Episode 18 - Garifuna Literary Arts

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Host José Francisco Ávila dives deep into the power and necessity of Garifuna Literary Arts. For a people whose history was often deliberately erased from official records, the written word is not just culture—it's reclamation.

This episode explores why Garifuna authors must write, moving beyond the centuries-old oral tradition to create a permanent, authentic record. We highlight the pioneers—like Catarino Castro Serrano and Thomas Vincent Ramos—who first took up the pen to challenge dominant narratives.

Discover how literature serves as a crucial tool for cultural maintenance, healing, and historical correction, providing an authentic Garifuna voice to the world. José shares his personal advocacy journey and issues a powerful call to action to the NYC diaspora community: Write the next chapter of our history.

Featured Topics:

•  The historical erasure of Garifuna and Afro-Latino history.
• The role of literature in reclaiming and preserving Garifuna language and culture.
• Pioneering Garifuna authors and intellectuals.
•  The importance of the written word for community healing and activism.

  Resources:

•  Subscribe on your favorite podcast app
•  Apple Podcasts 
• Spotify
• iHeartRadio
• The Garifuna Experience Podcast YouTube
• The Garífuna Experience in NYC | Bronx walking tour
• The Garifuna Experience in NYC 
• The Happy Land Memorial Walking Tour 
• Garifuna Heritage Walking Tour (BronxNet Video)
• Black Caribs - Garifuna Saint Vincent' Exiled People: The Roots Of The Garifuna
• Garifuna Mother Tongue and Over Fifty Famous Garinagu
• The Garifuna, A nation across borders
• My Spiritual Journey, Knowledge & Guidance Vol. II 
• The People's Garifuna Dictionary: Garifuna-English
• Learn Garifuna Now!
• Garifuna: The culture and its people

 Books by José Francisco Ávila

• Pan-Garifuna Afro-Latino Power of Pride: My Quest for Racial, Ancestral, Ethnic and Cultural Identity
• Garífuna Ancestry: The DNA Quest to Decipher the Garifuna Distant Past