Edited by Azizi Powell
This post showcases five videos of the Garifuna Punta dance.
Information about Garinagu people is included in this post along with information about Punta music and selected comments from the discussion threads of some of these videos.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who keep Garifuna culture alive and thanks to all those who are featured in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of these examples on YouTube, and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
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INFORMATION ABOUT GARIFUNAS
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garifuna_people
"The Garifuna... pl. Garinagu in Garifuna) are descendants of West African, Central African, Island Carib, and Arawak people. The British colonial administration used the term Black Carib and Garifuna to distinguish them from Yellow and Red Carib, the Amerindian population that did not intermarry with Africans. Caribs who had not intermarried with Africans are still living in the islands of the Lesser Antilles. These Island Caribs lived throughout the southern Lesser Antilles such as Dominica, St Vincent and Trinidad, supposedly having conquered them from their previous inhabitants, the Igneri.
Today the Garifuna people live primarily in Central America where they speak the Garifuna language. They live along the Caribbean Coast in Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Honduras including the mainland, and on the island of Roatán. There are also Garifunas in Puerto Rico and diaspora communities of Garifuna in the United States, particularly in Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, New Orleans, Houston, Seattle other major cities."...
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INFORMATION ABOUT PUNTA MUSIC
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punta
"Punta is a Garifuna music and dance style performed at celebrations and festive occasions. A dance and music created by the Garifuna people of present day St. Vincent and Dominica.
The best known traditional dance in Honduras, Belize, Guatemala, and parts of Nicaragua is Punta (called banguity), before the arrival of the Garifuna people in Punta Gorda, Roatan, Honduras on April 12 of 1797. The first album record of traditional punta music was released originally on 1955 in Honduras by Stone record, a Belizean record company. Sambunango made famous by Gatos Bravos of Honduras, released in 1987, it's known as the first commercially produced punta music song from Honduras. The most famous song of punta music is Sopa De Caracol made famous by Banda Blanca, The song was originally written be Belizean singer Hernan "Chico" Ramos, and translated into Spanish by Banda Blanca.
Contemporary punta arose in the last thirty years of the twentieth century in Belize, while the earliest notions of the punta dance precede the coming together of the West African tribes and the Amerindian tribes of the Caribbean in the 17th century [1] The diaspora of Garinagu people, commonly called the "Garifuna Nation", dates back to their origins of the amalgamation of West African slaves and the Arawak and Carib Amerindians. Punta is used to reaffirm and express the struggle felt by those of the indigenous population's common heritage through cultural art forms, such as dance and music and to highlight their strong sense of endurance.[2] Besides Belize, punta also has a following in Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Southern Mexico and the United States.
Lyrics may be in Garifuna, Kriol, English or Spanish.[2][3] However, most songs are performed in the indigenous Awarak and Carib-based languages of the Garinagu and are often simply contemporary adaptations of traditional Garifuna songs.[2] Being the most popular dance in Garifuna culture,[1] punta can be performed at wakes, holidays, parties, ancestral celebrations, and other social events.[4] Punta is iconic of Garifuna ethnicity and modernity, and can be seen as a poetic folk art that connects older cultures and rhythms with new sound.[2] Chumba and hunguhungu, circular dances in triple rhythm, are often combined with punta.[1]"
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SHOWCASE EXAMPLES
These examples are given in chronological order according to their publishing dates on YouTube with the oldest dated example given first.
The comments are given in chronological order, except for responses. However, they may not be in consecutive order.
Example #1:Garifuna Dancing, Punta Gorda [Honduras]
cairnsliving Uploaded on Jan 16, 2009
Garifuna Punta dancing show, filmed on the beach in Punta Gorda, Roatan, Honduras. Part of the Adventures on Roatan DVD which can be purchased online at www.roatanvideo.com
-snip-
Selected comments from this video's discussion thread:
Mabuiga, 2010
"wrong history, the GARINAGU were never slaves. the are a a mixture of Carib Indians and Africans from Nigeria. The new race is called the Black Caribs they fought against the British, who won and removed those people from their homeland unto the shores of Central America."
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Ashton Webster, 2010
"according to sourced information, we the Garifuna were slaves in the early endeavors of our historical journey. After a ship reck our people (african ancestors) migrated to St.Vincent. already residing in St. Vincent was the Mixed race of the Arawaks and Caribe. in creating a peaceful environment among the people the of st Vincent, the african men then began to marry the Arawakan, or Caribe, women, mixing the two cultures hence GARIFUNA. she was partially right"
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A Parchue, 2014
"Where did this lady get her info from. First of all Garifuna singular, Garinagu plural, there is no such thing as Garifunas. Our ancestors exiled but never enslaved. Garinagu, please read and research our history, pay attention to the source."
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Example #2: garifuna punta [United States]
sciastee, Uploaded on Mar 14, 2009
garifuna drums-T Lambey video
-snip-
Selected comments from this video's discussion thread:
guayacan07, 2010
[in reply to juliano Barrera's question about whether the dance performed in this video is a traditional African rhythm and if so, where is it from?]
"@julianobarrera son ritmos que se fusionaron en el caribe entre esclavos africanos y caribs de ahi nace la punta, la champeta, el palo de mayo, el john canoe y todos los bailes que se encuentran desde Belice hasta Guyana y Surinam en la costa del caribe.
julian barrier [these] are rhythms that merged in the Caribbean between African slaves and Caribs from there comes the point, champeta, the maypole, the John Canoe and all the dances are from Belize to Guyana and Suriname in the Caribbean coast ."
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Leny Floyd, 2012 [in reply to juliano Barrera's question about whether this is a traditional African rhythm and if so where does it come from]
"@julianobarrera Los garifunas se situaron mas que todo en la costa norte de Honduras, ;) y pues si raices Africanas, en si estos bailes son danzas, tipo cultos, asi com que es una cosa muy sagrada para la raza garifuna (la cual amamos en Honduras) y nosotros el resto de razas en Honduras adoptamos este baile como uno tradicional de todo el pais ;) ellos hablan garifuna y castellano :) cocinan riquicimo y son unas de las etnias que mantienen sus racises y sus contumbres muy araigadas ;)
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English translation:
juliano barrera, most of the Garifuna reside in the northern coast of Honduras; and because of their African roots, whether these dances are traditional African or not, they are very sacred for the Garifuna race (which we love in Honduras) and those of us in Honduras who aren’t Garifuna adopt this traditional dance as one of the whole country;) they speak Castilian Garifuna and cook riquicimo and are one of the ethnic groups in Honduras that strive to maintain their customs and traditions.
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RENE E. SAMAYOA, 2010
"Que interesante y bella es la cultura garifuna, es una lastima que en las escuelas del pais no fomenten ni enseñen estas costumbres africanas que tambien son partes de nuestra cultura porque estan en nuestro mismo pais. Que lindo tenener tradiciones y un antepasado rico en cultura."
-snip-
English translation:
The Garifuna culture is very interesting and beautiful, it is a shame that in the country's schools do not encourage or teach these African customs that are also part of our culture that are in our own country..We have beautiful] traditions and rich cultural heritage from our ancestors.
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Teofilo Colon Jr.
Being Garifuna
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sciastee, 2011
"@IMRANE1425, I thank you for the compliment my video was done in brooklyn ny with my GARIFUNA PEOPLE from Honduras. I have alot more of Garifuna Videos on my page. From Belize also. Just click on the name (sciastee) then go to videos and click see all. Enjoy everyone and Thanks for adding comments. Eventhough i dont understand Spanish Im sure everyone is saying something good. Peace"
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BeingGarifuna, 2013
I believe this is the Garifuna Choir from Our Lady of Mercy Church in Brownsville Brooklyn, with members of Garifuna Musical Group Hechu Garinagu / Libana Maraza. The focus is on the dancers so it's a little tricky. In any event, awesome. Maribati, sciastee!
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Frere Kandevie, 2013
"It sounds like nago spoken in Benin and Nigeria in West africa. I feel like I'm understanding. Blessing for sharing"
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bEASToUTtHEbOX, 2013
"What country is this? Love the old ladies too. And the yout' in the pink had a wicked drop step!!"
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Gipseygurl1, 2013
"Funny how this resembles so much like the Bomba and Plena from Puerto Rico. That is our heritage from Africa. We are all connected by the mother land Africa :)"
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taino20, 2013
in reply to Gipseygurl1
"Not only does it resemble Bomba from Puerto Rico, it also resembles Gwo Ka from the island of Guadaloupe. And they both resemble a dance from West Africa. I agree with you that we are all connected culturally to the motherland, Africa."
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sciastee, 2013
in reply to Gipseygurl1
"Somebody was also telling me a little something about the garifuna culture reminds them about the tainos in Puerto Rico"
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sciastee, 2013
"We are all over Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, St vincent, Nicaragua and Africa"
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Anita V, 2014
"garifuna community is still strong...music, punta, udutu, and other traditions will keep us grounded in all generations"
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Martha C. Ramires (caracas), 2014
"Este es el baile original de punta.. aunque actualmente lo han vulgarizado tanto que no tiene nada que ver con la danza etnica de ese hermoso pais.. Honduras..."
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English translation:
This is the original dance tip .[style]. but currently have popularized [vulgarized] so that has nothing to do with the ethnic dance of this beautiful country .. Honduras ...
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Esmenia Matus, 2015
"The garifunas are from the belizean culture too not only from Honduras love to see how they dance"
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Jennifer Flores, 2015
"What flag are they holding?"
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Antonio Valladares, 2015
"Its our Garifuna flag..."
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Example #3: baile punta la ceiba [Honduras}
Adalberto Meza, Uploaded on Jan 11, 2011
Baile de punta en una comunidad garifuna de la Ceiba el 1 de enero del 2011 a las 8am.
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Example #4: BElize vs hOnduras punta style pt1 [United States]
ROCC_BOTTOMZ, Uploaded on Aug 16, 2009
LInden park N.Y.C.. 8/09 a ROCC_BOTTOMZ INC PRODUCTION.
-snip-
Selected comments from this video's discussion thread:
pipipi pupupu, 2011
"Guatemala, Honduras y Belize truly brothers!"
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OzzieHon88, 2011
"Punta is Punta, doesn't matter where it comes from its awesome! I'm Honduran and I feel punta to be part of me. Plus, Honduran Punta is not that similar to Belizean Punta. I think Honduran Punta has changed to fit the more latin american styles of dance. Punta Rock seems to fit a more Carribean style. The real Punta comes from the Garifuna, not that is pure Punta. Amazing! Long Live Belieze, Honduras, and Guatemala! :D"
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MulataSabrosa, 2013
"who cares what country punta originated from its still garifuna music ...garifunas resides in various countries as we all know but their still ONE etnic group...one love to all garinagus..."
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8AUGROMAN, 2015
"Somewhat similar to some "Igbo Traditional dances" on You-tube."
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Example #5: Baile de Punta - Sambo Creek Honduras ( Fox Prod )
TheFoxpala, Published on Jan 4, 2013
Baile de Punta - Sambo Creek Honduras ( Fox Prod )
Fox Produccion Studio Sambo Creek Atlantida Honduras.
SIGUENOS EN FACEBOOK : http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fox-Pro...
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