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Episode Description

Celebrate International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples with host José Francisco Ávila as we journey into the powerful and persistent world of the Garifuna people. Far more than a historical footnote, the Garifuna are a vibrant Afro-Indigenous treasure and a testament to resilience, born from the unique union of shipwrecked enslaved Africans, Arawaks, and Kalinago in St. Vincent (Yurumein).

This episode uncovers:

• The Epic Saga: Learn about the tragic Carib Wars against the British, the forced exile of 2,248 Garifuna ancestors, and their eventual migration to Central America, forming communities in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
• The Land Rights Battle: Explore the critical fight for Indigenous Status and collective ancestral land rights, and the role of international treaties like ILO Convention 169. We detail the ongoing challenges faced by organizations like OFRANEH in Honduras and the pursuit of rights in Belize.
• A Culture of Survival: Discover how their deep roots—from the use of cassava (ereba) to their Amerindian Arawakan language—remain central to their identity and cultural survival in the face of modern-day threats.

Don't miss this essential look at how the Garifuna people continue to drive Power, Prosperity, and Progress while defending their heritage as a truly indigenous and African-descendant people.

 Resources:

• Subscribe on your favorite podcast app
• Apple Podcasts 
• Spotify
• iHeartRadio
• Subscribe to our newsletter 
• The Garifuna Experience Podcast YouTube
• The Garífuna Experience in NYC | Bronx walking tour
• The Garifuna Experience in NYC 
• The Happy Land Memorial Walking Tour 
• Garifuna Heritage Walking Tour (BronxNet Video)

Books by José Francisco Ávila

• Pan-Garifuna Afro-Latino Power of Pride: My Quest for Racial, Ancestral, Ethnic and Cultural Identity
• Garífuna Ancestry: The DNA Quest to Decipher the Garifuna Distant Past