R 111636Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 7095
INFO WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE
AMCONSUL BARCELONA

UNCLAS GUATEMALA 000227 
 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CEN (RVALERIN), WHA/PDA (MLEE) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL ECON PHUM KPAO GT
SUBJECT:  GUATMELA'S GARIFUNA FACE CHALLENGES TO CULTURE 
AND IDENTITY 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY.  From February 18-20, CAO traveled to 
Livingston and Puerto Barrios on Guatemala's Caribbean 
coast in an effort to improve the Embassy's cultural and 
educational links with the Afro-Caribbean Garifuna 
community.  Livingston, which can only be reached by 
boat, is an isolated community with an economy based 
almost entirely on fishing, tourism, and remittances. 
Although Guatemala's Garifuna face serious challenges, in 
particular a lack of political leadership, endemic 
racism, and migration, they have a strong desire to 
preserve their culture and community.  Embassy Guatemala 
PAS will continue to engage the Garifuna through English 
language teaching and cultural and educational exchanges. 
END COMMENT. 
 
¶2.  From February 18-20, CAO traveled to Livingston and 
Puerto Barrios on Guatemala's small Caribbean coast for a 
series of cultural activities and school visits aimed at 
increasing cultural and educational contacts with the 
Garifuna (estimated pop. 7,000), an Afro-Caribbean ethnic 
group found throughout the Central American Caribbean. 
CAO was accompanied on his visit a U.S. Fulbright student 
who will be working in Livingston in the second half of 
¶2009. 
 
¶3.  Livingston (pop. 24,000) is located at the mouth of 
the Rio Dulce River in the department of Izabal.  No 
roads connect to Livingston and locals and visitors alike 
must travel there by boat from Rio Dulce or from Puerto 
Barrios, the departmental seat.  Livingston's isolation 
has helped preserve the Garifuna culture, which dates 
back at least 200 years, but also results in a lack of 
employment and educational opportunities.  The economy is 
dependent on fishing, tourism, and remittances, and 
migration (primarily to the United States) is high. 
Although Livingston is the heart of Garifuna culture in 
Guatemala, the Garifuna only make up a small minority of 
the population, which is dominated by Kekchi Maya and 
Ladino (mestizo) Guatemalans.  In addition to other small 
ethnic groups, there is a relatively large community of 
expatriates, including approximately 70 U.S. citizens. 
 
¶4.  CAO visited with 25 representatives of the Garifuna 
spiritual community at the Villa Caribe hotel, one of 
approximately 20 hotels in Livingston that caters to a 
growing number of visitors (a mix of independent 
travelers, package tourists, and passengers arriving from 
the new cruise ship terminal near Puerto Barrios). 
Garifuna culture is a highly spiritual mix of Catholic 
and traditional beliefs.  There are a number of very 
basic temples scattered throughout Livingston and the 
ceremonies are conducted in Garifuna, an Arawak-based 
language with a variety of Caribbean, European, and 
African influences. 
 
¶5.  The participants told CAO that Guatemala's Garifuna 
community faced endemic racism, particularly outside of 
Livingston and Puerto Barrios.  The Garifuna stated that 
they found it insulting that African was not an ethnicity 
listed on the national census.  On the streets in 
Guatemala City and elsewhere they are often on the 
receiving end of insults about their skin color.  (NOTE: 
Approximately 10 years ago several Garifuna students on 
scholarship in Quetzaltenango were nearly lynched by an 
angry crowd. END NOTE.)  They complained that the 
Guatemalan government pays little attention to Livingston 
except during campaign season, and that when officials do 
come they often make promises that they have no intention 
of fulfilling.  Several Garifuna lamented the fact that 
due in part to an extremely fractured and disorganized 
Qdue in part to an extremely fractured and disorganized 
political culture they don't even have much of a say in 
local politics (the mayor and vice-mayor are both Kekchi 
and one Garifuna reported that there has never been an 
elected Garifuna mayor).  Racial divisions in Livingston 
are immediately obvious; neighborhoods of the city are 
essentially segregated into black and Ladino/Kekchi 
areas. 
 
¶6.  The community leaders also talked about the economic 
situation in Livingston.  Costs of basic foods and 
supplies are high due to the fact that they must be 
transported by boat.  Although a road is reportedly 
creeping closer to Livingston, virtually all of the 
Garifuna were against it as it would further dilute the 
Garifuna culture.  Young people have few employment 
opportunities, while at the same time their lifestyles 
are supported through remittances from the United States. 
Several Garifuna noted that the U.S. recession was 
negatively affecting remittances, putting further stress 
on young Garifuna who have few options but to leave 
Livingston. 
 
¶7.  The next day CAO met with Luba Awanselula, a 
community group dedicated to the preservation of Garifuna 
culture, with a particular emphasis on food and the arts. 
CAO spoke to the group about educational and cultural 
opportunities supported by the Embassy.  There is a large 
number of Garifuna cultural institutions in Livingston 
and it soon became apparent that they compete with each 
other for the limited attention of the Guatemalan 
government, domestic and international NGO's, and 
tourists.  Garifuna culture is mostly intangible, but 
there is an excellent small community museum near the 
dock that tells the story of the Garifuna and the multi- 
ethnic makeup of Livingston. 
 
¶8.  The fractured nature of Garifuna organizations makes 
it difficult to determine who, if anyone, represents the 
larger community.  One particularly outspoken Garifuna 
who represented himself as a spiritual leader turned out 
to be a scam artist who brazenly asked the CAO for money. 
As several Garifuna acknowledge, the lack of a singular 
identity and clear leaders makes it hard for government 
and non-governmental organizations to find reliable 
partners for assistance and development programs, 
although UNESCO is currently planning a program there. 
 
¶9.  There are three public schools in Livingston - one 
primary school each for boys and girls and a combined 
secondary school with approximately 300 students.  CAO 
visited with half of the secondary school students to 
talk about Black History Month in the United States and 
to encourage the students to study English.  The school, 
which is run primarily by Garifuna, has one self-taught 
English teacher.  Many students drop out of school at a 
young age and loiter in the streets (alcoholism, youth 
pregnancy, and STDs are significant problems in 
Livingston).  Like many rural schools, facilities are 
limited and the emphasis is on basic skills.  Graduates 
of secondary school have no options for further study 
unless they leave Livingston, and any young Garifuna with 
university degrees who return have few employment 
options. 
 
¶10.  Overall the Garifuna in Livingston were very pro- 
United States, referring to President Obama as "our 
president" because of his African origins.  Many Garifuna 
were very interested in possible changes in U.S. 
immigration policy, reflecting the general desire towards 
migration. 
 
¶11.  Returning from Livingston, CAO stopped in Puerto 
Barrios (pop. 41,000) to visit a women's organization and 
a private school.  Although Puerto Barrios, formerly the 
main port in Guatemala for the United Fruit Company, is 
considered to be a seedy port town that has seen better 
days, CAO was impressed by the enthusiasm and optimism of 
the civic and educational leaders.  CAO spoke with 
students from two private schools and the students asked 
an impressive number of questions about U.S. foreign 
policy and opportunities to study and travel in the 
United States. 
 
¶12.  COMMENT.  The Garifuna are a small but vibrant 
minority group that is closer in many ways to the United 
States than to the Guatemalan government.  Still, because 
of its isolation and lack of central identity, 
establishing stronger links to the Garifuna and 
encouraging greater Garifuna participation in Embassy- 
sponsored programs will take concerted effort.  Building 
on this visit, Embassy Guatemala PAS plans to: (1) work 
with English language teachers in Puerto Barrios and 
Livingston, including by ensuring that they participate 
in English language teaching conferences and by 
Qin English language teaching conferences and by 
requesting an English language specialist for the region; 
(2) continue to work to identify future Garifuna leaders 
and include them in exchange programs or English-language 
study opportunities; and (3) plan follow-up visits taking 
advantage of new contacts and the presence of a visiting 
U.S. Fulbright student.  END COMMENT. 
 
MCFARLAND