Today is Garifuna Settlement Day, a national holiday in Belize observed on November 19th each year. This holiday celebrates the settlement of the Garifuna (plural – Garinagu) people in Belize after being exiled from St. Vincent. This day highlights the rich cultural heritage of the Garinagu people — an ethnic group that emerged from the intermarriage of West Africans and the indigenous Arawak people.
In 1675, a cargo ship containing slaves from modern-day Nigeria was wrecked on a Caribbean island in the Grenadines. The local Carib took the survivors to the main island of St. Vincent where they established a community that would develop a unique afro-indigenous culture and group that became the Garifuna people. Known as the ‘Black Caribs’ they posed a formidable obstacle to the British or French taking control of the island group.
Chief Joseph Chatoyer was a Garifuna chief in St. Vincent. He forced the British to sign a peace treaty that set out the boundaries between British and Carib areas of the island. After the superior weaponry of the British finally subdued the Caribs and Garifuna, the British decide to exile the Garifuna as prisoners of war. In April 1797, over 5,000 Garifuna were transported on British ships and abandoned on the deserted Honduran Bay Island of Roatan.
The Garifuna people then travelled to the shores of Belize, mainland Honduras and Guatemala establishing permanent settlements. The first Garifuna arrived in Belize at Dangriga on November 19th 1832, which is still home to the largest Garifuna population in the country.
Today the Garifuna now account for about 7% of the population of Belize. They live mainly in the South of Belize in Garifuna villages like Seine Bight, Hopkins, Barranco and larger towns like Punta Gorda and Dangriga. The black, white and yellow Garifuna Flag was implemented by Thomas Vincent Ramos. The flag is accepted internationally as the flag of the Garifuna Nation and the colors have been used in any forum where Garifuna people assert their Garifuna identity.
BADA BINGLE!!
You know you’re old when you don’t recognize the host or the musical guest on Saturday Night Live.
Two deaf men were in a coffee shop discussing their wives. One signs to the other, “Boy was my wife mad at me last night. She went on and on and wouldn’t stop!” The other one says, “When my wife goes like that I just don’t listen.” “How do you manage that?” “It’s easy! I turn off the light!”
Oh great, Daylight Saving Time is over. Now we can all enjoy the sunset while we’re eating lunch.
Stop blaming everyone for all of your problems. Pick one person you don’t like and blame them for everything.
So just to be clear, Dems rigged the election against tRUMP in 2020 but then just forgot to do it this time around?
I’m not sure who needs to hear this, but you don’t need anything from Amazon today. HA!
We aren’t ending friendships over politics, we’re ending friendships over morals. There is a huge difference.
The only thing you can do about awful people is not be one of them.
You donate a kidney and you’re a hero.You donate five kidneys and suddenly the police are involved.
How long before Hannibal Lecter is nominated for Surgeon General?
A distraught senior citizen phoned her doctor’s office. She asked, “Is it true that the medicine you prescribed has to be taken for the rest of my life?” “Yes, I’m afraid so,” the doctor told her. She replies, “It has me concerned that the bottle says ‘no refills’.”
After watching his picks, I’m starting to understand how he bankrupted those casinos.
A funeral was held today for the inventor of the air conditioner. Thousands of fans attended.
The patron saint of copying people on email is St. Francis of a CC.
My wife asked me if I could clear the kitchen table. I had to go and get me a running start, but I made it!
My email password has been hacked again. That’s the 3rd time I’ve had to rename the cat.
If we remove all the margarine on Earth, the world would be a butter place.
Just saw a girl with six lip piercings at Target. It took all my power not to attach a shower curtain.
A 3 foot, 3 inch tall man knocked at my door this morning. I said: “Who are you?” He said: “I’m the meter man”.
When tall people go to bed they sleep longer.
I did a theatrical performance about puns. It was a play on words.
Today is the birthday, in 1938, of Hank Medress, from American male doo-wop-style vocal group The Tokens who had the 1961 US No.1 & UK No.11 single with its cover of Solomon Linda’s ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’. He died from lung cancer on 25th June 2007 aged 68. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0M40mBIKkc4
