Garifuna Music and Media Sites

1. http://www.flamefilms.com/spirit/garifuna.htm

This site presents the film El Espiritú de mi Mamá, in Spanish with English subtitles, the story of a young Garífuna woman living in Los Angeles.  Disturbed by dreams of her mother, she returns to Honduras and reaffirms her cultural and spritual identity in the course of her journey and her stay in her homeland.  This film is highly recommended for anyone who wishes to enjoy a respectful, well-designed presentation of the African spritual presence in Garífuna culture. 

Also available on this site are links to other sources of information about all aspects of Garífuna culture.  In addition to the aforementioned garinet.com, the site provides links to many different pages featuring a variety of subjects pertaining to the Garínagu as they are found throughout the Americas:

• Garinet  www.garinet.com) Virtual Garifuna network with information about Garifuna People, their community, culture and traditions.
• Labuga  www.labuga.com Garifuna community of Livingston, Guatemala.
• Garifuna.com www.garifuna.com
• Brief history of the Garifuna.
• The Garifuna Journey http://www.culturalsurvival.org/special_projects/americas/garifuna.cfm A documentary project focusing on a remarkable story of resistance and continuity of culture in the face of overwhelming odds.
• Interview with Joseph Palacio — Caribbean Amerindian Centrelink Review article by Maximilian Forte, with extensive further links.
• Caribbean Amerindian Centrelink — Index to articles and information about the Garifuna of Belize and St. Vincent.
• Assimilation is a double-edged sword — Los Angeles Times article by Anne-Marie O’Conner.
• Garífuna Empowerment Movement — Los Angeles organization working to unite and preserve the Garifuna culture through education, promotion and cultivation of the culture.
• Expressions of Central America — Stanford Center for Latin American Studies online educational tool to help teachers and students uncover the rich artistic, cultural, and historical heritage of traditionally underrepresented Central American peoples.
• Garifuna fight to keep beaches — Associated Press article by Traci Carl.
• Links to the Afro-Latin World — Links page from North Carolina A&T State University.
• Roots World: Garifuna Music — Roots recordings of indigenous and African-descent peoples of Central America.
• The World of Pen Cayetano — Ambassador of art & music.
• A Brush with a Purpose — Greg Palacio, a modern Garífuna painter, works in a rich, descriptive style. See a slide show of his work.
• Puntamusic.com — Bringing the drums closer to your ears!
• BEWARE! It has a revealing picture of the back of a female cartoon on the homepage.
• Garifuna Web — Websites for Organizacion Fraternal Negra Hondureña (OFRANEH) and Organizacion Negra Centroamericana (ONECA).

2. http://www.rootsworld.com/reviews/garifuna.html

 

1. “Caribbean Central America Garifuna, Maya and Ladino-Mestizo Music of Belize, Guatemala and Honduras”-by Michael Stone

• Has a history of Garifuna music including the instruments used in the music.
• Lists the following two CD’s as sources of Garifuna music available at the Smithsonian Institute’s site for Global Sound:

1. The Black Caribs of Honduras Smithsonian Folkways Custom Compact Disc Series FE-4435
2. Songs and Dances of Honduras Smithsonian Folkways Custom Compact Disc Series FP-834

• Offers a description of various CD’s available by Caprice Records featuring Central American music:

• “Music from Guatemala” (also available on Amazon.com)
• “The Black Caribs of Honduras”       
• “Songs and Dances of Honduras”
• “Paranda: Africa in Central America”
• “Heartbeat in the Music”

3. http://www.smithsonianglobalsound.org Smithsonian Institute Global Sound

4. Has traditional Garifuna Music that can be ordered by individual song ($0.99 per song) or by CD.  After paying, the The site offers samples of each song.   The titles of the three CD’s featuring Garífuna music are as follows:          

                                               

1. Dabuyabarugu: Inside the Temple - Sacred Music of the Garifuna of Belize

Performed By: Various Artists
Country(s) of Origin: Belize
Year of Release: 1982
Record Label / Archive: Folkways Records
Catalog Number: FW04032

2.  Traditional Music of the Garifuna of Belize

Performed By: Various Artists
Country(s) of Origin: Belize
Year of Release: 1982
Record Label / Archive: Folkways Records
Catalog Number: FW04031

3. Primitive Music of the World*

Performed By: Various Artists
Year of Release: 1962
Record Label / Archive: Folkways Records
Catalog Number: FW04581

*Only has one Garifuna song which is entitled, “Music of the Black Caribs of Honduras - Ahorohani: Work Song”- song 303  N.B.  The author of the present website, http://www.newrorleansgarifuna.com, objects to the use of the term “primitive”.

4. http://www.stonetreerecords.com

As described on their website, “Not just another small independent record label in the Caribbean… Since 1995 we've been producing the best music from Belize and the region.

Founded by musician/producer Ivan Duran, and based in Benque Viejo town in western Belize, the Stonetree team is dedicated to actively promoting the region's unique musical styles and encouraging the preservation of Belize's traditional music: including that of the Garifuna, Creole, Maya, and Mestizo cultures. But we're by no means just archivists. We also support the ongoing development of new and unique musical styles, and foster experimentation and creativity.”

5. http://www.cayetano.de/music.htm (su grupo)  Group site of Pen Cayetano, recognized by many as the father of Punta music.

6.  http://www.belizeanjourneys.com/features/garifmusic/newsletter.html

An article from the Belizean Journeys magazine and e-zine recounts the author’s experience in Belize as she tries to determine what is true authentic Garifuna music. Includes a trip to a community gathering at a home, a Punta Rock concert by Supa G, and a dugú.

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