What are the characteristics the Garifuna people have that are attributed to their African origins?

Question

Besides music and dance...detailed answers would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

"The religion of the Garifuna is a combination of Catholicism, African and Indian beliefs." ... "Work songs, hymns, lullabies, ballads and healing songs are popular. The African influence is heard with complex drum rhythms and call-response patterns in songs."

"Garifuna" in "EMuseum", Minnesota State Universit Mankato : http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/cultural/mesoamerica/garifuna.html

"The Garifuna culture displays many influences of its African heritage, and this is extremely evident when comparing their music with the indigenous music of the African societies from which their ancestors originated. According to one source, “most of the slaves brought to the Caribbean were taken from the Niger and cross Delta regions in the Blight of Benin (present-day Nigeria) in West Africa, and from further south in the Congo and Angola”(A History of Belize 5th chapter, 1). Much like the music of these areas, the Garifuna style of music relies heavily on call and response patterns. These patterns are less overlapping than many traditional ones found in Africa, but none the less the Garifunas’ “leader/chorus organization” is very consistent with those of African styles (Franzone 1995,294). In addition, the importance of the drum in Garifuna music is another similarity to their African influence. Garifuna music relies heavily on the drum, and in many instances their music is dictated by it. Often times a particular drum style will call for two drummers (except for sacred music, which usually uses three). Typically, one drummer will play a fixed, consistent pattern. This drummer is usually called the segunda player. Another more intricate part made up of cross-patterns is normally played by the primero player (S.Cayetano,1). The drums of the Garifuna are usually made of hardwoods that are uniformly shaped and carved out in the centers. The ends of the drums, whether it be one or two, are covered with skins from the peccary, deer, or sheep (S.Cayetano, 1). These drums are always played with the hands, and some drummers have been known to wrap metal wires around the drumheads to give them a snare-like sound. Some musicians accompany the drums with gourd shakers called sisira, and even instruments like the guitar, flute, and violin have been adopted from early French, English, and Spanish folk music, as well as, Jamaican and Haitian Afro-Caribbean styles (S.Cayetano,1). "

"REFERENCES CITED
1) Palacio, Myrtle
1993 The First Primer On The People Called Garifuni . Glessima Research
& Services

2) Franzone, Dorothy
1995 A Critical and Cultural Analysis of an African People in the
Americas: Africanisms in the Garifuna Culture of Belize. UMI
Dissertation Services (151-152).

3) Global Neighbors: Garifuna History. Garifuna World [On-line],
Available: http://www.Garifuna-world.com

4) Garinagu Early History. Garifuna World [On-line], Available:
http://www.Garifuna- world.com

5) Cayetano, Sebastian, (1997). Garifuna Music. Garifuna World [On-line],
Available: http://www. Garifuna-world.com

6) Cayetano, Sebastian; Cayetano, Fabian (September 30, 1984). Dugu. Garifuna
World [On-line], Available: http://www.Garifuna-world.com

7) The History of Belize (Chapters 4&5). [On-line], Available: http://www.
Garifuna-world.com

"Garifuna" in "AFRO TROPICAL", Allan F. Burns, Ph.D., College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Florida
: http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/afburns/afrotrop/Garifuna.htm