Happy 62nd Birthday Andy Palacio!!
Legendary Belizean artist Andy Palacio would have celebrated his sixty-second birthday tomorrow, December second. The UNESCO Artist for Peace passed away fourteen years ago, but his legacy in Garifuna music lives on. Earlier today, we spoke with Sebastian Cayetano and Pearl Miranda about the annual commemoration of Andy P’s birthday.
Sebastian Cayetano
Sebastian Cayetano, Proprietor, Luba Garifuna Cultural Museum
“Andy Palacio is from Barranco Village. He was born in Barranco on December 2nd, 1960. So tomorrow would be his sixty-second birthday and, like good luck, Boledo played twenty-six last night.”
Isani Cayetano
“What is, perhaps for people who don’t know the legacy, the musical contributions and perhaps the cultural contributions of Andy Palacio, what does this mean for Belize and the Garifuna community?”
Sebastian Cayetano
“This means a lot because Andy Palacio with Paul Nabor and eventually Aurelio Martinez from Honduras really took Garifuna to its pinnacle in the hey day of Andy Palacio. Regrettably, he died a little too soon, too early. In 2008, Andy Palacio achieved the Artist of Peace Awards for Central America and the Caribbean. That was such a great honor for us all, you know. But sadly, he died three months later, January 19th, 2008. But since then, Andy Palacio left us a great legacy and he begged us to cherish and to promote and continue this legacy to live on. The Garifuna culture, music, dance, etc.”
Pearl Miranda
Pearl Miranda, Relative of Andy Palacio
“I’ll be having drumming, live drumming at my house today, in memory of my cousin Andy Palacio. And tomorrow I’ll be heading to Barranco Village where we laid his body to rest.”
Isani Cayetano
“Talk to us about your relationship that you had with Andy Palacio and perhaps how his legacy perhaps lives on through what you’re doing to promote Garifuna culture.”
Pearl Miranda
“Well, first of all he was my cousin and we were very close, and I think it’s right for us to continue celebrating his life and I was the person that started doing this for him.”
Isani Cayetano
“What are we doing tomorrow to commemorate his birthday?”
Sebastian Cayetano
“Tomorrow, we are having a mass of tribute at St. Martin’s de Porres Church at six p.m. to honor Andy Palacio on his sixty-second birthday. All Belizeans are invited, all Garinagu, non-Garinagu, everyone is invited to this mass tomorrow at six p.m. at St. Martin’s Church. The Garifuna Choir will also be there to lead the singing.”
