Lan Barangu Luban Garifunaduaü Garifuna Resource Center (Barranco House of Culture)
Barranco House of Culture, Barranco Village, Toledo District, Belize © Alberita Frances Enriquez & Barranco House of Culture
Lan Barangu Luban Garifunaduaü (Barranco House of Culture) is a Garifuna Resource Center. It is located in the small village of Barranco, in the Toledo District of Belize.
The History
The Resource Center was established on November 15, 2005. Its purpose is to showcase elements of the Garifuna Culture of the Barranco Village and other Garinagu in the Garifuna Nation within Belize and abroad. This facility is the longest standing House of Culture in the Toledo District.
The lot the house was built on originally belonged to my grandparents, Mr and Mrs Joseph Pollard Palacio. It was passed down to them by my great grandparents. This in itself holds great historical information as the first known recorded birth in the village in 1862 is that of Mariai Loreta Palacio, who also came from my family. According to history, the specific area where the facility is situated is immediately next to the lot settled by Loreta Palacio's grandfather, Francisco Palacio. Families in the village used to live within close proximity to each other (personal communication, Dr Joseph Palacio, June 20, 2012).
Our Mission
The establishment of the facility was initially to aid the preservation of Garifuna Culture and to ensure that the village residents of Barranco (children, youth and adults) understand their history, culture and identity. Ultimately, our goal is to educate others.
Exhibit at the Barranco House of Culture © Alberita Frances Enriquez & Barranco House of Culture
What challenges do we face?
Barranco is a predominantly Garifuna community, the only one in the Toledo District, hence the importance of preserving it through cultural tourism. Moreover, UNESCO declared Garifuna culture, music and language an intangible heritage of humanity which should be preserved, and this practise should be adhered to all over the country of Belize.
We marked the 150th anniversary of the establishment of Barranco in the year 2012. The village of Barranco and its rich heritage is in danger of disappearing as the youth keep moving out in search of a 'better life'. To slowly reverse this issue, we need to help the village residents to find opportunities within their community, besides providing a tour of cultural paraphernalia. Ever since its inception, Lan Barangu Luban Garifunaduaü has engaged in projects with the school children to connect with their heritage. We have organized essay writing contest on the history of the village, a display of cultural foods and medicinal herbs at district science fairs, Garifuna pageants and language quizzes, writing of labels for implements and the making of traditional Garifuna art and craft in the school. Support has also been given for the celebration of Mothers' and Fathers' Days as well as birthdays of oldest male and female and other senior citizens.
There are plans to continue these projects and others involving our community and other neighboring cultural tourism efforts, given the necessary support. These activities and many others can lay the groundwork for successful cultural tourism businesses in Barranco.
Exhibit at the Barranco House of Culture, inspiring the safeguarding of Garifuna culture in Belize © Alberita Frances Enriquez & Barranco House of Culture
What can visitors see in the Museum of Barranco House of Culture?
Visitors and students from within Belize and abroad can learn about the history and culture of the village residents. They can view samples of clothing, implements for fishing, farming, home use, travel, language and music that were (and are still) used by the Garifuna people. There are also photographs of spiritual practices and food processing done by the village residents.
Garifuna clothing exhibit at the Barranco House of Culture © Alberita Frances Enriquez & Barranco House of Culture
Implements for fishing. Exhibit at the Barranco House of Culture © Alberita Frances Enriquez & Barranco House of Culture
The latest addition to the facility is a small traditional Garifuna house built from cabbage palm stick sidings and a thatch roof. Inside this house is a traditional fire-hearth, all made from clay. There are also other implements in the traditional home.
Cassava Processing. Exhibit at the Barranco House of Culture © Alberita Frances Enriquez & Barranco House of Culture
Vision for the future
Another addition to the Barranco House of Culture will be a room fitted as a gift shop. Small souvenirs made by artisans, youth and school children of the village will be on sale. There are plans to offer cultural foods to visitors upon request and to conduct sessions of food preparation. Visitors will also be able to play cultural musical instruments (drums, maracas, guitar). Activities will include learning to dance to cultural music and viewing videos of various cultural activities all at a reasonable cost.
Lan Barangu Luban Garifunaduau is home to a group named Layunrahoun Barangu (Upliftment of Barranco). This group was established in July 2013 and supported by a project called "Promoting Sustainable Natural Resource-Based Livelihoods in Belize". Through this project, Lan Barangu Luban Garifunaduau acquired a remarkable enhancement, a business plan and a twenty seater outboard motorboat that can ferry visitors to and from Barranco. The group members would then be expected to entertain visitors, including a tour of the House of Culture.
The Garifuna Journey to Belize Exhibit at the Barranco House of Culture © Alberita Frances Enriquez & Barranco House of Culture
Contact
The Lan Barangu Luban Garifunaduau is also a member of the Belize Association of Museums supported by The National Institute of Culture and History (NICH).
If you are interested in visiting our House of Culture, you can contact us at alberitaenriquez@gmail.com. You can also message Dr Alberita Enriquez on WhatsApp: +501 632-2488 and phone +501 722-2082 or call Irma Gonzalez, the museum caretaker on +501 639-9431.
Written by Dr Alberita Enriquez
Alberita Frances Enriquez, also known as Rita Enriquez, was born in Punta Gorda Town. She spent many glorious school holidays in the Garifuna Village of Barranco where her mother Olivia Avila Palacio is from. She attended primary and secondary schools in Punta Gorda and became a primary school teacher there in 1967. Dr Alberita acquired an associate in primary education in 1973 from the Belize Teachers' College. Since then she has been assistant teacher, vice-principal of Belmopan Junior School and later principal of Belmopan Upper School for eleven years. During that time, Alberita acquired a Bachelor's in primary education. In 2003, she became principal of Garden City Primary School in Belmopan. During her tenure at Belmopan Upper School, Alberita acquired a Master's in Educational Leadership with a cognate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from the University of North Florida. She became an instructor at the University of Belize, Faculty of Education and Arts in 2006. It was during that time that she undertook doctoral studies with Nova Southeastern University acquired through blended modality, and specializing in Higher Education and Organizational Leadership in 2013. Alberita Enriquez is founder of Lan Barangu Luban Garifunaduau (Barranco House of Culture) and co-founder of Kaina Online High School of Belize.