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Communicating the Garífuna Culture in Contemporary Church Music

The manner in which a person views the universe originates from her/his culture. If someone were asked of the predominant element found in every culture that has for centuries given people their perspective of the universe, certainly, the answer would be, Religion! The responsibility of generating and preserving the elements of one’s perspective of the universe has rested with religious institutions such as Methodist, Protestant, or Roman Catholic churches or spiritual leaders such as the Buddha. Whether the element is developed through the teaching of the Holy Bible, Catechism, Vedas, or Koran, people in the universe, including the Garifuna-speaking people of Central America, have always felt the need to seek outside themselves the values and guidance by which they live their lives. Music, one of the components for becoming a recipient of the title “ Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity” for outstanding cultural spaces or forms of expression by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is an integral part of the lives of Garinagu (as they call themselves) in Belize. This paper explores the Garifuna songs that are sung in contemporary worship services in the Roman Catholic Church. It also forms the basis for other denominations to creatively seek viable ways of incorporating Garifuna music and culture into worship services.