Book on Garifuna life and history updated

While the bells may be ringing for Christmas the drums are beating even louder for Garifuna Settlement Day. For those who want to brush up on their basic knowledge of Garifuna life, culture and history a useful book has been updated and re-released just in time for the holiday.

Sebastian Cayetano, Author

“We really need it because the book first came out in 1990. Then we thought that with Garifuna bicentennial in 1997, we thought that we’d publish something on it. Hence the need to update the book.”

Q: “Could you tell us all what is included in the book?”

Sebastian Cayetano

“Quite a lot is included in the book. It’s a very, very useful and valuable volume on the Garinagu history, language and culture. Including the coming of the Garinagus from St. Vincent and their stay in St. Vincent, our great hero, Joseph Chatuye and his assassination in 1795. And, then the subsequent exile of Garinagus by the British from St. Vincent to Roatan.”

Q: “Why would you encourage one to buy this book?”

Sebastian Cayetano

“Because to me, I see it as quite an authority on the Garinagus of Belize, Central America and the Caribbean and more so to our Belizean people. There has been quite a lot of books written about Garinagus but not by Garinagus. So this is one of the effort to write something about our own people from our own perspectives.”

The book, entitled “Garifuna History, Language and Culture,” should be available at stores nationwide. Cayetano was also involved in the production of a documentary film. Entitled “The Garifuna Journey,” it will be aired on Channel Five this Sunday morning at eight as well as Thursday, Garifuna Settlement Day, at eight in the morning and eight that night.