The overarching aim of the Belize Garifuna Song Competition is to take Garifuna music back to the pinnacle of world music recognition that Andy Palacio and The Garifuna Collective had taken it to in 2007.

Specific Objectives of the Competition are:

1. To motivate musicians to produce quality Garifuna music that will be of world music standards.
2. To provide a forum allowing musicians to showcase their Garifuna music and jump-start their careers.
3. To encourage Garifuna musicians to continue producing songs in all genres of Garifuna music, thereby contributing to the library of Garifuna music across many genres.
4. To assist musicians in acquiring the skills and equipment and connecting with professionals in the music industry who will assist in propelling them to the pinnacle of world-class music production.
5. To contribute to cultural tourism by attracting international musical enthusiasts to a competition and related events where music of world-class category is being promoted.

The Competition is open to amateur and professional musicians who submit entries in any one of the following 5 genres (categories): Hungu Hungu, Paranda, Punta, Punta Rock or a mix (combination) of two or more of the aforementioned genres.

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Entries are judged on originality, melody, composition, and lyrics. The lyrics of all songs have to be in the Garifuna Language.

Winners of the 2024 Belize Garifuna Song Competition are:

1. Song of the Year Award: “Libagari Garifuna” by Henry Miguel
2. Budding Artist of the Year Award: “Busentiañ” by Rodney “Bam Bam” Avila

   Listen to this years Songs here
   

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This contest tests the participants’ ability to translate words, phrases, sentences, and proverbs from standard English to Garifuna.

In this Contest, each school is represented by 2 students. Ten primary schools participated in 2024. The participating schools were as follows: St. Joseph R.C. School from Barranco Village; P.G. Methodist School, St. Peter Claver R.C. School, St. Benedict RC School and Bethel Seventh Day Adventist School from Punta Gorda Town; St. Alphonsus RC School from Seine Bight Village; Richard Quinn Primary School from Georgetown Village; Holy Family RC School from Hopkins Village and Sacred Heart Primary School and Gulisi Community Primary School from Dangriga Town. This year’s contest was extremely competitive, with a 3-way tie for second place and a two-way tie for third place.

2024 Primary School Garifuna Translation Contest Winners winners were as follows:

The prizes awarded are as follows:

Prizes for Participants:                    

1^st Prize                        1 Mini Laptop and 1 bicycle

2^nd Prize                       1 Tablet and $100.00 Savings Account

3^rd Prize                       1 Tablet and $75.00 Savings Account

4^th Prize                       1 Tablet and a $50.00 Savings Account

5^th Prize                       1 Tablet and a $25.00 Savings account

Consolation Prizes      $50.00 Savings account

Celia Martinez Award**        Celia Martinez Plaque

Prizes for Participating Schools:

1. $25.00 for each participant that the school provides for the contest
2. $100.00 to the school of the 1^st place winner
3. $75.00 to the school of the 2^nd place winner
4. $50.00 to the school of the 3^rd place winner

We are thankful to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology for providing one bus to each school to attend the event and to the following persons for providing the Laptops, tablets, and bicycles for the prizes: Dean Pollard, Raju’s Variety Store, Herman Flores, Sandra Flores, Richard Cacho, and Garreth Herbie Clarke.

First-place winners of the Primary Schools’ Garifuna Translation Contest for past years are as follows:

This contest is an initiative under the Battle of the Drums Garifuna Language retrieval strategic objective, and it is also an initiative under our Garifuna Language in Schools program led by the Battle of the Drums and the National Garifuna Council.

~End of Release~

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1. St. Joseph R.C. School of Barranco Village
2. St. Peter Claver School of Punta Gorda Town
3. Punta Gorda Methodist School of Punta Gorda Town
4. St. Alphonsus R.C. School of Seine Bight Village
5. Richard Quinn R.C. School of Georgetown Village
6. Holy Family R.C. School of Hopkins Village
7. Holy Ghost R.C. School of Dangriga Town
8. Gulisi Community Primary School of Dangriga Town
9. Sacred Heart R.C. School of Dangriga Town
   

The objectives of the Primary Schools Battle of the Drums are as follows:

• Allow primary school-aged children to compete meaningfully while showcasing their talents
  in the expressive art of Garifuna drumming, singing, and dance.
• Provide a forum for primary school-aged youths from different parts of the country to interact with
  each other while engaging in a positive cultural experience and environment.
• Generate funds that will be re-invested in the Primary Schools Battle of the Drums thereby
  making it self-sustaining.
• Generate funds that will be used to pursue various Garifuna cultural retrieval projects in the
  participating primary schools.
• Provide a talent pool that will provide future participating groups for the High Schools’ Battle of the
  Drums.

The winners of the Primary Schools Battle of the Drums are as follows:

1st Place – Gulisi Community Primary School of Dangriga Town who won $300.00, 1st Place medals, a pair of Garifuna Drum & a trophy valued at 800.00*
2nd Place – St. Alphonsus R. C. School who won $200.00 and 2nd Place medals
3rd Place – Sacred Heart R.C. School who won $150.00 and 3rd Place medals
Other schools obtained consolation prizes of $100.00 each
Best Chumba Performance – Gulisi Community Primary School, who won $50.00

Best Wanaragua Dancer: It was a tie between Rayjaun Lourie of St. Alphonsus R.C. School of Seine Bight Village and Kayden Mejia of Gulisi Community Primary School, who each won $50.00.
Best Sisira Player – Leedan Castillo of Sacred Heart R.C. School, who won $25.00
Holy Family R.C. School won The Best Gayusa award of $50.00

All schools were supported to prepare for and participate in the event by Minister of State Louis Zabaneh, MinisterRodwell Ferguson, Minister of State Dr. Osmond Martinez, The family of Cornelio and Julia Apolonio, and the Battle of the Drums Secretariat

The Primary Schools Battle of the Drums is an activity under the Garifuna drumming, singing and dance strategic objective of the Battle of the Drums Garifuna Cultural Retrieval and Preservation Initiative.,

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For the first time in the 227 years after this atrocious reality, it is commemorated in Peini Punta Gorda Belize, and it was organized by the Battle of the Drums Secretariat. Peini was originally founded by the Garinagu sometime around 1823. The Garifuna Survival Day event was held at the Central Park in Peini and it featured prayers, speeches, and presentations by school children, youth groups, and adults, as well as, by the Peini Garifuna Choir. Musical entertainment was provided by Georgie’s Garifuna Drummers and New Edition Band.

Two songs that were sung by the Peini Garifuna Choir resonated well with the audience; namely, Luagu Ubou Balliceaux whose lyrics reminded us that, “it was on the island of Balliceaux that we sat and we cried” in a state of utter hopelessness and pity after the initial imprisonment of our people, by the British. The second song, Duna Orinagu, encourages our people to seek learning and intelligence. It also reminds us that educational institutions are available for us to seek advancement to ensure that we do not become the lowly of the earth.

At the end of the event the President of the Battle of the Drums, Darius Avila reminded the audience that the reason that the organization spearheaded the event was because “it is aligned to our organization’s strategic goal of pursuing Garifuna Cultural Retrieval and Preservation”. During the event, in line with the organization’s strategic program of providing support to Garifuna groups that are engaged in some aspect of Garifuna preservation, the President presented pledges of financial support to Georgies Garifuna Drummers (a young Garifuna drumming group) in the amount of $800.00 to purchase uniforms, to Peini Garifuna Choir for $800 to purchase uniforms and to the National Garifuna Council-Peini Branch, $1,200 to assist in covering the cost of annual Garifuna Re-enactment Ceremony (Yurumein) and to assist meeting the cost of Garifuna drumming during the 19 th of November festivities, this year.

See Garifuna Survival Day  2024 Activities here: Watch Now

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The launch of the Garifuna Language in Schools Program is a testament to the collaborative endeavors between the National Garifuna Council and the Battle of the Drums Secretariat. By implementing this program in selected communities of Barranco, Punta Gorda, Georgetown, Seine Bight, Hopkins, and Dangriga, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to safeguarding and revitalizing our ancestral language for the benefit of present and future generations.

The event saw distinguished guests, including the Minister of Human Development, Families, and Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Hon. Dolores Balderamos Garcia, who expressed her ministry’s full support for the Garifuna Language in Schools Program. She reaffirmed the indigenous identity of the Garifuna people in Belize and the need to provide support the keep the culture intact. Also in attendance was the Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology, Dr. Hon. Louis Zabaneh. He highlighted the importance of the 2001 UNESCO declaration that recognizes the Garifuna Language, Dance, and Music as a “Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity”, the significance of the Garifuna Language in Schools programs, and its alignment to the macro-competency number 5 of the national curriculum of the Ministry of Education and pledged his support to this vital initiative.

Reflecting on the occasion, the President of the Battle of the Drums, Darius Avila expressed regret that such an initiative wasn’t undertaken earlier but expressed delight that this pivotal moment has finally arrived. He also reminded us that as Garinagu “we have a collective obligation to be engaged in the preservation of our culture”.

President of the National Garifuna Council, Sheena Zuniga, underscored the importance of preserving cultural heritage through the transmission of the ancestral language to future generations. “Our dedication to reclaiming Garifuna as the language of the home is paramount,” stated Zuniga. “We recognize that the survival of our language hinges upon its transmission to our children, and we urge Garifuna parents to embrace this responsibility wholeheartedly.”

See the ceremony in its entirety here: Watch Now

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The Competition is open to amateur and professional musicians who submit entries in any one of the following 5 genres (categories): Hungu Hungu, Paranda, Punta, Punta Rock, or a mix (combination) of two or more of the aforementioned genres. Entries are judged on originality, melody, composition, and lyrics. The lyrics of all songs have to be in the Garifuna Language.

Winners of the 2023 Belize Garifuna Song Competition are:
1. Song of the Year Award: Nuguchi by G-King Castillo
2. Single Genre Song of the Year Award: Gimugau by Desiree Diego
3. Budding Artist of the Year Award: Udieh Wadieh by Terrick “Mackaz” Magdaleno
4. Budding Artist of the Year Award: Lidan Aban Garifuna by Ethan Mariano

Listen to this year’s songs.

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At the end of the Competition, the following winners were declared:
1st Place – Hanigi Wagübürigu from Dangriga Town. They received $1,800.00, pair of drums & a trophy valued at 1,000.00
2nd Place – Liderebugu Familia from Seine Bight Village. They received $1,200.00 sponsored by the Martin Petillo Family Memorial Account
3rd Place – Walangante Georgetown from Georgetown Village. They received $800.00 sponsored by Raju’s Variety Store.

Consolation Prize went to Heretimatiwa Úwara sponsored by, Olive Tate.
Best Chumba Performance – Heretimatiwa Úwara from Belize City – 150.00
Best Wanaragua Dancer – Walangante Georgetown – $100.00 and a plaque sponsored by Lan Barangu luba Garifunaduou.
Most Exciting Sisira Performance – Trizane Thomas from Heretimatiwa Úwara of Dangriga Town – $100

Maura Lopez Award for Best Group Gayusa – shared by Hanigi Wayunagu of Dangriga Town and Liderebugu Familia, from Seine Bight Village. They received $250 each, sponsored by Family of the late Maura Lopez Olivia Palacio Avila Award for Best Uniform –shared by Walangante Georgetown of Georgetown Village and Hanigi Wagübürigu from Dangriga Town. They received $250 each sponsored by the Battle of the Drums Secretariat in honour of the co-founder of the Battle of the Drums, Mrs. Olivia Palacio Avila.

The annual Battle of the Drums festivities are held each year in Peini Punta Gorda, Belize. The festivities showcase various aspects of the Garifuna culture while at the same time creating income generating opportunities for the Battle of the Drums Secretariat so that we can support our Garifuna cultural retrieval and preservation initiative which is pursued under the 3 main pillars:
1. Garifuna Language retrieval and preservation
2. Garifuna Drumming, Singing and Dance retrieval and preservation; and,
3. Garifuna Community support.

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At the end of the Competition, the following winners were declared:
1st Place – Hanigi Wagübürigu from Dangriga
2nd Place – Liderebugu Familia from Seine Bight 
3rd Place – Ecumenical High School from Dangriga

Best Chumba Performance – Heretimatiwa Úwara from Dangriga
Best Wanaragua Dancer – Ecumenical Junior College
Most Exciting Sisira Performance – Ecumenical Junior College from Dangriga
Maura Lopez Award for Best Group Gayusa – shared by Hanigi Wayunagu and Liderebugu FamiliaFrom Seine Bight.

Olivia Palacio Avila Award for Best Uniform –shared by Walangante Huchelo from Honduras and Ecumenical Junior College from Dangriga 

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1. The song of the Year Award went to Elroy “Elstar” Martinez for his song Aba Meme Mutu (The same people)
2. The single Genre Song of the Year Award went to Sheldon Petillo for his song, Namule (My younger brother)
3. Budding Artist of the Year went to Chantal Williams for her song, Panta Wama Lau (Let’s be proud of it)

Song of the Year Winner Elroy “Elstar Martinez”

Single Genre Song of the Year Winner
Sheldon Petillo

Budding Artist of the Year Winner
Chantel Williams

The song entries were judged on originality, melody, composition, and lyrics and each song entry had to be in the Garifuna Language. The judges were Lucio Enriquez, Aurelio Martinez and James Lovell. The Song of the year award won a total of $7,000 in tangible and intangible prizes; while the Single Genre award received $4,400 in tangible and intangible prizes and the Budding Artist award received $3,900 in tangible and intangible prizes. The Judges also recognized Henry Miguel and Rodney “Bam Bam” Avila for their songs in their respective categories. The Belize Garifuna Song Competition is part of the Garifuna cultural retrieval and preservation initiative of the Battle of the Drums Secretariat of Punta Gorda Town. The objectives of the Competition are:

1. To motivate musicians to produce quality Garifuna music that will be of world music standards;
2. To provide a forum that allows musicians to showcase their Garifuna music and possibly jump-start their careers;
3. To encourage Garifuna musicians to continue to produce songs in all genres of Garifuna music, thereby contributing to the library of Garifuna music across many genres;
4. To assist musicians in acquiring the skills and equipment; connecting them with professionals in the music industry and assisting them to secure their intellectual property and market their music;
5. To contribute to cultural tourism by attracting international musical enthusiasts to a competition and related events where the music of the world-class category is being promoted. 

For more information, you can visit www.battleofthedrums.bz.

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