Southern Tour Highlights Garifuna Culture at Food Fete in PG

Day two of Love FM’s Southern Tour continued today in Punta Gorda Town with live coverage of the Battle of the Drums Food Fete, held at St. Peter Claver School. The event, a major lead-up activity to Garifuna Settlement Day, showcased the culinary heritage, community spirit, and cultural pride that define the November celebrations across the south.  Love FM’s Armin Arana and Paul Mahung were on site this morning, providing updates, interviews, and cultural highlights from the Food Fete.  As part of their coverage, the hosts spoke with Sharon Lucas, Principal of St. Peter Claver School, who has long been a key figure in promoting Garifuna culture and ensuring students remain actively involved in the annual observance.

Sharon Lucas, Principal: “We participate in so many activities, Garifuna culture-wise. We have moved away from cultural day at St. Peter Claver. So we do cultural day in October. And so we do Garifuna awareness in November. And so we started off with the Battle of the Drums primary school. This is the second year and the second time we were participating so we have seen the growth of our students. Though they didn’t place first, second or third, we have seen growth in both their behavior and their performance. So we’re happy with them. They are all winners because it’s not easy to be competing in something like this, especially when it’s not your first language, you know? And so they also did the translation contest. We’re planning already to work on it so we can do better next year. On Monday, we have our Garfifuna Queen Pageant and so we have four contestants going up for that. This year, we’re doing it at one o’clock because we’re trying not to have clashes with the other activities in the community. So we’re doing it at one o’clock but community is welcome to come. So it will be at the parish hall and the entrance fee for adults is five dollars. For students and children it’s two dollars. So that’s one o’clock on Monday. On Tuesday we have our Garifuna Awareness Day. So we start off in the morning at seven thirty with our reenactment, the Yurumei right here on the wharf, and from there we move on to the church. We’ll have our Garifuna Mass at nine o’clock. After the mass we come back to the compound and will have the display of the Garifuna culture.”

The Southern Tour also heard from Dr. Louis Zabaneh, Dangriga Area Representative, who shared reflections on the vibrant cultural identity of the south and the festive energy that peaks in the days leading up to November 19.

Dr. Louis Zabaneh, Dangriga Area Representative: “On the 19th itself, then we all come to Dangriga we have the official ceremonies. This year, we’re very happy that Prime Minister will be there again and then also we expect Minister of Culture Francis Fonseca, should be there as well. And then many of other dignitaries, ministers, area reps, we always have quite a bit of the diplomatic corps that comes to celebrate with us and people from all over the world come back home. So it’s an exciting time.”

Richard Herbert, Love FM: Definitely seems exciting. And as I mentioned earlier, the Ministry of Indigenous Affairs is a sponsor towards the Love FM’s Southern Tour. Tell me about the importance that you saw for that ministry to be a sponsor towards this initiative.

Dr. Louis Zabaneh, Dangriga Area Representative: “No, of course. I mean, I have the privilege of serving in this capacity and as Minister of Indigenous Affairs, we’ve been working very closely with the Maya communities especially in Toledo, but being the area representative for Dangriga that’s my home and so the other indigenous  Garinagu we at the Ministry of Indigenous Affairs, ensuring that we also have quite a bit of what we do focusing on the interests of the Garinagu people.”

Love FM’s Southern Tour continues throughout the week with stops at several points in the south leading up to Garifuna Settlement Day.