SEINE BIGHT – A VILLAGE PROFILE

The People’s Culture

Godswell Phillip Flores Sr. © February, 1996.

 

AT DEATH: - The predominant ethnic group in Seine Bight is the Garinagu with its distinctive tradition which is common to the rest of Belize’s Garinagu. They believe that the human person is made up of two parts - the physical and the spiritual, or soul and body. When a Garifuna dies, his body is buried.

At the point of death, the person who is responsible must get isopropyl alcohol, pins, one yard of cloth, some white lime and a pint or so of very strong rum. The rum preserves the body a little longer than normal. Some is forced down the throat of the freshly dead or through the navel. The white lime is mixed with the alcohol into a soft “dough”, to be used as a seal for the anus and/or vagina of the dead person, to avoid draining. The cloth is used to hold the packed dough in place and is pinned in place like a baby’s napkin or diaper before the underwear is fixed. It is only after the body is “properly” cold that it is prepared and dressed. The preparation includes shaving, combing, braiding and dressing. The preparation of the body is always done in total privacy. A body is, therefore, never viewed until it is dressed. Also it is not the custom to have males prepare the dead body of women or vice versa.

THE FIRE: - At birth a Garifuna child is “heated”. The heating is done by the paternal grand mother of a child by heating her hand over a lamp or hot coal and applying it on the baby’s navel. This is believed to speed up the healing of the navel.

In the case of males, the back of the baby is also heated to strengthen it for the hard work ahead. It is also during this “heating” that the paternal grand mother can verify if this is her grand child by identifying the family “trade mark”.

At death, the deceased is dismissed by fire. Two days after death, at dawn, a fire is lit in a convenient place, but not where the rain can wet it because it must not be extinguished until a specified time. The fire is kept burning until the Ninth or Beluria morning. For virgins, no fire is lit. When the fire is lit in the mornings a piece of clothing belonging to the deceased is put into the fire to be burnt. This is repeated every day until the morning of the Ninth night. On the evening of the Ninth Night the fire is extinguished for the last time.

RUSARIU: - In the past years, when the body leaves the house and is carried to the place of burial (gamusandu), the house is immediately prepared for nine days of prayers. The prayers are usually held in the evenings between three and five. All persons who will attend the prayers assemble be fore the altar along with the maestro/a, who kneels before the altar on a pillow, provided by members of the family.

There are three types of mourning in the Garifuna tradition. The first is the compulsory mourning. This is mourning for a parent or a husband. The mourning is for a full year and black is worn all the time. The widow does not go out of the house for at least six months. She wears no jewelry except her wedding band. She does not deal with money nor does she answer calls.

The second mourning is mourning for siblings, grandparents, aunts, and friends. This is mandatory for six months and no jewelry is worn. The mourner may go anywhere except to dances. The wearing of black and white clothing is also mandatory. The third mourning is mourning for anyone who does not qualify for the above two, but because of the relationship to the deceased person, the living party may decide to mourn. The only sign of mourning required, is a black bow or ribbon on the left breast. This is where most modern common-law wives feel most comfortable.

THE BELURIA: - On the ninth day of prayers the residence of the deceased is abuzz with activities. At dawn the preparation of food is begun. The food usually includes, bread, bime kakule - sweetened rice; pinule - a porridge made from ground corn; a soup; a bottle or two of rum not uncommon for the occasion. Family members sometimes go fishing for conch, for the famous conch soup for the occasion.

When all the food have been prepared, the head cook sets aside two large breads, two slabs of bime kakule, a container of pinule, two candles, a chap of rum and pullet. These items she sends to the leader of the prayers - Maestro/a. Everyone else will receive his/her portions when he/she shows up for the prayers which will start, later than usual that evening.

The prayers for the final day are the same as the other days, with a few additions. Significant are the following: - (a) The Recomendación del Alma, (b) The Adeweihani, (c) The Libera Me, and (d) The Dismissal.

The Recomendación del Alma is the prayer of the Church for those at the point of death. All prayers for the dead are traditionally said in Spanish. There have been experiments in saying the prayers in English since very few people in Garifuna communities today speak or understand Spanish. Recomendación del Alma is considered vital to the last prayers for the dead.

The Adeweihani is the part where the family members and friends are expected to offer their own personal prayers for the departed. Most people take advantage of the opportunity to pray and sing aloud and say a final farewell. In a household where the people are anxious to confirm to custom, this can become a very long process. Prayers that begin at seven can go all the way to eleven p.m.

The Libera Me begins the Rite of Dismissal. This is sung in Latin. At end of this prayer the maestro/a sprinkles holy water in all rooms of the house. This is to indicate farewell.

THE DISSIMAL: - This is concluded by the singing of the “Alma”. During the singing of the Alma, the altar is stripped and dismantled. The White curtains with their black or purple ribbons are removed. The house is now stripped of signs of mourning. If any window or door has been left closed to this point, it must now be opened. This is to indicate that if the spirit is still lingering for some reason it must now leave. Because this is the final farewell, it is usually accompanied with loud wailing and crying.

If there is to be a celebration, it begins now. The celebration can last from a few hours to all night. Originally the people sang and clapped their hands while others danced. Recently, however, drums have replaced the clapping of hands. Before the advent of electricity, pine logs were burnt to provide light for the occasion.

GUBIDA: - The dead. When someone dies, there exists a fear of the dead that accompanies the mystery of death. This fear is multiplied because the Garifuna believes that the Gubida see more and knows more than the living. Also, the Gubida can, and touch those they wish to touch when they wish and the living can do absolutely nothing about it.

THE DÜGÜ: - The Dügü is the healing rite of the Garifuna. The ceremony consists of drumming, singing, dancing, eating and drinking and other minor and major rites.

The Garifuna believes that whatever evil befalls him, it is a result of an evil he himself has committed. A Dügü becomes necessary when the evil becomes the status quo. The Dügü seeks to repair damage relationships. Damaged relationships have direct bearing on illness, bad-luck and even death.

To understand this, one must appreciate that family and family relationships are important to Garifuna. The older members are considered wiser and are treated with respect that borders on veneration and fear. The smallest and the younger ones are called by the endearing name ‘NUMAMURARY’ -THOSE WHO WILL CARRY ON. To the Garifuna, generation is limitless - cousins range from both sides of the family and infinitum. It is when there is a rupture in the family relationship, that its effects are felt throughout the family structure, even to Seri - the home of the dead and the seat of God. It is when the living cannot or will not find a solution to correct the bad situation that dead ancestors intervene. It is through the intervention of the dead PARENTS that evil visits the living.

For the physical healing to take place, it is necessary that Familial Healing first takes place. The healing of the family begins with lengthy preparation - sometimes years for a Dügü. By the time the actual date for a Dügü arrives, it is not uncommon for physical healing of the infirmed to have taken place. It is also not uncommon for death to occur when there is resistance and lack of cooperation. Unexplained deaths from one generation to the next are sometimes attributed to “stiff-necked” family members who refuse to be a part of the Ancestral Rituals.

The festive atmosphere of the Dügü, facilitates Familial healing. Family members come to Belize from Guatemala, Honduras, and North America, not to mention all over Belize to participate in a Dügü. This simple action of just traveling for the event is key to the healing process. It is during a Dügü that relationships are revealed; family members who have not spoken to each other for many years now “Bury the Hatchet” as there are more important concerns at hand.

But, the Dügü is also a learning experience. Participants from other countries share customs; share songs; share modes of dress; types of food; etc. It is through the songs however, that much is revealed about the beliefs of the Garifuna.

References: Seine Bight Elders and the book ‘The Garifuna Understanding of Death’ by Rev. Jerris Valentine.