Andy Palacio Talks About Garifuna Culture

World music enthusiasts around the globe are mourning the unexpected death of Andy Palacio, Belizean musician and leader of the international movement to preserve Garifuna language and culture. The Garifuna are a hybrid culture descended from African and indigenous Caribbean ancestors. Palacio's latest album Wátina ("I called out") released in 2007, propelled him to the international stage and sparked a cultural revival in his home nation of Belize. In November 2007 I had the honor to meet "Andy P", as he is affectionately known in Belize, and travel the country's Garifuna coast with him and his band, camcorder in hand. The trip was a homecoming for Andy following a whirlwind international tour in which he won the prestigious WOMEX award and the UNESCO Artist for Peace award. The trip also happened to coincide with the annual Garifuna Settlement Day celebrations in Belize, where Andy was the headliner and received a hometown hero's welcome.

Channel: Music
Uploaded: November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am
Author: susannehackett

Length: 03:36
Rating: 5.00
Views: 4448

Tags: Andy  Belize  Cumbancha  Day  Garifuna  Palacio  Settlement  Stonetree  

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