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Post by CHAOTIC on Mar 5, 2003 20:14:43 GMT -5
I was born and raised by a Garifuna woman. I am greatful fo her giving me life and influencing me with all the beauty of what Garifuna represents.
Amongst many:
Our people were smart, they were the educators of Belize and many were jealous of our intelligence.
They were fighters, they struggled and did whatever they could for their survival that we can now call our own. They were warriors and could hardly be defeated.
Alejo Beni, Chatoyer, and Duvalle died in their battle for us.
Thomas Vincent Ramos was our Martin Luther King who fought for our day, education, health and the respect that we deserve.
With all this that we have to our name why and how dear will we give it up for someone else's? I wonder what is there to be ashamed of as a Garifuna? Who will we blame when our language will no longer be spoken, our music won't be playing?
Our culture is the essence to our being.
Garinagu we need to rise. Let's rise Garinagu.
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Post by Melody on Mar 5, 2003 20:38:19 GMT -5
[glow=red,2,300] I'm not Garifuna or BeliZean, but I think that they are some cool and interesting people. I am excited about going to the Festival
And that is some nice words, Chaotic, because you guys shouldn't allow anyone to make you feel like you don't count. Man, you guys have so much culture and roots; I envy you guys. I would love to speak a different language and know how to mash plantains and make drums and all that other stuff. I wish that my ancestors had taught me some traditions and whatnot. My family doesn't like to talk about nothing. I don't know anything about my family past my generation. Some of my great-grandparents have close ties to slavery and whatnot, but they like to keep everything all bottled in. I guess its too painful being from the South and the 60's. They could at least teach us some things.
You guys shouldn't let you kids get too Americanized or forget their roots and ashamed of their heritage. Teach them how to make the food, and talk, and other things that identify your culture. [/glow]
Those people that hate on you guys are just jealous!
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Empress
Junior Member
Don't start none, won't be none
Posts: 95
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Post by Empress on Mar 6, 2003 0:13:53 GMT -5
Well I am one person that is very proud to be Garifuna, I have always been and will be to the day I die.
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Post by Cgonzalez on Mar 30, 2003 1:18:09 GMT -5
Well Chaotic I know exactly what you are talking about. I am mixed with Mayan, Meztiso, and Garifuna. I am proud of my culture and my heritage and I will transmit it to my kids, grand kids, great grand kids..........
When I was little I was taught punta,paranda, jancunu..... but never from who they came from. Finally one day I did research and found out who I come from,I have met my family from Livingston, Guatemala, and Puerto Cortes, Honduras.
I ask all my Garifuna brothers and sisters to come together and teach our children and youths who they are where they come from. Our music, language, and culture is the legacy of our ancestors.
Aba Isieni, Aba Rasa, Walagante.
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Post by CHAOTIC on Mar 31, 2003 15:20:19 GMT -5
WOW, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE WHAT YOU LOOK LIKE. YOU REALLY ARE A UNIQUE PERSON. I HAVEN'T SEEN A GARIFUNA PERSON WHO IS OF ALL THAT MIXTURE.
I AM ALSO MIXED. MY MOTHER IS GARIFUNA BUT MY FATHER IS NOT AND WHEN I DO SPEAK MY LANGUAGE, WHICH I AM VERY PROUD OF I WOW LISTERNERS.
YES, I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU THAT OUR OLDER ADULTS(MOTHER AND FATHERS) NEED TO PUT MORE EMPHASIS ON CULTURAL AWARENESS. KNOWLEDEGE IS POWER AND IT IS SAD WHEN PEOPLE KNOW MORE ABOUT OUR CULTURE. MORE THAN WE DO OBVIOUSLY.
LATELY, I VISITED COLUMBIA COLLEGE IN DOWNTOWN CHICAGO AND WAS SURPRISED AT ALL THE INFORMATION THAT THEY CARRY ABOUT US. I FOUND OUT THINGS THAT WERE NEVER TOLD TO ME AND LIKE YOU SOMEDAY, WITH THE HELP OF GOD I WILL GO BACK AND TRACE MY ANCESTORY.
I HAVE SO MUCH PRIDE IN BEING A GARIFUNA, MEN IT IS UNEXPLAINABLE. WE ARE "IT", A STRONG PEOPLE WHO WERE NEVER ENSLAVED, AND RICH IN EVERY PART OF OUR BEING. I AM PROUD OF WHO I AM, AND I AM GLAD THAT YOU ARE TOO.
ABA ISIENI LUN AWASERUNI
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Post by bemetu on Mar 31, 2003 17:08:16 GMT -5
i am a proud garifuna and will always be. whenever i inform others that i am a garifuna from dangriga they would always reply with "you don't look like a garifuna" this statement always piss me off. i would in return ask them ...tell me how a garifuna look....people need to know that garifuna people come in different shades and features. Eventhough i am part megeru i consider myself 100% garifuna, because i was raised as a proud garifuna by my mother who is a proud garifuna woman.
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Post by CHAOTIC on Mar 31, 2003 18:27:27 GMT -5
BEMETU, YOU GO GIRL! YES, WE DO COME IN DIFFERENT SHADES REMINDING THOSE WHO LOOK AT US IN DEMEANING WAYS THAT OUR EXISTENCE IS PIVOTAL IN CONTRIBUTING TO THE BEAUTY OF BELIZE. SO MANY WANT TO BE LIKE US SO THEY HATE ON US. HEY, WHAT MORE CAN I SAY?
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Empress
Junior Member
Don't start none, won't be none
Posts: 95
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Post by Empress on Mar 31, 2003 22:31:21 GMT -5
I agree with you all, it always seems funny to me when people say a certain look is Garifuna, I have members of my family that have very fair skin with light eyes in the same immediate family with someone who is very ebony and they have the same parents and are a 100% garifuna. I see mixtures of these features in Garifuna people everywhere and they are 100% Garifuna, that is the beauty of our ethnicity we come in different shades and sizes that show off our Amerindian and African heritage, I wouldn't ask to be anything else in this world. Those who have something negative to say about our culture live in ignorant bliss and I could care less about them and their opinion. People who still talk stereotypes and discriminate are really living in a world of their own in this time of enlightenment and empowerment of non-anglo people. We have the best of both worlds we have our African and Native American heritage.
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Post by Cgonzalez on Apr 1, 2003 0:06:31 GMT -5
Well Chaotic people almost always confuse me with being from Cuba or Puerto Rico. It's true though as a mixed person I have gone through alot. I remember when I was I was a child my white uncles never let sit down in their homes, I was not allowed to eat with them, or play with their children. I was kept away as an contagious disease. My mother was never aware of it . My cousins didn't like it that I be around their friends when they came to visit.
I never really understood why, as I met my Garifuna family and culture I understood what our ancestors went through are the same things I went and some times still go through and worse. Now, I do what Empress says I let them live in their ignorant bliss.
I know where my roots are, I know where I came from and know where I am going, you are right we are "it" those that hate on us wish they were us.
Keimu Niduhenu we must unite.
Aban Isieni, Aban Rasa, Walagante
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Post by isenie on Apr 1, 2003 1:43:38 GMT -5
I agree with you guys. I can't imagine myself being anything else but Garifuna. I am proud of who I am and will not give that up for anything. I think that knowing my history has made me a much stronger person. By learning from their trails I am able to work trough mine. I can't wait until I am able to visit some of the places in our history like ST. Vincent, Roatan, livingston and so forth.
Aba Isenie
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Post by CasavaBoy on Oct 30, 2004 17:28:41 GMT -5
i'm one of the most proudest young Garifuna's living in LA.......i , with the upmost pride, respect my culture........
Hisieti libagare Garifuna nu....
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