The Garifuna Experience Podcast

Episode 25 - Garifuna Settlement Day Celebration in Belize

• Jose Francisco Avila • Episode 25

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The Trailblazing Legacy of Thomas Vincent Ramos: The Birth of Garifuna Settlement Day

Join host José Francisco Ávila as we trace the incredible historical journey of the Garifuna people—from their forced exile on St. Vincent in 1797 to their resilient settlement across Central America.

This episode delves deep into the significance of Garifuna Settlement Day (November 19th in Belize) and the extraordinary life of civil rights activist Thomas Vincent Ramos. Discover how Ramos, a true visionary, fought for cultural recognition in 1941 to establish what became one of the earliest official Black holidays in the Americas, cementing the Garinagu's contribution to Belize’s national identity. Learn why this annual celebration, featuring the symbolic Yurumein reenactment, is a powerful act of unity, pride, and affirmation.

Resources:

Books by José Francisco Ávila

Soundtrack

HOST: Hello, and welcome to The Garifuna Experience Podcast. I'm your host, José Francisco Ávila. Today, we celebrate Garifuna Settlement Day in Belize.

The Historical Roots of a People

HOST: Every person's identity—their beliefs, their values, their culture—is forged in the fires of history. To truly understand the Garifuna Diaspora, we must first understand the seismic historical events that set it in motion.

It all goes back to the forced deportation of the Garifuna People from St. Vincent and their painful but resilient arrival in Roatán on April 12, 1797. This date, commemorated as Garifuna Settlement Day, marks the beginning of dispersion from Roatán to the mainland of Honduras and along the entire Atlantic coast of Central America, stretching into Belize, Guatemala, and Nicaragua.

And that's why we have multiple, vital dates we celebrate!

Garifuna Settlement Day celebrates the arrival of our ancestors from Honduras to:

  • Guatemala on November 26, 1802.
  • Belize on November 19, 1832.
  • Nicaragua on November 19, 1880.

These celebrations are not just dates on a calendar; they are living history, often including a powerful reenactment of the Garifunas’ arrival—the canoes breaking through the waves, a tribute to our ancestors’ strength.

Belize: The Vision of Thomas Vincent Ramos

HOST: Let's focus on Belize and the incredible story behind the November 19th celebration.

In 1941, a true visionary emerged: Thomas Vincent Ramos. As a leader and spokesman for the Garifuna people, Ramos, alongside Pantaleon Hernandez and Domingo Ventura, approached the colonial Governor of British Honduras. Their request? To establish a Public and Bank Holiday to officially observe the Garifuna arrival in Belize. The Governor agreed, and Carib Disembarkation Day was first celebrated in the Stann Creek District on November 19, 1941, and later spread to the Toledo District in 1943.

This holiday was a moment of deep cultural ambition. Ramos’s powerful words, captured in a 1941 edition of The Belize Independent, reveal the depth of his commitment:

“If a Moses could have led his people from obscurity to the pinnacle of fame and recognition, I am confident that given an opportunity and necessary cooperation, I could with the years of my experience and preparation for this task pull my people from their slumber and the pitfall into which they had sunken through the ages of neglect and lack of intelligent leaders... I could restore them to the chivalry of our forebear and laying down such a solid foundation that generations to follow would be able to build upon it for their own prosperity and advancement.”

That incredible ambition was realized! In 1977, the Garinagu successfully lobbied the Belizean government to change the name to Garifuna Settlement Day, and it became a National Holiday throughout the entire country.

This holiday is more than a simple remembrance; it celebrates the Garinagu's arrival and, crucially, their full incorporation into Belize's social fabric. It symbolizes the official recognition of the Garinagu as a people who have contributed immensely to Belize as a country and to the vibrant, diverse Belizean people.

A Pioneer in Black History

HOST: Thomas Vincent Ramos was a true pioneer. His creation of a recognized holiday for the Garifuna people places him among the earliest founders of official Black holidays in the Americas. When we put his work on a global timeline, the significance is clear:

  • Juneteenth, celebrating the end of slavery in Texas, was first observed in 1866, but only became a U.S. federal holiday in 2021.
  • Negro History Week, founded by Dr. Carter G. Woodson in the U.S., began in February 1926.
  • Carib Disembarkation Day was successfully launched by Ramos on November 19, 1941.

Ramos’s effort was not merely a local celebration; it was a powerful act of cultural affirmation and civil rights activism that put him on the same historical stage as other great leaders of his time. The holiday he created actually predates the formal recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the U.S. (1986) and other significant dates like Black Peoples and Afro-Costa Rican Culture Day in Costa Rica (1980).

This context elevates his work from a national achievement to a continental milestone, solidifying his place as a visionary leader for his people.

Happy Garifuna Settlement Day!

Outro

HOST: And that wraps up another illuminating episode of The Garifuna Experience Podcast.

HOST: Thank you for listening and remember: The future of the Garifuna people is in our hands, and we are driving Power, Prosperity, and Progress. Until next time, stay united, stay proud—Sungubei Lidan Aban Ayo!

HOST: You can find new episodes of The Garifuna Experience every Tuesday. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube, and iHeartRadio or wherever you listen to podcasts. Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review The Garifuna Experience Podcast. Your support helps us share our vital Garifuna experience with more people around the world.

Soundtrack

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José Francisco Ávila

Host