Andy Palacio & the Garifuna Collective - Watina

In 1635 two ships loaded with slaves from West Africa were shipwrecked off the shores of the Caribbean island now known as St. Vincent. The surviving Africans were welcomed by the local Arawak and Carib Indians, leading to a unique Afro-Amerindian culture and language. These people became known as the Garifuna.

Today few children are learning the Garifuna language, or the songs and oral histories of their culture. One man who is trying to stem that tide is Andy Palacio. Raised in Barranco, Belize, Andy Palacio spoke Garifuna at home and was surrounded by cultural music.

On the February 25th edition of World Spinning, we listened to the recording project, Watina, bringing together a multi-generational "all-star" ensemble. The album was recorded over a 4 month period in an improvised studio inside a thatch-roof cabin by the sea in the village of Hopkins, Belize. Great rhythms, great singing, and a sense of purpose drive the music.