04/11/2021
Garifuna Artist of the Day.
Clayton Williams.
Clayton Williams is a musician, singer, songwriter, percussionist and guitarist. At 28 years old, he is the new voice of Garifuna Music, and the youngest Parandero.
At the age of 7 he started his musical journey, playing Garifuna drums at the Lebeha Drumming Center in Hopkins, Belize. UNESCO has declared Hopkins as a masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity. Hopkins is one of the few villages in Belize, where young children still learn the Garifuna Language as their native language. Clayton’s fluency in the Garifuna Language, drums and the Garifuna stories that make up the lyrics to his songs, are a living testament to that assertion.
Since then Clayton has followed in the footsteps of the renowned Paranderos of the Caribbean Coast of Central America, including his great grandfather, the legendary Gabaga Williams, author and composer of the classic Garifuna song, Malati Isieni (Worthless Love), perhaps the most well-known Garifuna composition and has been described as one of the greatest Garifuna composers of all time. Clayton has lived most of his life in Hopkins, teaching and promoting the Garifuna Culture to tourists and children.
In 2016 at the Garifuna Music Awards Clayton’s debut album “Garifuna Nuguya” (I am Garifuna), took top honors for:
*Song of the Year
*Album of the Year
*Best New Artist
*Best Music Video
Clayton has and continues to headline many concerts and festivities in Belize and USA and Central America. He is viewed by many as excellent cultural ambassador.
Lookout for lyrics from his 1st album Garifuna Nuguya which will be shared here on GariLyrics.
The following information was extracted from claytonwilliamsmusic.com with permission of the artist.
03/11/2021
Garifuna Artist of the Day
Mr. Paul Nabor- Cultural Music Activist, Storyteller, Healer, Craftsman, Pugilist
Paul Nabor (Nabi) (1928-2014) a cultural music ambassador known as one of the Three Kings of Belize for his great contribution in safeguarding and promoting the traditional Garifuna music of Paranda.
Paul Nabor born as Alfonso Palacio was born on January 26, 1928 in Dangriga Town, most Belizeans know him as Paul Nabor or ‘Nabi’. As a young man he worked in the banana plantation, he also worked in mahogany camp and as a chiclero.
Safeguarding and Promoting Garifuna Music:
Paul is best known for popularizing the traditional style of Garifuna music best known as Paranda. By age 18 Nabi had begun singing and composing his own songs and hence began his emergence as a parandero musician. At a young age he traveled to Central America, but once he emerged as a popular musician he was able to travel and perform in the Caribbean, North America and Europe. It was not until his early 70’s that Paul Nabor’s music was brought to the forefront of Belizean music and international landscape. In 2004 he was bestowed with the honorable title of Distinguished Guest, during a visit to Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
Awards:
In 2004, he was awarded the Meritorious Service Award by the Government of Belize.
In 2007 he was featured along with Florencio Mes and Wilfred Peters on a documentary by Katia Paradis entitled ‘Three Kings of Belize’.
On September 15, 2011 he was awarded the Order of Distinction by the Government of Belize for his contributions to music.
The following article was extracted from belizelivingheritage.org.
03/11/2021
Greetings Everyone !
Welcome to GariLyrics. GariLyrics is an online platform that seeks to promote the music of all Garifuna Artists throughout the course of the year.
We will promote:
1. Biography of Artist
2. Music ( Singles & Album's of the past, present and future )
3. Lyrics and translations of Garifuna songs etc.
Garifuna music especially paranda has long been a way in which stories, experiences and advice has been passed on from one generation to the next.
It is our intention to work with artists that sing any genre of Garifuna Music.
We are hoping that through music we can spark an interest in persons of Garifuna Heritage to learn the language.
From time to time we will also do interviews, tutorials and launches of projects such as albums, clothing line etc with Garifuna artist.
Seeking your kind support to like the page to recieve frequent updates and immerse yourself into the world of Garifuna music.
We also take this opportunity to invite Garifuna artist to be a part of this project and to assist in sustaining the content of this platform. You can email me your Biography, Lyrics, Information about upcoming Projects etc.
