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Norwegian Exec Censured By National Garifuna Council
posted (August 19, 2013)
They say that loose lips sink ships – well, for the sake of Norwegian Cruise Line, that had better not be true! That's after Project Designer for NCL's Harvest Caye Project Hugh Darley made what turns out to be an offensive comment about the sacred Garifuna Dugu Ceremony. Darley was trying to speak affectionately of the Garifuna Culture – but made a huge gaffe when he started talking about the Dugu, which is a closed ritual used to call up the ancestors. But, it seems Darley was told it was some kind of cool dance. Here's what he said:…

Hugh Darley
"Garifuna - why Garifuna? It's the only place in the world that we could tell that story and it would be real. We would not create a fantasy, we're telling the real story from the real people. We want to train and have people tell their own stories. In the afternoon there will be a big drum circle on the beach and at 3 o'clock we're going to tell the guests 'guess what - we're going to do a big drum circles out on the beach doing a dance called [dugu].' Why? Because nobody ever gets the chance to see that."

A statement issued this evening says that quote,

"The National Garifuna Council condemns the announcement by Norwegian Cruise Line and their agents to highlight the Garifuna culture, particularly our sacred ceremony, the Dügü, as an attraction for tourists without as much as the courtesy of consulting with the leadership of our community," end quote.

It adds quote,

"The Dügü is a sacred ceremony and is not performed as entertainment for any audience. We find the announcement insulting and, while it may be well intentioned, indicative of arrogance and ignorance on the part of those concerned."

This issue will be discussed at a scheduled meeting of the National Executive of the NGC this weekend.

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