Traveling Garifuna Lands: Language, Folklore, Food, and Music
This course will transport you virtually through the lands and cultures of the Garifuna (Garinagu) people in the months of December and January. The Garifuna people are descendants of an Afro-indigenous population from the Caribbean Island of St Vincent who was exiled to the Honduran coast in the eighteenth century and subsequently moved to Belize, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, and the United States.
Garifuna mainly live on the coast but are also very present in towns and villages in Central America. In the United States, they can be located throughout the country but primarily in large urban cities. In this course, we will travel like nomads to the Caribbean islands of St Vincent, then to the Central American countries, and back to the United States, where there are over 100.000 Garifuna people.
Throughout our travels, we will learn about how Garifuna people prepare and celebrate the turning of a new year. What folkloric and cultural musical genres have been adopted and embraced at the end of the year? What performative styles, traditions, and food are used to transition into a new year? This course will help you understand the survival and resistance culture of the Garifuna (Garinagu) people.
Course Prerequisite
- Student must be first-generation low-income, preferably Opportunity Scholars with Gamecock Guarantee credentials or McNair Scholars.
- Must attend Preparatory Workshops in the fall 2024.
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Describe the key historical events and cultural factors that shaped the Garifuna people.
- Analyze the adaptations and challenges faced by Garifuna nomadic communities.
- Explain key elements of Garifuna language, folklore, and culinary traditions.
- Engage in experiences that foster an appreciation of Garifuna culture and traditions.
- Analyze the variations in Garifuna culture across different diasporic communities.
- Explore the specific regions in St. Vincent, Honduras, Belize, and the United States with significant Garifuna populations.
- Explain the cultural significance of the new year for the Garifuna people.
- Explain key aesthetic elements of Garifuna music and dance traditions.
- Explain the variations in Garifuna music, dance, and spiritual cultures across different diasporic communities.