A Garifuna film workshop held in Sambo Creek, Honduras, was a huge success. The program, coordinated by the Honduras Institute of Cinematography and Mr. William Reyes of Opida, comprised young people from La Ceiba as well as the Garifuna settlements of Corozal and Sambo Creek.
The workshop participants learnt about the filmmaking process, from idea generation to release of a documentary film. They also learnt about Garifuna culture and how to use film to preserve and share their knowledge and culture with the rest of the world.
Akley Olton, an accomplished filmmaker who is concerned about preserving Garifuna culture, led the session. Olton has played an important role in increasing awareness about this unique and endangered culture. His work serves as an inspiration to those fighting to preserve endangered traditions. He serves as a reminder that art can be an effective vehicle for social change, and that even one individual can make a difference.
The Garifuna are an ethnic group of African and indigenous ancestors. They are descended from the Carib, Arawak, and African peoples who were welcomed into European societies. They are native to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, a Caribbean island archipelago. The British banished 5000 Garifuna from their country to the Honduran coast in 1797. They were survivors of a genocide carried out by the British, who stole their islands and turned them into sugar plantations.
Honduras’ Garifuna communities are situated along the Caribbean coast, particularly in the departments of Atlántida, Colón, and Gracias a Dios. They are the third-largest ethnic group in Honduras, following the Mestizos and the Lenca.
Honduran Garifuna communities have encountered numerous obstacles over the years, including discrimination, poverty, and violence. They do, however, have a strong sense of community and culture, which has helped them to persist. The Garifuna are an integral element of Honduran identity, and their culture is a vital gift to the country. Honduras, Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and the United States all have Garifuna communities. In 2001, UNESCO designated the Garifuna language and culture as “Masterpieces of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.”
The Garifuna Film Workshop at Sambo Creek was a significant step forward for the Garifuna community. The session assisted in the preservation of their culture and the empowerment of their youth. The organizers intend to continue such film workshops in the future, with the aim that these workshops will assist to conserve Garifuna culture and empower their youth.
Akley Olton hopes that his supporters will allow him to teach filmmaking in communities throughout Central America, so that more Garifuna kids can experience the wonder of cinema and use technology and creativity to help preserve their knowledge and culture for future generations.
