Garifuna Festival
Garifuna people are descendants of the indigenous population of Africa from the Caribbean island of St. Vincent. The British exiled them on the coast of Honduras in the 18th century. From there, they moved to Belize and other neighboring countries. Including, and in Nicaragua.
Living on a relatively isolated coast, the Garifuna people were able to preserve their language and other cultural customs. In their communities, women engaged in agriculture, men engaged in fishing and crafts, and also sold their products along the coast of Central America.
On the nineteenth of November of each year, the Garifuna living in different countries celebrate their national day. And in the village of Orinoco on the Atlantic coast of Nicaragua, in November, the whole "Garifuna Week" takes place. The peak of the festive week falls just on the nineteenth of November. Garinfuna from different cities of Nicaragua and other countries come to Orinoco.
Guests of the Garifuna festival arrive in the village by water. At the pier, guests are greeted by residents of the village.
During the festival, family members living in different places gather. People can be of different ages.
Musicians are also among those who meet.
When there is a break between arriving boats, musicians can rehearse.
Garifuna's girls are very pretty. The photographer gets a lot of pleasure from their photography!
The festival program is quite eventful, although, according to Nicaraguan tradition, not a single event begins at the time indicated in the program. Usually a few hours later. Almost half a day is devoted to baseball.
Baseball in Nicaragua today is the most popular sport. They play – in a variety of places, including on the sports grounds of educational institutions. There is also a professional league, which includes four teams. Big competitions are held in modern stadiums.
In Orinoco, on the day previous to the main day of the Garifuna festival, there was a game of amateur teams. Only women played, and with true excitement, five hours without a break.
Men from the side watched the game.
A group of young people, also enthusiastically, played basketball, in one ring.
In the evening, a large bonfire was lit, in the light of which, basically, the kids actively spent time.
And another tradition – the festival organizers brought and handed out meat, which was immediately cooked on fire.
On the morning of the festival, I was able to photograph several Miss Festival. The status of each of them could not be found, but the girls are pretty.
And these young ladies are ready to become "miss" now!
The morning program of the festival began with a solemn mass, at which women with beautifully dressed children gathered in the church for almost two hours. Men are units.
Priest of the local Catholic Church.
The Catholic Mass is interspersed with prayers and singing to the accompaniment of a local musical group.
In the middle of the festival day, the main activities begin. The flag of the Garifuna people is developing.
Garifuna representative from various regions discussing the festival. The lady is a representative of Creoles, close to the Garifuna nationality, from the Corn Islands.
The activity declared in the program is boat racing. Again – only women, one swim in two boats.
Spectators were sick actively! In 10 minutes, the competition itself ended.
A group of young people continued water activities in front of the assembled public.
Then the parade began. Its main participants were the same people who were previously in the church at the Mass. The procession was led by two girls – the queen of celebration, as well as groups of musicians who actively drummed into different-sized drums. Beautifully dressed children and girls, just the villagers took part.
The end point of the parade is the central square of the village, where a decent scene was mounted overnight – with sound and light, brought to the village on a separate vessel.
Further, all the events of the holiday took place on the stage, which was raised by village officials, representatives of the district and the government. Official performances interspersed with performances by local groups.
Most of them are dancing women and children.
Colorful dresses and erotic movements could be seen on stage.
With the onset of darkness, an evening program began, in which all those gathered at the festival actively participated.
The headliners of the evening program were a musical group who had specially come to the festival from Honduras. The country in which a large number of people of the Garifuna people live.
Presenters encouraged stage performers and spectators.
And women's dance groups were incomparable!
Alcohol, which was significantly present at the evening events of the festival, significantly uplifted the mood of some participants, and even knocked someone down.
In the morning, the inhabitants of the village, with undisguised sadness, escort guests to the return trip. With the hope that all guests will return to Orinoco next year.
And guests tired of the stormy nightly fun have a rest in a boat racing along the waves of the Pearl Lagoon, having been covered with polyethylene from an unexpectedly begun rain.