Ms. Dami is one of the vocalists on the song Uruwei – The Government, which features on the album Umalali: The Garifuna Women’s Project released by Stonetree records.

Ms. Dami loved to sing and dance and was famous for her conch fritters, and many of our guests enjoyed her delicious hudut at Warasa. Below are the lyrics to this poignant (and ever relevant) song.  You can download it from the Stonetree website or stream it here.

Uruwei – The Government

Anihan uruwei ya aü lahayahayan nege lau le lisien (The Government is here, hiring out of love they say)

Nahayaruba gien bumou (I will get a job)

Nahayaruba, wanwa, luba gudemetina (I will get a job for I am poor)

Haliyoun nibadina baume, Nicho (Where shall I take you, Nicho)

Haliyoun nibadina baume, wanwa (Where shall I take you, my dear)

Haliyoun nibadina beiba wabien (Where shall I take you? You had better go home)

Haliyoun nibadina baume Isawelu (Where shall I take you, Isabel)

Haliyoun nibadina baume wanwa (Where shall I take you, my dear)

Haliyoun nibadina beiba wabien (Where shall I take you?You had better go home)

Haliyoun nibadina baume, nirau (Where shall I take you, my son)

Haliyoun nibadina baume, wanwa (Where shall I take you, my dear)

Haliyoun nibadina beiba wabien (Where shall I take you? You had better go home)

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There is a similar dish called “tapado” that is popular in the Guatemelan Garifuna town of Livingston, which includes more seafood such as shrimp and shellfish.

Below is a typical Belizean recipe for hudut with sere. You can experience this delicious meal if you sign-up for one of our Half- or Whole-Day Packages and take part in a cooking lesson or simply enjoy the meal.

Hudut with Sere

Ingredients (sere)

• 2 medium size fish
• 1/2 onion (sliced)
• 2 plugs garlic (finely chopped)
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil or cooking oil
• 1 1/2 cups coconut milk (fresh or from powder/can)
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon fresh basil
• 5 okra

Directions (sere):

Season the cleaned fish with salt and pepper and set aside

Heat up coconut oil in a pot and sautee onions and garlic with salt and pepper for a few minutes.

Add coconut milk and water

Stir and add fish.

Allow to heat up and keep stirring the coconut milk to stop it curdling, but avoid stirring the fish and breaking it up.

Continue to stir the milk, adding the okra about 5 minutes before the fish is cooked.

Continue to cook until fish and okra are cooked and soup is thickened.

Save some of the gravy to use in the hudut (mashed plantain).

Ingredients (Hudut/mashed plantain):

• 4 green plantains
• 2 ripe plantain
• 8 cups water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup sere

Directions (Hudut/mashed plantain):

1. Peel and cut plantain.
2. Boil green plantain until soft, remove from water, put aside
3. Boil ripe plantain until soft, remove from water, put aside
4. Let plantains cool a little
5. Place all plantain in a mata and beat with mata stick, adding water and sere as required to get the desired consistency
6. Serve with the sere

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Below is a Garifuna story from Honduras first translated into Spanish, and now translated into English by Warasa Garifuna Drum School.

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Garifuna Religious Texts

Throughout history, religious texts have often been the first texts to be translated into local languages.  This is true even in Garifuna it seems, as we have found The Gospel of John from 1897 translated to Garifuna through an online library resource – you can download it below.

Gospel of John in Garifuna

This trend continues to the modern day!  If you are a Jehovah’s Witness, or simply interested in more documents in Garifuna, then the Jehovah’s Witness entire website has also been translated into Garifuna.

Likewise, the Christian new testament is available to download and also to listen to in the Garifuna language.

Garifuna Song Lyrics

The Smithsonian has recorded three dedicated Garifuna albums from the 1950s to the 1980s in Honduras and Belize.  You can download the comprehensive liner notes including history of songs, some lyrics and more below:

• Traditional Music of the Garifuna of Belize
• Dabuyabarugu: Inside the Temple – Sacred Music of the Garifuna of Belize
• The Black Caribs of Honduras

We have also added additional song lyrics acquired elsewhere to the following songs:

• Águyuha Nidúheñu – My People Have Moved On
• Naguya Nei (I am Moving On)
• Malate Isien (Worthless Love)
  
• Lafureidun Aburemei (The Lord’s Prayer)

Other Garifuna Language Resources

• A booklet all about Belize mangroves in English and Garifuna 
• The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Garifuna

As we locate more resources we will add them to this page.

The post Garifuna Language Resources appeared first on Warasa Garifuna Drum School.

Águyuha Nidúheñu – My People Have Moved On

Traditional Hungu Hungu

Águyuha niduheñu (My people have moved on)
Águyuha níbegu nuari (My relatives have moved on from me)
Águyuha niduheñu nuari (My people have moved on from me)
Águyuha níbegu nuari (My relatives have moved on from me)

Anirein Baba hadan aü, laransehaña nege nubara nei (God is with them preparing a place for me)
Nuguya nei gabáradina yagura (As for me, I have a place over yonder)

Renunsiatina yebe luaria ladügüniwa duru (I tried to give up doing wrong)
Renúnsiatina yebe ah luari (I tried to give it up)
Renúnsiatina yebe ah luari (I tried to give it up)
Renúnsiatina yebe luari. (I tried to give up)
Buléiseitáru nanigi (She has hurt my heart)
Nuguya nei labureme duru (I am the guilty one)

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Bundiga or Matilda Foot is a traditional Garifuna food using the usual Garifuna staple ingredients of fish, coconut, and (green) banana.  It is a very rich and filling dish.

There are quite a few recipes for Bundiga to be found online.  Below is a typical Belizean recipe.

Ingredients for Bundiga or Matilda Foot (Serves 4 – 6)

• 1 – 1.5 pounds fresh fish
• 1-2 plugs garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5-6 cups coconut milk
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 medium onion (chopped)
• 2-3 basil leaves or 1/2 teaspoon basil powder
• 4-5 green banana (grated)

Directions:

1. Season cleaned fish with salt and black pepper (cover and put to one side)
2. Prepare coconut milk (from fresh grated coconut or powder)
3. Peel and grate bananas (cover and put to one side)
4. Heat coconut milk until just before boiling point then add garlic, onion & basil, then continue to stir until just before boiling point again
5. Add grated banana one pot spoon at a time
6. Simmer for about 7 minutes while stirring
7. Add fish and continue to simmer for 5-10 minutes or until fish is tender
8. Remove from heat and add additional salt and black pepper to taste

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Sahou Cassava Drink Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 pound cassava or 1⁄4 cup cassava starch
• 1 grated coconut with 2 cups water OR 2 cups coconut milk (made from powder or from a can)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Sugar, honey or other sweetener to your liking

Directions:

1. Grate cassava and add about 2-3 cups of water to grated cassava and strain. Use the strained liquid to make the Sahou
2. Grate coconut and add about 2-3 cups of water and strain (if making your own coconut milk)
3. Add nutmeg, vanilla and cinnamon to a pot with the cassava liquid.
4. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly
5. Add coconut milk and continue to stir until it reaches your desired consistency.
6. Add sugar, honey or other sweetener to your liking.
7. Can be served hot or cold as a drink or as a porridge.  

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This is one of the late, great Paul Nabor’s most iconic songs and a very popular Garifuna song.  It is an example of the paranda style of Garifuna music.  Ronald Raymond McDonald of Warasa used to regularly play this song and others with Nabor and his father’s family group, Umalali, across Belize.  One of the lines says “Lauba la banda habunana (They must have a band at my funeral)”.  Umalali were of course there as Paul Nabor’s favorite group and good friends to play at his funeral after he passed away in October 2014.

Here are the Garifuna lyrics and English translation to this popular Paranda song:

Naguya Nei (I am Moving On)

Nati nuguya merumayatina (Brother, I am ill)
Wanwa nuguya merumayatina (Dear Brother, I am ill)
Balabada naru tura nigabana nay (I have tossed and turned in my bed)
Lau nuragu le hadan hara familia (With this ailment in the presence of my family)
Ayanuhayatina hama namulenu (x2) (I have spoken with my children)
Dame le gia nowen wanwa (Dear Brother when I pass away)
Lauba la banda habunana (They must have a band at my funeral)
Hawagu namulenu naritagua (It is my little ones I’m worried about)
Hawagu nisanigu naritagua (It is my children I’m worried about)

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There are various recordings of the track, and some feature only one or two of the verses.  Likewise in some live performances only one or two of the verses are sung.  Hopefully by documenting more of the known verses we can encourage groups to sing the entire song.

We have included English translation for the Chorus and two of the verses so far.  We will update with the translation of the last two verses when we have it finished – or if any of our Garifuna readers would like to contribute translations, then feel free to comment!

You can purchase this song (sung by Dale Guzman) and more from Stonetree Records, or if you have Spotify access, listen here.

Malate Isien (Worthless Love)

Madayagua harabana luagu tirau noufuri (Sing 2 times) (They have ganged up on my aunt’s daughter)
(Following 3 lines are sung 3 times)
Mabarase ba gia hau, mabarase ba gia hau (Don’t worry about them)
Luagu halugun heiginibu (How they tried to eat you alive)
Laduga heigadi gurigia  (For their love of human flesh)

Chorus (Sing 2 times)
Malati isien ganeiwa ruguti (Love that is bought is worthless)
Michiga ba purisima dan le misien ba (Don’t extend a greeting where you are not loved)
Malati isien ganeiwa ruguti (Love that is bought is worthless)
Malati dan le misien ba  (It is useless when you are not loved)

Gundabadina luni latigirunina mutu luagu niduun aü (sing two times) (I would gladly agree to be hanged for a crime I have committed)
(Repeat following 2 lines x 2 times)
Buguya haruguti buguya hebenene (You are their grandfather you are their godfather)
Buma hafureindera ligia lagarida bun aü (They learned from you now it hurts you)

Chorus (Sing 2 times)
Malati isien ganeiwa ruguti (Love that is bought is worthless)
Michiga ba purisima dan le misien ba (Don’t extend a greeting where you are not loved)
Malati isien ganeiwa ruguti (Love that is bought is worthless)
Malati dan le misien ba  (It is useless when you are not loved)

Au gufuruma badina luni hahuluchunina mutu luagu niduru (sing 2 times)
(Repeat following 3 lines x 2 times)
Amuru haruguti, amuru hebenene
Buma hafurendera iweru
Larigien tagarida bun

Chorus (Sing 2 times)
Malati isien ganeiwa ruguti (Love that is bought is worthless)
Michiga ba purisima dan le misien ba (Don’t extend a greeting where you are not loved)
Malati isien ganeiwa ruguti (Love that is bought is worthless)
Malati dan le misien ba  (It is useless when you are not loved)

Numada rau wau mamada ba ya ubowagu
Tueidugien buguchu luma buguchili
Hagia rugubana bumadagu ubowagu
Ibidie bei mutu le lun bei lagumuchu bau

Chorus (Sing 2 times)
Malati isien ganeiwa ruguti (Love that is bought is worthless)
Michiga ba purisima dan le misien ba (Don’t extend a greeting where you are not loved)
Malati isien ganeiwa ruguti (Love that is bought is worthless)
Malati dan le misien ba  (It is useless when you are not loved)

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Lafureidun Aburemei

Waguchi Bungiu, lidan sun fulasu,
Nubi la barueihan woun
Aduguwa la le babuserum
Lidan mua, lidan sun fulasu. (aguyugua la)
Ru ru, ru ru, ru ru…

Translation:

Our Father, God, present everwhere
May your reign come to us. May your
will be done on earth and every where.

During the song everybody holds hands using their pinky fingers while swaying and bending knees to the beat of the song. At certain points of the song there is a bow and then everybody raises their hands together.

The full Lord’s Prayer in Garifuna is as follows:

Wáguchi Búngiu le siélubei (Our Father, who art in Heaven),
inébewalá bíri (hallowed be Thy name),
Nübinlá bidáani lun barúeijan ya uboúagu (Thy Kingdom come),
Adügüwalá bugúndan (Thy will be done),
uboúagu quei ladügüniwa bugúndan (on earth),
siélu (as it is in heaven).
Rúba fein buídurügütu woun lun wéyu le ugúñebei (Give us this day our daily bread),
Ferúdunabei wuríbati le adüga wamáalibei quei ferúduna wamániña ja adügübaña wuríbati woun (and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us),
Mígira báwa lun wáburujan lídoun wuríbani (and lead us not into temptation),
dísegüdarügü báwa luei (but deliver us from evil),
Ladüga anürü le arúeijabei, amürü le Súntibei Gabáfu, amürü le weírigubei lun sun dan. Ítaralá. (For the kingdom, the power, and the glory, are Yours now and forever. Amen.)

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