Hopkins

Tucked between the Cockscomb mountains and the Caribbean Sea, Hopkins is the Belizean cultural center of the Garifuna population, hosting its own community holiday and drum ceremonies. In 1942 the nearby village of Newton was devastated by a hurricane and Hopkins was built to replace and rehouse its residents.

Hopkins itself was a pleasant place to spend a little time with some very enjoyable food but not more than a few days of activities. The north end of the town (Baila) was  quite touristy while the south end (False Sittee) was a sprawl of enormous fenced houses, typically with multiple boat launches tucked underneath.

 

The Garifuna are a people of mixed African and Amerindian ancestry that began on Saint Vincent. Much of the populace were transplanted to Central America in 1796 after a series of conflicts with the English known as the Carib Wars. The Garifuna language is an offshoot of Arawak with numerous European influences and in 2001 was declared, along with their music and dances, to be a “Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible History of Humanity” by UNESCO.

 

The Garifuna have their own flag are very proud of their culture, in a manner which reminded us of the Metis in Manitoba. We experienced several instances of Garifuna music and culture in our visit, including a very memorable music performance in Hopkins with a band that would randomly increase in size as additional members arrived.

 

Kathryn was of course dancing in the thick of it and having a grand time.