The Garifuna Heritage Foundation, in collaboration with the University of the West Indies Global Campus in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), hosted a historic event celebrating the resilience and cultural heritage of the Garifuna people. Among the distinguished guests was a delegation from Bonaire, James Finies leader of Pueblo Progresivo Uni and Davika Bissessar Shaw president of Bonaire Human Rights, representing the ongoing fight for justice and self-determination in the Caribbean.
A significant moment of the event was the homecoming pilgrimage to Balliceaux Island, where Garifuna descendants, including those whose ancestors were exiled to Honduras, returned to their ancestral land for the first time in 229 years. The uninhabited island of Baliceaux holds deep significance for the Garifuna people, descendants of Africans and Indigenous peoples. In 1796, British forces exiled ca 5,000 Garifuna to the island an abhorrent act of genocide against Indigenous people, where more than half famished and perished before being relocated to Roatán, Honduras. These survivors kept their language, culture and traditions and up today have significant Garifuna communities in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. This deeply emotional journey was even more meaningful following the recent acquisition of Balliceaux by the Government of SVG on March 4, 2025.
The event opened with a prayer by the Yurumein Royal Delegation, followed by schoolchildren singing the St. Vincent and the Grenadines national anthem in the Garifuna language. The Minister of Education, Hon. Curtis King, addressed attendees, setting the stage for three days of discussions on history, identity, and justice. During the closing ceremony, Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves delivered a powerful speech on colonial injustices and reparations highlighting not only the struggles of the Garifuna people but also those of Bonaire. In a moment of recognition and solidarity, he invited James Finies and Davika Bissessar Shaw to stand, acknowledging their ongoing efforts to advocate for Bonaire’s protection under United Nations umbrella and international law. Comparing the Bonaire Case as a modern Garifuna – Balliceaux situation. Following the conference, the Bonaire delegation was invited to a reception at the Prime Minister’s residence, where they engaged with international diplomats, including the British representative.
On March 14, Heroes Day, a wreath-laying ceremony and gun salute honored St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ only national hero, Joseph Chatoyer, whose resistance against colonial forces continues to inspire generations. The event culminated in a deeply moving pilgrimage to Balliceaux Island, where Garifuna descendants walked on the land where their ancestors were once forcibly removed. Reflecting on the experience, a participant, Garifuna descendant, shared, “Words cannot fully express what we felt when we stood on Balliceaux. This was more than just a trip—it was a homecoming, a moment of reckoning with history, and a reminder of the strength of our people.”
This landmark event not only honored the past but also reinforced the ongoing fight for Caribbean peoples rights, cultural preservation, justice and reparations for colonized peoples across the Caribbean.
