The Garifuna Collective

An Afro-Caribbean whirlwind from Belize.

The Garifuna make up an ethnic group in the Caribbean coastal area of Belize, Honduras, Guatemala, and Nicaragua, descending in part from indigenous peoples in the Americas and West African slaves. Their music is related both to West African polyrhythm, with it’s question-and-answer vocals and omnipresent percussion, and light Caribbean styles like reggae, zouk, and soca.

Andy Palacio, a “punta rock” star, was the Garifuna community’s most important musician. In 2007 he and the Garifuna Collective made big waves with the remarkable album Wátina. The record (“Best world music album ever”, according to Amazon) put Belize’s music on the map internationally, but also led to a revival among young artists within the Central American country.

That same year Palacio & Garifuna Collective played at Music Meeting. But a year later Palacio died suddenly. Wátina producer Ivan Duran continued the Garifuna Collective project. In 2013 they released the album Ayó (“Goodbye”), and their new record Hamala (“Let him fly”) will come out soon. This record will feature experiments with new rhythms, “organic electronic music”, and dub techniques: it’s packed with Garifuna music for the new generation! In 2020 the group released the single "Black Catbird"

Formation

Chela Torres – vocals, percussion
Mohobub Flores – vocals, percussion
Sheldon Petillo – vocals
Rolando "Chichiman" Sosa - vocals, maracas
Sam Harris – guitar
Al Ovando - guitar
Tyrone Kelly Usher - bass
Denmark Flores – Primero Garifuna drum
Keenan Sabal – Segunda Garifuna drum, dance