Narration, Navigation & Negotiation
Summary
The Belizean Garinagu are an ethnic group developed out of a rich cultural matrix merging African, European and Amerindian influences. Contemporary pressures of globalisation combined with historical structures of subjugation now create an environment many Garinagu believe to be detrimental to the continuation of their culture. This thesis is concerned with the way in which members of the Garifuna community in Dangriga narrate, navigate and negotiate their ethnic identity within the context of globalisation. By balancing identification and representation between Amerindian and African ‘roots’, the Garinagu are creatively (re)constructing history and heritage as they negotiate a place for themselves within the Belizean multi-ethnic society. The experiences of the Garifuna community in Belize emphasize the multiplicity and relationality of ethnic identification, and reveal the importance of place and geography as the Garinagu are navigating through Dangriga’s fragmented landscape.