LocationThe Garifuna once lived on the island of St. Vincent. When the European explorers first came to their Island, they went to war for the land. As a result the Garifuna fled the island and headed for the main land (Meso-America). They first landed in what is now Guatemala. During this time the Garifuna rescued as many enslaved natives as they could. And when slaves escaped, they went to the Garifuna civilization. Today most of the Garifuna members live in Belize, Honduras, Guatemala, and Nicaragua.
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LanguageThe native language of the Garifuna people originates from the Arawak language and the various types of Carib languages. The language of the Garifuna comes directly from the island ancestors.
Language Influence 45% Arawak 25% Carib 10% English 5% Spanish 15% African |
ReligionIn the Garifuna culture, their are many religions that are practiced. But many aspects of the Garifuna religion are based off of Catholicism. The Black Caribs believed both in Saints and in Spirits. Most of their worship rituals includes dancing, singing, drumming, and alcoholic beverages.
One important ceremony that the Garifuna worship is the Dugu. The Dugu is a ceremonial feast; practiced when the Spirit Gubida seemed to be angry at the living Garifuna |
FoodIn the Garifuna heritage, there are many different and unusual types of food. Some foods even originate from the early Garifuna ancestors that lived on St. Vincent's Island. Many Garifuna plates are made with a combination of native crops and livestock including chicken, cassava, bananas, plantains,etc. Many dishes are also made with fish from the Caribbean Sea. One dish, called Machua, is made with mashed green plantains with coconut milk soup and baked fish; this is a common dish in the Garifuna culture.
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