Robert Mariano
Norwegian Cruise Line’s fifty million U.S. dollar investment is facing one more objection, but it’s not because of the location of the project or the possible effects on overnight cruise tourism. One of the attraction’s of the projects as it turns out is objectionable to one of the cultures expected to be highlighted on the completion of the project. The National Garifuna Council has sent a press release condemning the use of the Dügu, as an attraction for tourists without consulting the leaders of their community. It says, “The Dügu is a sacred ceremony and is not performed as entertainment for any audience. We find the announcement insulting and, while it may be well intentioned, indicative of arrogance and ignorance on the part of those concerned.” President of the Garifuna Council, Robert Mariano told News Five that the National Executive of the council will meet this weekend to discuss N.C.L.’s proposal.
Hugh Darley, Belize Project Director
Hugh Darley
“The place in time we picked is the heritage of Belize starting with the Mayan through the Garifuna and the transfer of people from other parts of the Caribbean and Africa to the coast in Central America. That’s our place in time. Why is that important? Cause now I know the style and the theme and the scale. Garifuna. Why Garifuna? It is the only place in the world we can tell that story effectively and be real. We are not creating a fantasy story. We are telling the real story, the real people. We want to train and have people tell their story. In the afternoon, we are going to do a big drum circle out on the beach. And at three o’clock every afternoon, we are going to tell the guests guess what, we are going to do the dance called the Dügu. Why? Because nobody ever gets the chance to see that. It’s like the festival every day. So the idea is that we are going to tell that story and let that be our signage and graphics and our color and our story. We’ll use the Mayan story on the mainland and we will tie those two together on the island stories we create. Trading posts; why was this important? Because these islands were all part of the network of trading posts all up[ and down this coasts from the Yucatan peninsula right down to the South America. It is all an authentic story and we want to tell it in an authentic place.”
On May eighteenth 2001, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) proclaimed the Garifuna Language, Music and Dance Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
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