Play Jankunú Play The Garifuna Wanaragua Ritual of Belize

The Garifuna are a Central American people of West African and Native American descent One of their most popular rituals is wanaragua a threefold system of masked Christmas processionals commonly called Jankunú This ritual is a unique blend of African European and Native American Arawak and Carib art traditions in which social and cultural identities are expressed through music dance and costume As dancers adorn themselves in colorful regalia to mimic past foreign oppressors they symbolically affirm their identity They perform stylized movements to the accompaniment of drums and social commentary songs composed by men Descriptions of the three processions and dance styles are interspersed with interviews by Garifuna singers drummers dancers cultural advocates and scholars on the significance of rituals