New Book launched; Adugurahani: A Walk Through Garifuna Spiritualism

Former Chief Elections Officer-turned-author Myrtle Palacio today released two publications that, to say the least, are completely different in scope and focus.  After sitting with the late John Mariano, a renowned spiritual healer within the Garifuna community, Palacio compiled a comprehensive book.  Adugurahani: A Walk Through Garifuna Spiritualism is a piece of literature which delves deeply into the previously undocumented Dugu ritual.

Myrtle Palacio, Author

Myrtle Palacio

“The book on Adugurahani most of the information comes from late buyei John Mariano, sit-down interviews with him but also observing for several years, several Dugu, there are several rituals and I think it’s the first time, I know it’s the first time that these are documented.  He, buyei John Mariano, wanted some documentation because of his awareness of moving away from the purpose of the Dugu and some of the very serious and sacred rituals and songs as I had just mentioned today in the book.  It’s really a detailed description of the nine rituals in the Dugu that has come forward to kind of demystify the ceremony in a way but to bring information to document traditional knowledge and to look at the anomalies of taking on intellectual property rights as your own and specifically to highlight the sacredness of the music and all the rituals that make up the ceremony.  That’s the life of a people and we don’t play with it, we don’t downplay it at all.”