Punta Gorda - Belize - 11 November 2011
The Battle of the Drums returns to Punta Gorda in November. This highly successful competition and show always takes place on the Saturday before Garifuna Settlement Day on Nov 19th so this year's event will be on the 12th. For those who are not familiar with this event, the Battle of the Drums is a drumming competition and show that allows groups to compete and display their musical artistry by playing five (5) different categories of Garifuna drumming. The first Battle of the Drums was held in Punta Gorda Town on November 17, 2006 and was well received by spectators from home and abroad. In 2007, there was even a bigger audience and greater enthusiasm. In 2008 the event evolved into an international drumming competition and show involving drumming groups from various parts of Belize as well as from neighbouring Guatemala and Honduras.
This competition and show has become a major local and tourist attraction. The proceeds from the Battle of the Drums Initiative are strictly used to pursue various Garifuna cultural retrieval projects in Punta Gorda Town and other Garifuna communities as the funds allow. The cultural retrieval projects include
annual Battle of the Drums summer camps for children and youths ages 5 to 16 years, Garifuna Drumming in Schools program for primary school age children, Annual Primary Schools Garifuna Translation contest, among others.
The groups performing at this year's Battle of the Drums are: Ugundani Dance Group from Belize City, Wageirale Drummers from Dangriga, Lebeha Drummers from Hopkins, Lumalali Beidi of Seine Bight village, Hamalali Esanigu Dance Group from Georgetown village, Mario & The Umalali Group of Punta Gorda Town, Iseri Laruga from Livingston Guatemala and Grupo Juchelo from Baja Mar, Honduras. This promises to be a fabulous year with so much talent participating. Check out the Howler's Calendar of Events (Page 3) for a full schedule of November events with dates, times and venues.
For more information contact Rob Hirons at rob [at] thelodgeatbigfalls.com , visit http://www.thelodgeatbigfalls.com or call: 621-0140.