On the Garifuna and UDP Tokenism…

“Unfortunately, it seems that the more sophisticated Belizeans become, the more subtle becomes the discrimination.”(Cayetano – 1997)

Imagine walking into the most refined department store on the north side, only to be slapped with one of the most culturally insensitive shrines of capitalistic panic, a Christmas tree! I know, I know. Barrow said we are in recession and that “mawga season” will be all year long rather than the traditional month, but  come on… a Christmas tree…. a Christmas tree… on November 8?

Another shopper, with the sting of its irreverence not lost on her, commented in resignation, “outta mannaz dey used to at least wait till afta nineteenth…”  But that merchant house is not alone; in fact on that day my procession took me down Albert Street near the one-time entrance of the Palace Theatre. While impressed with the stubborn plant hangers still holding on to the roots of a very determined perennial, I was jilted by the commercial mating call of loud Christmas tunes. I mean… “White Christmas/ Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer” songs. Come on.

So how could this happen and no one even raise a brow? Well the answer to that question is as easy as finding potholes on Lizarraga Avenue. How difficult would it have been to hang some black, white and yellow decorations downtown and incorporate a calendar of festivities? Oh I forgot, Z is busy trying not to go to jail and the other councilors are placing bets with Brads on the in-house Ultimate Fighting Matches.

But there is a Ministry of Culture, right? Come on. Have you forgotten that they were so busy fighting over secret contracts and other petty things at NICH, like the color to dye Dianne’s dreads, that Cardona did not even attend last year’s ceremonies in Griga? What an insult! But that Party is a function of its leadership and history. Barrow has been transparent in his disdain for culture and the blackness of our Garinagu. In 2007, when he was leader of the opposition, he was shamelessly absent from the Ceremonies. His priorities were the shopping malls of Miami. Now he only attends because he is mandated to and only to cross off what he must consider a chore in the handbook of UDP tokenism towards the Garinagu. Barrow chancey, he passed over all the Ministers to give it to Penner? Penner … stop play..that is like giving Sedi the Guatemala dispute to fix.

In assessing the responsibility of the state with regards to culture Assad Shoman back-talked by noting that “…culture and history are inextricably interrelated.”  He noted that for much of our colonial history, the role of the state was directed at suppressing our various cultures, fostering antagonism between them and ensuring dominance of the colonial culture. The Uncle Tom, “house-slave” philosophy of the UDP has frequently de-railed significant forward strides which have been earned by the Garinagu acting in alliance and shoulder to shoulder support of the PUP.

The record of Mr. Price and the PUP is well documented. This is so because the People’s United Party is an organization with a rich history – a history of struggle, resistance, adaptation and triumph. On that level of dignity, respect and virtue both entities could identify with each other.

In 1977, the PUP declared Garifuna Settlement Day, a holiday to be celebrated throughout Belize. It was the “All a we da one” project.  Again on December 5, 1981, under the PUP, saw the formation of the National Garifuna Council. Then to date drop, in 1992 the Bill for the now historic National Institute of Culture and History (NICH) which under the stewardship of the PUP nurtured and assisted artists like Andy Palacio to international acclaim.

Ask anyone down here, this Government has invested nothing to retain, preserve and enhance the rich cultural integrity of Griga-lizeans. Most of the institutional infrastructure that was developed for the past ten years has been abandoned and left to collapse. One Griga-lizean made a damning observation, “Just check fi yuh self how many band, new artist or production come out inna the past year. We still di run pan di fumes of the Ivan Duran projects.(Transelation from Garifuna to Creole)”

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