Garifuna Settlement Day in Belize

I'm going to guess that you have never heard of Garifuna Settlement Day. Come on, be honest! OK, maybe one or two of you know it because you did a trip to Belize way back when. Well good for you. That's one of the reasons we travel, isn't it? To learn about stuff like Garifuna Settlement Day. Well this November 19, just a few days away, marks the date that the Garifune people of Belize arrived in the area in 1802. Descended from African slaves who were shipwrecked off St. Vincent around 1635, the Garifunas mixed with the native Caribbean Indians there and now theymake up about 8 percent of the current population of Belizeans. But they have a culture of their own that is rich and varied, and that culture is on display during this event. As you might imagine that means ample music, food, traditional dress, all in a lovely locale reknowned for some of the best diving in the world.

Filed under: Arts and Culture, History, Learning, Festivals and Events, Food and Drink, Blogs, Belize