Garifuna Council Announces 2026 Calendar of Events

The National Garifuna Council’s San Pedro branch has released its 2026 calendar of events, featuring cultural activities and community competitions ahead of Garifuna Settlement Day on November 19th. This year’s celebrations will be held under the theme “Uaraguni, Anichigu, Awanseruni, Wani Aunegu. Unity, Culture, Progress; The Future Is Ours.”
Activities include drumming at various locations across the island, Cultural Sundays at Boca del Rio Park, dominoes competitions, a fishing competition, and Garifuna Awareness Day. One of the first events was a Garifuna fashion show on October 16th.
The calendar aims to raise awareness of Garifuna culture and encourage more people, particularly younger generations, to help keep its traditions alive. Speaking on October 13th, Gene Lopez, a member of the council’s San Pedro branch, explained that the activities offer more than entertainment. They provide opportunities to learn about cultural practices and their meaning through direct participation.
The branch also hopes to present traditions accurately, preserving their purpose and significance.
The fashion show will address concerns about how Garifuna clothing has been presented in past years. Lopez explained that different garments serve specific purposes, including everyday wear, work, and ceremonies. Certain colors also hold ancestral significance. The event will showcase these styles and explain when and why people wear them.
Lopez described cultural identity as something passed down through upbringing and community life, noting that people from mixed backgrounds may identify with Garifuna culture and continue its traditions. “What we want to do, for the culture to carry on without the whitewash, we need to present it properly,” Lopez said.
His message to the island community is to attend with a willingness to learn. “Come out, support, learn, participate in the different events, and understand the true nature, rather than listening to gossip.” He encouraged residents to deepen their understanding of Garifuna culture and the Garinagu people through participation rather than assumptions or secondhand accounts.
Garifuna Settlement Day honors the Garinagu’s arrival in Belize and celebrates their contributions to the country’s cultural heritage.
As November 19th approaches, the San Pedro branch hopes the activities will strengthen community participation and support the continuation of Garifuna traditions. Residents can get involved through music, fashion, cultural gatherings, and competitions.
For Lopez, engaging younger generations is central to ensuring these traditions remain understood and practiced beyond the annual celebrations.