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Love FM has officially hit the road for Southern Tour 2025, offering Belizeans a closer, more candid look at the rich Garifuna culture, food, attire, spirituality, and heritage leading up to Garifuna Settlement Day on November 19. The tour launched this morning in Peine Punta Gorda, where the team attended the first scheduled event, a major highlight of the annual celebrations. The 16th Primary School Garifuna Language Translation Contest began shortly after 9:00 a.m. at the Punta Gorda Sports Complex, drawing eager students, teachers, and cultural supporters from across the district. Love FM’s Armin Arana joined longtime Senior Toledo Correspondent Paul Mahung in providing live commentary of the three-hour competition. A total of 19 students showcased their skills in Garifuna translation. Dr. Gwen Nuñez Gonzalez announced the winners of this year’s competition.
Dr. Gwen Nunez Gonzalez, MC. Garifuna Language Translation: “First place, Ariana Ariola from Gulisi. Second place, Grisel Nuñes from Holy Family. And I want us to give Grisel an extra, extra, extra round of applause because she has been representing her school so I can only imagine the pressure she has been under. She represented her school from Miss Garifuna yesterday and she came in second which is excellent and now she’s here now representing I am very proud of her. And third place Nickelsi Petllio from Gulisi. So Gulisi has taken two of the three top prizes in today’s translation competition.”
Following the competition, the Love FM team continued its first-day journey with a visit to the Cayetano family on Cayetano Street in Punta Gorda, a stop known for its deep cultural significance and warm Garifuna hospitality. With several days of cultural showcases still ahead, Armin Arana shared what viewers and listeners can expect as Southern Tour 2025 continues through the week.
Armin Arana, Love News: Friday, it’s all about the Battle of the Drums Food and Fete which gets underway around 7:30 in the evening. That’s all things Garifuna cuisine, you eat till you can’t eat no more. And then there’s some entertainment Paranda music all the way to 2:00 or 3: 00 in the morning, that’s Friday. On Saturday, we have, of course, the 20th edition of the Battle of the Drums. We’ll carry that for you on Love FM. There’s a motorcade throughout the streets of PG Saturday afternoon. And that’s where we’ll be around as well here touring. Then on Sunday, you make your way to Garbutt’s Marina for Love FM’s Paranda Show. All right, that’s Sunday about two in the afternoon.Sunday, about two in the afternoon. And then the following day, Monday, that will be the 17th we have our crew that will be heading to Seine Bight and as well to Hopkins and then Dangriga. We’ll still be in here highlighting was taking place as well. And of course the 18th we go to Barranco. The museum, Garifuna Museum in Barranco, they are celebrating 20 years as well. We highlight that and then of course, drumming in the evening, all night drumming leading to Garifuna Settlement Day on the 19th, which is next Wednesday with the Yurumei, the re-enactment of the Garinagu to the shores of Belize at about six in the morning then we procession two the St. Peter Claver church for the official Garifuna Mass then we will send it over to Dangriga to our crew for the official ceremony and as well the big parade there in Dangriga.
We invite you to tune in to Southern Tour 2025, streaming live across all Love FM’s social media platforms, radio, and television, as the team brings Belize the vibrancy, rhythm, and resilience of Garifuna culture directly from the heart of the south.
English (US) ·