Placencia, Belize
Belize is a country where you can see many cultures coexisting in one space. Among those cultures, the Garifuna is one that is not shy of expressing its African and Native American roots, culture, and rituals.
One of their most popular rituals is the Wanaragua, a three-fold system of masked dancers called Jankunu, which is derived from John Canoe. In this ritual, which is only performed during Christmas holidays, the Garifuna dance to the beat of the drums while dressed with a “white man” mask, a headdress, “white man” clothing, and shells on the knees.
This ritual is a unique blend of Native American and African art traditions in which social and cultural identities are expressed. It is a representation of the “white man” and an expression of the Garifuna liberation from them. The name John Canoe, refers to the fact that the “white man” came from the sea.
While it’s not Christmas yet, I had the pleasure of watching a local Garifuna group called Uwaragunie (Togetherness) perform the Wanaragua ritual. In addition, they performed the Hugu Hugu (Shake Shake), a welcoming ritual towards foreigners.
If you want to hear samples of how these rituals sound you can check the audio clip I posted on the Facebook page. Click here to listen to it.
Very cool!
Cool indeed!