Garifuna Council Unveils Lineup of Cultural Events Ahead of Settlement Day Celebrations

The National Garifuna Council, Dangriga Branch has released its calendar of events leading up to Garifuna Settlement Day on November 19. Activities range from Garifuna Awareness Day, A Tribute to T.V. Ramos to traditional drumming. Branch President, Marsha Mejia invites all Dangrigans to a fun-filled weekend starting with an Ancestral Offering on tomorrow, Saturday.

Marsha Mejia, President, National Garifuna Council Dangriga: “We’re going to have an ancestral offering at Miss Martha’s Dabuyaba in BackaTown. It’s going to be an all day event from 9am to 6pm. We’re going to set food for our ancestors. We’re going to have a mass. We’re going to do the traditional Abaimahani and Arumahani and we’re also going to do a Mali at the Dabuyaba and traditional drumming for a little celebration at the end. Sunday, the traditional drumming will be live on our NGC Dangriga Branch Facebook page during the drumming session from 4 to 5.”

The highlight of the festivities is a tribute to the late Thomas Vincent Ramos, the founder of Garifuna Settlement Day on November 13.

Marsha Mejia, President, National Garifuna Council Dangriga: “That day we’re going to have a drum parade from Drums of our Father Monument to Epworth Methodist Church starting at 5pm. The tribute itself will actually start at Methodist Church 6pm. Thereafter we do another drum parade from the church to the cemetery to lay wreath on TV Ramos’s grave and then we move over to the bus.”

Reporter: What date is that? 

Marsha Mejia, President, National Garifuna Council Dangriga: “The 13th of November, Thursday the 13th. Then we move over to the bus for our grand finale with traditional drumming of course and then some refreshments will be offered to those in attendance.”

Garifuna Settlement Day activities are being held under the theme: Garifuna Moving Forward, Honoring Tradition, Embracing Change, Strengthening Identity.