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Escaping to Belize to devote ourselves to the drum

We’ll let the Lebeha Drummers drum us out of our week with the Garifuna….

In case this morning you woke up thinking, “I desperately need to escape my humdrum life, run away to Honduras or Belize and learn Garifuna drumming,” be assured that the Lebeha Drummers will gladly welcome youto their drumming center on the Caribbean coast. If you’re not leaving today at least you can take your kids to an All Around This World music class and drum drum along to “Our Story May Be Sad.”

Umalali making glorious Garifuna music

Make it happen, Umalali…!

One of the most inspiring concerts I’ve seen in recent years was a stunning show by Umalali: The Garifuna Women’s Project as part of Crossroads Music – Philadelphia at Calvary Center for Culture and Community. The ensemble is the result of a collaboration between  Belizean musician and producer, Ivan Duran, who spent over a decade collecting Garifuna women’s songs and stories, and Garifuna female performers who bring hundreds of years of Garifuna history onto stage when they perform. Asumming you’re not going to be in Belize or Honduras any time soon…if Umalali is so kind to play a concert near you, BE THERE.

We meet Andy Palacio and The Garifuna Collective

We start our week of Garifuna music with the best of the best — Andy Palacio.

This week in class we introduce ourselves to the Garifuna people of Central America, specifically of Belize and Honduras. The Garifuna are a distinct Afro-Caribbean group that originated in 1635 when a boat carrying African slaves shipwrecked off of the Caribbean island of St. Vincent. The survivors integrated into the Carib population and developed their own West African/Caribbean language and culture. Within two centuries the Garifuna had settled in several locations along the Central American coastline yet, unlike many cultures, maintained their own communities and never fully integrated into the Spanish-influenced mainstream. In this video meet the deeply-missed Andy Palacio of The Garifuna Collective, whose “Watina” helped bring Garifuna music to the international stage.

More Garifuna music — Garifuna Soul!

We know you’ll love Aurelio Martinez….

This week in class we celebrate music from Honduras and Belize, particularly the sounds of the Garifuna. The Garifuna are a distinct Afro-Caribbean group that originated in 1635 when a boat carrying African slaves shipwrecked off of the Caribbean island of St. Vincent. The survivors integrated into the Carib population and developed their own West African/Caribbean language and culture. Within two centuries the Garifuna had settled in several locations along the Central American coastline yet, unlike many cultures, maintained their own communities and never fully integrated into the Spanish-influenced mainstream. To get into the groove, les enjoy this video of Aurelio Martinez and Garifuna Soul performing in Belize City Belize.

BEHIND THE SCENES — Garifuna educator James Lovell

Thinking kind thoughts today about James Lovell, Garifuna culture-bearer and friend of All Around This World, who honored us by recording “Our Story May Be Sad,” a song in Garifuna, for All Around This World Latin America.

James Lovell grew up Belize celebrating the history, culture and talents of his Garifuna people, and has devoted his professional life to promoting and protecting Garifua culture. Hear the song — it’s great…thanks James! Meet James on Facebook or at his website, https://www.jameslovell.net.