San Pedro hosted its first-ever Garifuna Attire Fashion Show on Friday, October 16th, marking the tenth edition of an annual event that had previously been held elsewhere. The venue was Corona del Mar, and the timing tied into Garifuna Settlement Day celebrations, one of Belize's most important cultural observances.
The National Garifuna Council and its San Pedro branch teamed up with Crazy House Restaurant and Bar to stage the evening, with backing from the Belize Tourism Board, Lost Gringo Restaurant and Bar, and Corona del Mar. After a short weather delay, guests filed in past live Garifuna drumming at the entrance, with Raphael Martinez of the National Garifuna Council acting as master of ceremonies.
The night opened with Joshua Arana and his three daughters singing the national anthem and prayer in the Garifuna language, followed by a welcome from Mayor Gualberto "Wally" Nunez, who called the show the first of its kind in the town and Garifuna culture a treasured thread of Belizean identity. San Pedro, he noted, is one of twelve National Garifuna Council branches stretching from Libertad down to Barranco.
The runway itself belonged to Gulisi's Closet, a family-run label from Dangriga — known in Garifuna as Peini — with over 25 years of experience sewing cultural attire. Their designs worked in traditional brown cotton, checkered fabrics and distinctive prints under the banner "Cultural Attire Made in Peini." Ten models presented pieces for both daily wear and special occasions, and everything walked down the runway was available to buy, alongside T-shirts from Crazy House and plates of Garifuna food.
Between the fashion segments came a Jankunu dance interlude, a drumming set from Arana and his daughters, and a cultural dance from Seine Bight. Organisers made a point of the symbolism: staff wore traditional dress, the mayor appeared in black, white and yellow, and Martinez framed the whole evening as a way of safeguarding traditional attire for the next generation. He closed by promising to return next year.
Why should travellers care? If you're visiting Ambergris Caye, this is a reminder that San Pedro's appeal runs well beyond reef trips and beach bars. Garifuna culture — its language, drumming, food and distinctive clothing — is a living, UNESCO-recognised heritage in Belize, and events like this one give visitors a genuine way to experience it rather than just observe it. Settlement Day festivities (centred on November 19th) are a great window for a culturally rich trip, and buying directly from makers like Gulisi's Closet supports the craftspeople keeping these traditions alive.
