From left, Lou Ramos, Eudy Perez, Luz Soliz, Sara Mumez, Mejia, Cristian Guity and Hon. Rondy Mc Intosh, consul basic of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to the USA of America.
Photograph courtesy Jose Avila
Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson on Thursday joined with the Bronx-based Garifuna Coalition USA in internet hosting the sixteenth Annual Garifuna Heritage Month celebration on the historic Bronx County Constructing’s Rotunda.
José Francisco Ávila, chairperson of the Board of Administrators of the Garifuna Coalition USA, instructed Caribbean Life on Sunday that, throughout the ceremony, Gibson issued a proclamation proclaiming March 11-April 12 as Garifuna-American Heritage Month.
Ávila mentioned the proclamation was in observance of the 227th anniversary of “the forcible displacement of the Garifuna folks by the British from their ancestral homeland of St. Vincent ‘Yurumein,’ (presently generally known as St. Vincent and the Grenadines) to Central America in 1797.”
Gibson mentioned that, since 2008, the Bronx has been “proud to have fun the heritage, tradition and custom of the folks of Garifuna descent.
“With a previous that reaches again to the early seventeenth century on the island of St. Vincent, then later within the nations of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, their historical past has remained intact, and over 100,000 residents now name the Bronx their dwelling,” she mentioned.
“It has been my honor to host Garifuna Heritage Month celebrations since my time within the New York Metropolis Council and to now proceed the custom as Bronx Borough President,” Gibson added.
Ávila mentioned that, in 2014, then-Councilmember Gibson was the primary to subject a proclamation in recognition of Garifuna-Heritage Month within the Metropolis Council.
Through the ceremony, Ávila mentioned Gibson honored Lou Ramos; Eudy Perez; Luz Soliz; Sara Nunez-Mejia, who served as Mistress of Ceremonies; Cristian Guity; and Rondy McIntosh, Consul Normal of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to the USA America.
The night included performances by the Wabafu Garifuna Dance Theater and Robert Martinez DJ Stylistics.
McIntosh instructed Caribbean Life that the occasion was “an important dedication to assist our Garifuna descendants of their quest to reclaim the true historical past of the journey of the Garinagu folks, who originated from Yurumein (St. Vincent and the Grenadines).”
“The ambiance was festive, the proud descendants of the Garinagu ancestors had been adorned with their cultural put on and equipment, the musicians drummed up the pulsating rhythm of the Garifuna soul-music, and the satisfaction and pleasure of the attendees related with my spirit, as I used to be elated to listen to the Garifuna language being spoken and the way they embrace their world heritage tradition,” he mentioned.
“The Garifuna story have to be echoed within the 4 corners of the earth to spotlight the genocidal act meted out to our ancestors in 1797 by the merciless and heartless British colonizers,” the consul basic added. “This story should type one of many pillars in our quest for reparatory justice, as we search to right this historic fallacious.”
To strengthen what he described as “the fractured ties” between the Garinagu ancestors within the Diaspora and the folks dwelling in Yurumein (St. Vincent and the Grenadines), McIntosh disclosed that he will probably be main a delegation of Garinagu descendants on their annual Garifuna Heritage Proper of Passage and Pilgrimage to St. Vincent and the Grenadines to mark the Nationwide Heroes Day celebrations and the 227 years of exile from Yurumein at Balliceaux, a rocky, uninhabited island within the St. Vincent Grenadines.
On this pilgrimage, he and his contingent had been anticipated to take part in a ceremony on the Obelisk in Dorsetshire Hill, overlooking capital Kingstown, on Thursday.
On that very same day, McIntosh mentioned the delegation will be a part of celebrations in Sandy Bay, Fancy and Greiggs on mainland St. Vincent.
On Friday, the delegation to go to Balliceaux, the baren island, the place about 5,000 Garinagu had been banished by the British and left to die earlier than about 2200 survivors had been loaded on 10 ships and dropped off on Roatan Island, off Honduras.
On Saturday, the delegation was tentatively scheduled to host delegates at a cocktail reception at Prime Minister Dr. Ralph E. Gonsalves’ residence in Outdated Montrose, Kingstown.
“Once more, I say the Garifuna story is our story, and we should embrace them with open hearts and arms,” McIntosh mentioned.
