©2008 Irma McClaurin
“…
Down Albert Street, the main thoroughfare in Belize City, the ‘punta’ sounds of Andy Palacio and
Chico Ramos can be heard rocking the streets.” (Women of Belize: Gender and Change in Central America, p. 34).
I remember vividly finally mastering the undulating hip and shuffling feet movements that are the trade mark of punta, a dance form in Belize, Central America popularized by Andy Palacio, a local artist. On Saturday, January 19, 2008, this Belizean national treasure died at the very young age of 47.
His was an influence that resonated across many different borders inside Belize, and touched the hearts and souls of African-descended people throughout Central and South America, the Caribbean, the United States, Canada, Europe and
Africa . Andy, and his people represent the spirit of resistance, creativity and innovation that we know is part of the character of the African Diaspora. The origins of the Garifuna people are complicated, and filled with many serendipitous events, resistance, will power, and genius.
As the story goes, West African slaves believed to come from “the Yoruba, Ibo and Ashanti tribes” were shipwrecked off the coast of the
Island of
St. Vincent . They came ashore and were protected by the indigenous population of Island Caribs with whom they formed strong alliances. The Island Caribs were an amalgamation of Carib and Arawak Indians that occurred sometimes through warfare, with Arawak women often taken as war prizes. As a result, the Arawak-Carib women spoke a different language than men. This women’s language pattern survives into the present. The intermixing and intermarriage of the maroon (escaped) Africans and the Island Caribs resulted in a new people –the Garifuna— whose language drew upon its African roots mixed with Carib and Arawak. Sometimes called Karaphuna, according to one source, “ ‘Gari’ is African for food,” and “Garifuna roughly translates into ‘cassava-eating people.’” Anthropologists labeled this newest group “black Carib” as a way of distinguishing them from the original indigenous populations of
St. Vincent . This distinction would later have dire consequences. Over time, the Garifuna adopted the term Garinagu to describe themselves as a group, and Garifuna to refer to their language and culture.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
The recent announcement from the United Nations (UN) that they had overestimated the AIDS epidemic by six million people prompted pronouncements from optimists in the last 2 weeks that the AIDS epidemic is no longer a threat. While the sampling error on the part of the UN is certainly serious, it would not be wise to ignore some harsh realities. As indicated in the New York Times - Week in Review section this past Sunday, Nov. 25, 2007, "although there are some indications that new infections might have hit a plateau, there nevertheless, were more than three million annual new infections in 1998 compared to 2.5 million in 2007.[i]
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
This is an abstract of a paper prepared and presented by the Afro-Latin@ Project at the recent CSA conference in Salvador da Bahia was supported by a grant from the HIV/AIDS Global Initiative at the Ford Foundation.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
By Bruno Gaston International Editor ATLANTA, July 15, 2007, 12:20 p.m. Afro-Latino communities in the United States may be just as invisible to the average American as they are hidden in their many countries of origin. Now, more than ever, their voices are grabbing the attention of the American government and challenging the concept of race and identity in Latin America.
Robert Asprilla, executive director of the Afro-Latino Development Alliance in Washington D.C., spoke to Redding News Review about the historical advances made by Afro-Colombians at home through the efforts of the Diaspora in America.
"White Colombians have traditionally migrated to Miami and Queens," Asprilla said. "Afro-Colombians went Houston and Chicago." Read full articule using the link http://reddingnewsreview.com/newspages/2007newspages/us_afro_Latinos_push_rights_07_09100101.htm |
|
A Puerto Rican Woman Claims Her Place In The African DiasporaJune 20, 2007 by Rosa Clemente, Writer Rosa Clemente, founder of the R.E.A.C.Hip Hop Coalition An interesting thing happened to me the other day. I was told I am not Black. The kicker for me was when my friend said that the island of Puerto Rico was not a part of the African Diaspora. I wanted to go back to the old skool playground days and yell: "You said what about my momma?!" But after speaking to several friends, I found out that many Black Americans and Latinos agree with him. The miseducation of the Negro is still in effect! The article was first reported in Black and Brown News Read full article using the link http://www.blackandbrownnews.com/front/341041570_story.php |
|
|
|
<< Start < Prev 1 2 3 4 Next > End >>
|
| Results 13 - 18 of 19 |
