Garinagu

## In 2018

The Belizean Garinagu (also known as Garifuna although Garfuna is the Garinagu language) are a small part of the Belizean population.

[Wikipedia:] "The **Garifuna** (/ˌɡɑːriːˈfuːnə/ *GAR-ee-FOO-nə*;[3][4] pl. **Garinagu**[5] in Garifuna) are Indigenous of mixed-racedescendants of West African, Central African, Island Carib, European, and Arawak people.[6]

Although their background is the Lesser Antilles, since 1797, the Garifuna people are from Central America, along the Caribbean Coast of Honduras, with smaller populations in Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua. They arrived there after being exiled from the islands of the Lesser Antilles by British colonial administration as *Black Carib*s after a series of slave revolts. Those Caribs deemed to have had less African admixture were not exiled, and are still living in the islands."

"The Garinagu do not have an official religion, but a complex set of practices for individuals and groups to show respect for their ancestors and Bungiu [God] or Sunti Gabafu [All Powerful]. A shaman known as a *buyei* is the head of all Garifuna traditional practices. The spiritual practices of the Garinagu have qualities similar to the voodoo rituals performed by other tribes of African descent. Mystical practices and participation such as in the Dugu ceremony and chugu are also widespread among Garifuna. At times, traditional religions have prohibited members of their congregation from participating in these or other rituals.

Today, the majority of Garifuna are officially Catholic but some following other religions. They practice a syncretic Catholicism, incorporating traditional beliefs."

"According to one genetic study the ancestry of the Garifuna people on average, is 76% African, 20% Arawak/Carib and 4% European,[21] but the admixture levels vary greatly between island and Central American Garinagu Communities with Stann Creek, Belize Garinagu having 79.9% African, 2.7% European and 17.4% Amerindian and Sandy Bay, St. Vincent Garinagu having 41.1% African, 16.7% European and 42.2% Amerindian.[22]"

## History up to the Convoy

When Guatemala becomes incredibly powerful due to the rise of the 5 giants, it's long help ambition to take "back" Belize can finally be turned into actions and the country is annexed. In the process, the now all-powerful mesoamerican "native" oppress the non-native populations, parking them in small reserves and making sure that their culture and gene-pool dies off. Only a small handful of Garunagu managed to escape and seek aside in other nations.

The Garinagu are one of these cultures. Already very poor, they are thrown into extreme poverty and very quickly lose most of their culture in a scramble for survival under extreme conditions. Their culture is completely lost, and they are en empty, fragile vessel that will need to be filled again with some other culture.

By the time the Convoy is ready, they are a small, defeated and hopeless group of survivors who will need to be extracted in secret by external forces.

## Connection to the Project

Simon Boyd (real name Gufunli Boyudon), the Assistant to the man who created the Nanos is of Garinagu origin and is willing to share his knowledge in exchange for the salvation of his almost extinct and severely oppressed community.

He will have a very hard time working with the Imacaci from the 5 Giants, as they are part of the oppressing force that has destroyed his culture and people.

## Part of the convoy

They have absolutely no skills or education. They are an empty vessel, all too eager, once the chock of their new situation is passed, to belong and make themselves useful.

They will have an extremely hard time dealing with the presence of The Imacaci who are part of those who tried to destroy them.