Trip facts
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2–20
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English, Garifuna
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Garifuna drumming instructor
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Easy — sitting to drum, standing to dance
About this session
Garifuna Drumming & Dancing is a two-hour session on Kalipuna Cultural Heritage Island in Hopkins, Belize, where you learn Garifuna rhythms on the drums and then dance to them alongside our dancers.
The drum is called the heartbeat for a reason — about ten minutes in, you’ll understand why.
You cross to the island by kayak, and we start in our spiritual centre with Garifuna art, artefacts and literature, and the history behind the music you’re about to play.
Then the drums. Our instructor has played since childhood. He’ll put a primero in front of you and teach you the rhythms by ear, the way they are taught here, with the shaka shaking underneath and singers and dancers who have done this all their lives.
Then you dance. Everyone joins in — and if you’ve never danced to a Garifuna rhythm before, that’s exactly where most people start.
This experience is also offered as the Traditional Garifuna Jam Session. For drumming without the dancing, see the Garifuna Drumming Experience.
What you'll do
- Play a real primero drum, taught by ear
- An instructor who has been drumming since childhood
- Live singers and dancers, not a recording
- The spiritual centre — art, artefacts and the history first
- Reached by kayak across the lagoon
- You join in; nobody sits and watches
