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Garifuna Culture

The Garifuna Language

The Garinagu,the people ,Garifuna ,their language are Colored people from Central America having Hispanic surnames. We speak an Amerindian language with a small number of words from the Spanish, French and English. We are descendants of Africans who managed to escape slavery to take up residence among the Red Caribs (Arawak Indians) of ST.Vincent ,a windward Island in the Lesser Antilles.

The Caribs had always considered themselves Callinago, meaning Manioc (cassava) eaters and derived from the word Karina,Galibi,or Carinaco prior to Columbus arrival in the region.(TaylorD.1977).

From the root word Karina,we derived Callinagu,Garinagu and Karifouna.Hence today the Caribs of Dominica refer to themselves as Karifouna while the Black Caribs in St Vincent call themselves Callinago and the Black Caribs in Central Americans call themselves Garinagu.

The Garifuna language has been written in both Hispanic and English orthography.

In Garifuna there are short vowels and long vowels.

Long vowels are: aa ee ii uu üü

The Garifuna some vowels are pronounced nasal and as they are pronounced, the nose vibrates. These vowels are written with "n" after the vowel e.g. lanpu,banbu

The Garifuna Alphabets are :a,b,ch,d,e,f,g,h,f,g,h,i,k,l,m,n,ñ,o,p,r,s,t,u,ü,w,y,

Words for e.g.

a ayumaha, badia,wanaragua

b bachati, buguya, beru

ch chegidi, Chawecha

d disi ,dumurei, adugaba

e eifi , dereti

f fedu, findira, afeduhatu

g gudu , agudahatu, guririguou

h hati , hamari, ahari

i isieni, iburaha, idibu

k keimoun, katei, akipura

l lamuyen, lebu

m maniba ,ameidini

n niyada, nariburugu

n ñamasi, ñiyawana.

o ounguru, bouha

p pinda, pantu

r regigi areiruni

s samudi,isubara

t timbalu, tucuparan

ü uraga,u̒gudi

u ubuyamu ügüraü

w wadabu, wemege

y yamadi ayumaha

Garifuna Religion

Dugu: Garifuna Thanksgiving Ceremony

There are three main Ancestral Rites Practiced by the Garinagu:

1. The Amuyadahani- Bathing the spirit of the dead

2. The Chugu- Feeding of the Dead

3. The Dugu- Feasting of the Dead

Among these three rites, the most sacred elaborate and the one Demonstrating the climax of Garifuna respect, appreciation for and feeling of communication with the is the Dugu.

The Dugu is Preformed following a request made by a deceased ancestor. The request are made known in a ceremony previously held by the Buyae. This particular ceremony is called Arairaguni(bringing down). In this rite, the Buyae call upon his/her Hiuraha(spirit helpers) to explain a particular problem.

A family having gone through a series of misfortunes including sickness and death will consult with the Buyae. The Bayue in the Arairaguni ceremony, along with the Huiraha acts a medium between a representative of the ill-fated family and the Gubida- deceases ancestors.

There and then the deceased ancestors make their desire known in oracles - for example, a great grandfather having been slighted by his delinquent grandchildren, has visited them with their misfortunes. As result, he requests a three-day Dugu.

Preparations for this rite take three main parts:

1. Invitation of relatives and friends from home and abroad Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and the U.S.A.

2. Acquiring food and drinks with special effort given to acquire the particular food and drink requested by the ancestor.

3.A date is agreed upon with the Buyae who in turn informs other officiating perform ants and these include:

a. Drummers- 3 segunda (bass drummers)

b. Afunahountinya - dressed in red - gusewe

c. Gayusa - singers

d. Adugathatinya- appointed fishermen to find and catch sea foods.

The Dugu ceremony entails four types of dance:

1. Abaimahani- a semi-sacred song of the women

2. Amalihani- a song and dance of supplication

3. Awangulahani- a dance of rejoicing

4. Hugulendu- a dance in circular formation

During the Hugulendu- four components are constant.

1. The circular formation

2. The presentation of ritual foods is associated with the circle.

3. Progress around the circle labored and

4. The direction of the circle alternates

The Amalihani and the Awangulahani- two Dugu dances are also circular in design direction reversals.

The primary purpose of the Dugu is placing or appeasing of the Gubida ancestors (deceased Garinagu) on whose behalf it is being held. The Gubida is endowed with human qualities for the duration of the Dugu by all those participating. The ancestor may invite other Gubida to feast. The Ancestor Spirit is asked to drink, eat, and dance as wishes. At tense moments during the ceremonies, one or more of the participant may lose consciousness and enter a trance-like state called Owehani during which the person assumes the characteristics of the Gubida ancestor being honored. At the end of the ceremonies, the ancestor is asked whether he acknowledges receipt of the Dugu. Depending on what he says, the ceremony may have to be repeated.

Benefits associated with the Ritual Dugu:

1. It serves as a place for psychological release.

2. General improvement in people's condition, including curing of disease to the sponsorship of these rites.

3. The greatest benefits to be derived from ancestral rites is that they are a means of re-asserting group solidarity among friends, relatives and within the community at large.

Garifuna Foods

For centuries, the heart of the Garifuna diet has been ereba with either fish or shellfish. Followed by the main ingredient made from banana and plantain. Since their arrival to Central America, the Garifuna diet has expanded to processed foods bought at shops have formed an essential part of their daily diet. the main ingredient of our dishes is made from banana and plantain.

Garifuna Foods From the Land

In Belize, Garifuna communities are mainly chosen for their accessibility to the sea, and land around villages is generally sandy beach or swamp. Villages by the sea are Hopkins and Seine Bight. These soils are suitable only for some medicinal herbs, coconut palms of fruit trees such as coco plums and baibai or sea grapes , which are enjoyed as snacks by both children and adults.

The main farms are located in the bush to the west on pine ridge and forest soils. The Southern Village of Barranco is fortunate in having seacoast and forest soils in close proximity. As a result., it has and continues to produce up to a third of its own food supply.

Recipes

Garifuna Beverages: unie

Ginger wine: Use ginger, baker's yeast and sugar.

Procedure:

For four quarts of wine, grate ginger, add sugar, water a tablespoon of baker's yeast. let it ferment; check on the sugar content; add more if fermentation is quick; then strain and bottle. Drink cold. The same process may be used cashew, molly apple, plum and other fruits as well as coconut water.

Cassava wine:

To make this excellent beverage, the following ingredients are necessary: coarse sibib , baked until brown and saved (hui) salt, sweet potato and ginger.

Procedure:

Add a little water to hui and pound in mortar. Place it in a large container with water and cover it. Add granted sweet potato, grated ginger and touch of salt. Let it ferment for several days, strain then add sugar taste. add ice cubes and drink cold!

Garifuna Porridges:

The following information is to provide our reader with Garifuna porridge recipes and procedures of making these porridges.

Ripe banana Porridge - letu:

Ripe banana (8-10), coconut milk, nutmeg , cinnamon and ginger.

Procedure:

Peel and ball the plantains, 3 cups until soft; beat it in a mortar or pudding pan while hot. Pour coconut milk mashed plantains and stir. Then add the usual ingredients: a pinch of salt, grated nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon and serve!

Sweet Cassava Pudding - Dani:

Grated sweet cassava, sugar, coconut milk, banana or waha leaves, spices and lard or shortening.

Procedure:

Mix grated sweet cassava with coconut milk and a little lard if desired. Add sugar, nutmeg and vanilla to taste. Place on clean, blanched leaves, wrap up and boil until done.

Green banana Porridge- Gungude:

Green bananas, coconut milk, sugar, nutmeg , vanilla and condensed milk.

Procedure:

Since 5 to 8 bananas and place in the sun to dry for three or four days. when crisp, pound into powder. Use water to make a little paste and add coconut milk and sugar. Let it boil, then add nutmeg, vanilla and stir as you sweeten it.

As you may have noticed by now, bananas and plantains, ripe and green potatoes and cassava bread have served as excellent bases for Garifuna porridges.

Garifuna Dishes

Matilda foot- Bundiga:

The following ingredients are used in the making of Bundiga or Matilda Foot, the Garifuna style : green plantains, or green banana , fish ,coconut milk, onion , salt black pepper, Jabanero , and bay leaf.

Procedure:

Peel, wash and grate bananas or plantains, Boil coconut milk; add silk black pepper, sliced onions and bay leaf. When lasusu(gravy) is boiling drop spoonfuls of grated plantain, When they are holding shape , stir and add pieces of fish, Cook and stir until lasus is thick and the fish done.

Banana Boil up - Tapau:

Use green bananas or green plantains, fish, coconut milk, onions, salt, Jabanero, or black pepper and oregano.

Procedure:

Season cut pieces of fish with salt and pepper. Fry until half done. Place whole green bananas in the pot coconut milk and leave to boil. Add onions and other seasonings. When bananas are half done add fish. Stew together until the lasusu (gravy) is thick as desired then serve.

Brown Flour Soup - Tikini:

Ingredients: fish , salted or fresh, pigtails, or ribs or snout, wheat flour ,onion, salt, black pepper, lard, recardo, and bay leaf.

Procedure:

Melt a few tablespoons of lard, add flour to make a thin brown paste, then add water stir. Add salt, black pepper to taste. Mix in recardo and bay leaf . When boiling, add pieces of fish. These may be half fried at first. Stir until thick as desired and serve rice or ereba (cassva bread).

Sere Lasusu- Falumou:

Ingredients: fish salted or fresh, coconut milk, black pepper, jabanero pepper, onions and bay leaf.

Procedure: Boil coconut milk with salt, black pepper , jabanero pepper, onion and bay leaf. When boiling, add fish pieces and stir until the fish done and the lasus is thick. Serve with ereba, hudutu or marumaruti.

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