Email

Print

Our teams visited three schools and I started at Sadie Vernon High where the history of the observance was put into context:..

Monica Bodden reporting
Garifuna Settlement Day is Belize's most richly celebrated cultural observance. It marks the arrival of the first Garinagu to Belize - and apart of tradition, many Belizeans enjoy traveling to Garifuna communities in southern Belize - to part-take in the festive observance, a mixture of African music and religion with native Carib language and traditions.

But while many are getting prepared for this long weekend of festivities, Celebrations have already started for the students at Sadie Vernon High.

Laura Baptist - School Principal
"Activities leading up to the culture day stem from the social studies topics that the students have studies in first, second form and presently."

Reporter
"Its Garifuna and Garinagu culture is pronounced but I also see some Mestizo dancing going on."

Laura Baptist - School Principal
"Yes that very interesting to see because we try to acculturate whatever we do here we involve all ethnics groups that are willing to be a part of our activities and these girls right here - they took part in the Belize Central Garifuna pageant last week and so I invited them to come so that my students can see that you don't have to be a Garifuna to be a part of our activities."

With the 19th just being days away, the students of Sadie Vernon High took advantage of the opportunity to learn more about the Garifuna culture.

Laura Baptist - School Principal
"We have music, food, artifacts on display and we have history that the students research and put together."

Monica Bodden
"Tell us a little bit about the food?"

Laura Baptist - School Principal
"As you can see I am serving hudut and if you look on that side, that's the makeshift kitchen, I am trying to depict exactly how a Garifuna setting would look like on an everyday basis. Today we have hudut, we also have sahol and then we have sere."

Reporter
"What's the difference between sere and hudut?"

Laura Baptist - School Principal
"When you have only the gravy with the fish - that's the sere, but the hudut have to include the plantain as well."

And just before we left we caught up with two well respected Garifuna Women of the Garifuna Choir - who were enjoying a big plate of the famous cultural dish called the Hudut.

Thelma Martinez -Directress of the Garifuna Choir
"This is the famous hudut, its very delicious for this occasion. This is the outfit that is being used, it's a skirt and blouse and this is official outfit that the Garifuna people usually used for mass and for official purposes as well."