Youths participate in Garifuna Mass

With Garifuna Settlement Day only eight days away, Garifuna communities all over Belize are inviting Belizeans to celebrate. On Wednesday night a Thanksgiving Mass was held at St. Martin De Porres Church. As Janelle Chanona found out it was not only a time to count blessings, but a time to bring the young people into the fold.

Jackieva Castillo

“We believe that we were losing the interest but now we are gaining it back, because we believe that if we don’t have it then we have nothing.”

Every November, the Garifuna culture takes center stage… with various events and ceremonies leading up to November nineteenth, celebrated as the day of their arrival in Belize. Traditionally, the elders of the community have been the key players in organizing the festivities but this year it’s the youngsters keeping the old ways alive.

Sebastian Cayetano

“Our plan is to prepare them, to prepare and with us being alive as yet, preparing them, they will be able to take up the challenges.”

Jackieva Castillo coordinates a local youth group, hoping to stir up some interest in her culture.

Jackieva Castillo

“If you go to them and tell them in an older kind of way, they will regret it and then they won’t come along. So you tell them in a youthful way, you know the youthful talk and then you just motivate them into it.”

Last night, the youths were motivated to take part in a Catholic Mass conducted entirely in Garifuna.

Zaira Martinez

“Just being in community with everybody else, the music, the dancing, it all composes into one big, good event.”

Jackieva Castillo

“All that I find special is just me, being a Garifuna and being proud.”

Cayetano says the awareness movement is not about separating the Garinagu from other ethic groups.

Sebastian Cayetano

“We need to be united, we need to learn about our cultures, promote the cultures, teach about them, our children are ignorant about our cultures. We need to do exerted efforts to teach our cultures to all Belizeans, and all the colors of Belize.”

At dawn on November nineteenth, 1999, Garifuna communities throughout Belize hope the eyes of their young ones will be captured by the old ways. Janelle Chanona for News Five.

Also honored in last night’s mass was the Catholic Bishop of Belize, the Right Reverend Osmond Peter Martin. He was presented with a check for thirteen hundred dollars and a commemorative plaque for his continuing support of the Garinagu.