Paranda Music

In our country, the Garifuna community produces some of the most colourful music.  The Garifuna music first received national and international acclaim when Pen Cayetano started to record and play these songs. Punta rock was created by Pen Cayetano in Belize in 1978. Punta is a genre of traditional music that developed among the Garifuna people.
While this style is unique, calypso and soca have had slight influences on it. Like calypso and soca, Belizean punta was used for both social commentary and risqué humor, though the initial wave of punta acts eschewed the former. Lord Rhaburn and the Cross Culture Band were integral in the acceptance of punta by Belizeans (namely Kriols) by actually doing calypso songs about punta such as "Gumagrugu Watah" and "Punta Rock Eena Babylon".
Punta rock was brought to the U.S by Ideal Castillo. Ideal had learned punta rock with Chukupen Paulino and played with the original Larunihati Band (featured in the movie "The Mosquito Coast"). Ideal later met up with Pen Cayetano and Mohobub Flores in Dangriga and for a while was the youngest member of the Pen Cayetano's Turtle Shell Band. When Ideal came to the United States, he introduced Punta Rock to the Garifuna people living in the Bronx. He formed the legendary punta rock band Isanigu Punta Rock Soul-Jahs.

                                      

The video is the first national and internationally recognized Garinagu music. It is named 'Conch Soup' and was written by Chico Ramos and sun by the original Turtle Shell Band that featured Pen Cayetano, the famous painter of Garifuna heritage.

Paranda Music on the other hand tends to focus on the spiritual aspect of the Garifuna Culture.  Paul Nabor was the pioneer in this field. In the following video, he sings of his pending death and his final wish that a band plays at his 'dugu' or 'wake' as it is known in the other parts of our country.

Nati nuguya merumayatina
Wanwa nuguya merumayatina
Balabada naru tura nigabana nay
Lau nuragu le hadan hara familia
Ayanuhayatina hama namulenu (x2)
Dame le gia nowen wanwa
Lauba la banda habunana
Hawagu namulenu naritagua
Hawagu nisanigu naritagua
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Brother, I am ill
Dear Brother, I am ill
I have tossed and turned in my bed
With this ailment in the presence of my family
I have spoken with my children
Dear Brother when I pass away
They must have a band at my funeral
It is my little ones I'm worried about
It is my children I'm worried about

An the last video is a live performance of Paul Nabor's 'Naguya Nei' as performed at my school, Corozal Junior College