Happy Garifuna Heritage Month 2023! Never Forget!
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By José Francisco Ávila
Welcome to the fifteenth edition of Garifuna Heritage Month, in commemoration of the 226th Anniversary of the Forcible Deportation of the Garifuna People from their Ancestral Homeland St Vincent “Yurumein”, (presently known as St. Vincent and the Grenadines), and their settlement in Central America in 1797. Never forget!
Each year since 2008, Garifunas in New York observe Garifuna Heritage Month from March 11 to April 12. On Tuesday, Mach 14, 2023, Garifuna Coalition USA, Inc., will sponsor the twelfth Annual Garifuna-American Delegation to the New York State Capitol in Albany, NY, to attend the twelfth Annual Garifuna-American Legislative Day in Albany.
The Delegation will attend the New York State Assembly and New York State Senate, where New York State Assemblymember Karines Reyes, and state Senator Luis R. Sepúlveda, will introduce the Resolution Memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to declare March 11, 2023, to April 12, 2023, as Garifuna-American Heritage Month in the State of New York.
Garifuna Heritage Month Promote greater knowledge of and interest for the heritage, culture, and contribution of Garifuna people to the development of society. It raises awareness and promotes greater appreciation of Garifuna history and traditions.
The Garifunas are a culturally differentiated Afro-indigenous people, a mixture between Kalinago and Arawak women, and African men, whose ancestors successfully resisted slavery.
Today, New York City is proud to be home to the largest Garifuna population outside of Central America with more than 250,000 living in the South Bronx, Brownsville and East New York in Brooklyn, and the Village of Harlem.
The day of March 11 is significant because on March 11, 1797, 2,248 Garifuna Ancestors embarked as One People, on a convoy of ten British ships, on a 1,684 miles, forced voyage across the Caribbean Ocean. The voyage lasted 33 days and 33 nights, 222 Ancestors perished during the journey. 2,026 ancestors land at Roatan on April 12, 1797. From there they dispersed throughout the North Coast of Honduras, Belize, Guatemala and Nicaragua Never Forget!
March 14 commemorates the 228th anniversary of the death of Right Excellent Joseph Chatoyer Paramount Garifuna Chief in 1795.
March 25 commemorates the 33rd Anniversary of the tragic date, someone set fire to the Happy Land Social Club and committed the most horrific murder in New York City until 9/11. Seventy four of the 87 victims were Hondurans; more than 70 percent of the Honduran victims were also of Garifuna descent.
April 11 commemorates the 7th Anniversary of death of Céleo Alvarez Casildo, a Garifuna human and civil rights activist.
Furthermore, over sixty Garifuna people died at the peak of the coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak in April 2020.
The month concludes on April 12 in commemoration of the 226th anniversary of the Garifuna Arrival and Settlement to Central America. On April 12, 1797, two thousand twenty-six (2,026) Garifunas disembarked from the British ships, on the island of Roatan, Honduras.
After their settlement, they founded the village of Punta Gorda, the first Garifuna community established in Central America. 1,465 crossed over to the Honduras mainland, which had been colonized by the Spanish and settled in Trujillo. From there they dispersed along the Atlantic coasts of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
Through the process of migration, Garifuna People have settled in various USA cities. Today, New York City is home to the largest Garifuna population outside of Central America with an estimated 250,000 living in the South Bronx, Brownsville and East New York in Brooklyn, and Harlem.
Garifuna Heritage Month provides an opportunity to celebrate and recognize the significance of Garifuna’s contributions to the quality and character of life of New York City and New York State. Through many events and activities throughout the month, people gain a greater appreciation of Garifuna history and traditions, and of the role Garifuna-Americans have played, and will continue to play, in New York’s society.
Happy Garifuna Heritage Month 2023! Never forget!
