Dangriga is a scrubby town in the south of Belize. It was settled before 1832 by Garifuna (Black Caribs, as they were known to the British) from Honduras. For years it was the second largest population centre in the country behind Belize City, but in recent years has been surpassed by 3 other towns. Since the early 1980s GarÃfuna culture has undergone a revival, as part of which the town's name was changed Dangriga, a GarÃfuna word meaning "standing waters" - it had previously been called Stann Creek Town. It is a poor undeveloped area, with few paved roads.
I was not convinced that the Garifuna were any different from the millions of other black slaves that had been shipped to the Carribean by the Europeans. They seem a similar group to the Maroons from Jamaica who were shipped back from the Carribean to first Canada, then Sierra Leone. Basically the British did not like bands of freed slaves to be at loose in their colonies and from time to time attempted to solve the problem by forceably removing said peoples and settling them far away
Anyway once translocated to Honduras and Belize, the Garifuna from St Vincent have maintained their own separate identity. We were taken to the Garifuna Museum, a feat that was not without its inconveniences as we were plonked on the town park for 45 minutes whist waiting for our turn to enter the small museum. The museum itself was laid out to explain, or try to explain, the story of the Garifuna. The local guide had some fairly far fetched theories on how his ancestors reached the Carribean
We had lunch in the local Pelican Hotel, probably the best hotel in town, but I do not think that I would have wantd to stay there for much time. Silversea's idea was that we could swim there, but the beach was nondescript and none of our ship's company was tempted to swim.
Click on any of the thumbnails to get a bigger version of the picture
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