artists, musicians, and activists promote Garifuna culture globally while fighting for community rights against development pressures threatening traditional coastal territories.