A new dawn for the Garifuna community

When the Garifuna people settled in Belize, they had to carry their traditions and culture with them; now a new trail is inviting visitors to explore this heritage through local communities  

- Lynn Houghton

"Would you like to try some homemade wine?" asked Pen Cayetano. Tall, gangly and with a fistful of dreads tightly clenched in a ponytail atop his head, the prolific painter and musician proffered a glass with the air of a good host. As introductions to the world of traditional Garifuna music went, this was certainly a more genteel opening gambit than I'd anticipated, particularly from a man credited with the creation of punta rock. Even to this day, the 1980s sounds of his Original Turtle Shell Band still underscore much of Belize's club-music scene.

I accepted the glass and stepped up to the backyard bandstand, where I was faced with an imposing set of tall, African-style drums that reminded me of Cuban congas. They were played in a similar fashion, and after Pen laid out the basic rhythm, I set my wine to one side and followed along.

I'd had a drum kit in my youth, so I relished the opportunity to relive those days. Pen, meanwhile, accompanied himself as he sang a song of freedom and the transfixing power of the sea. I played along but mostly just listened, enthralled by the sounds that came from his hands.

"It was the women who created the punta beat with the rhythm of their kitchen utensils," Pen explained, sketching the origins of a music unique to the Garifuna people. When I thought about the enormous pestles and mortars used locally to pummel plantains into mash, it was easy to see the connection.