Belize musicians join C.A. colleagues on tour

Two of Belize’s veteran musicians are headed to Mexico for an extended tour the likes of which few local artists have seen before. Kungo Music maestro Brother David Obi and Punta rock superstar Mohobub Flores today left the country to meet up with the rest of their colleagues in the Orquesta de la Papaya. While in Mexico the group, comprising musicians from every country in Central America, will perform during the thirty-first annual Festival Internacional Cervantino in northern Mexico.

David Obi, Member, Orquesta de la Papaya

“We’re heading up to the northern part of Mexico this time. This dah noh the usual area that we go when we go to Cancun and Isla Mujeres. This is like Reinosa, Mexico City, Tamaulipas, just wah whole lot a different names, Tampico, Madero, Mante, Laredo, about sixteen cities. So this dah really wah new experience fu we also, we have never done this. As a matter of fact, a noh really think that any Belizean artist has ever done sixteen cities tour before, so this dah wah new experience fu we, but we all ready for it.”

“When you really the look pan here when you hear Orchestra de Papaya dah no just Belizean music, dah no just Caribbean music, dah the music of Central America. So you get Nicaragua, Panama, Belize, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Honduras, so the music really interesting. Even for me as a musician, as much music as I have heard in my lifetime, whenever we perform with Orchestra de Papaya, dah wah different journey.”

Obi says that while the group will not be performing any new music during their Mexican tour, the Orquesta plans to begin work on a new album shortly. Belize is just about the only Central American country that has not hosted La Orquesta de la Papaya. That situation should change once the Bliss Institute is reopened. David Obi and Mohobub Flores are expected back in the country next month.