In 1665 two ships full of Africans who were to become slaves in British colonies in the Caribbean sank near the island of San Vicente. The would-be slaves swam to island freedom and soon intermixed with local Arawak tribes to form a new society known as the Black Caribes or Garifunas. It was our privilege during our short stay on the island of Roatan, Honduras, to visit a Garifuna village, watch a couple of traditional dances, and learn a little about their way of life.
In the 1760s, the ever-expanding British colonization of the Caribbean came into conflict with the by then large and prosperous Garifunas settlements resulting in a 32 year open war. In battle, the men would often wear women’s clothing, convincing their enemies to relax and drop their guard before springing upon them with surprising ferocity. They continue this tradition in their dances today. You’ll see the men dancing in brightly colored women’s dresses with masks, shells, and streamers like the one in the photo above:
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