Garifuna Mass of Solidarity Welcomes All Belizeans

Unlike previous pageants, only six contestants will be participating this year.  Those young ladies hail from various Garifuna communities across the country.  In respect of the Mass of Solidarity, an invitation is also being extended to all Belizeans.

Sheena Zuniga

Sheena Zuniga, President, National Garifuna Council

“The Miss Garifuna Belize Pageant 2022, this year we have six beautiful contestants.  We have participants from Belize City, Dangriga, Barranco, Seine Bight, Punta Gorda and Hopkins.  It’s really significant because these young ladies are where we have mostly, predominantly Garifuna people.  The purpose of the pageant is for them to showcase their knowledge of the Garifuna culture, the language, the dance and just about the Garifuna culture. When it comes to the Solidarity Mass, we extend the invitation to non-Garinagu as well, ministers of government, people who are working with us in the community who have partnered with us and so on.  We invite them to be a part of our celebration as well because we are part of a nation, we don’t exist in isolation and Garinagu have been known to be very open and welcoming.  That’s why our communities are no longer exclusively Garifuna.  Once there were roads into our communities, others started to come and live with us and so we continue that kind of spirit of harmonious coexistence.  So the invitation is extended to everyone to be a part of our festivities.”