Belize’s internationally recognised Garifuna Collective has departed on a 14-day European tour as the group celebrates its 20th anniversary and marks a historic achievement for Belizean music on the global stage.
The band will perform across the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Germany. The tour follows anniversary celebrations that began earlier this year with shows in Belize, the United States, and Canada.
The milestone tour comes shortly after the Garifuna Collective became the first Belizean band to appear on the cover of a major international music magazine. The group is featured on the July edition of Songlines Magazine, a leading British publication dedicated to world music.
The magazine’s cover story highlights the ensemble’s contribution to preserving and sharing Garifuna music and culture internationally. The edition also includes a “Top of the World” cover-mount CD featuring music from around the globe, including an exclusive Garifuna Collective track, “DUNURU (Bird)”, which is scheduled for worldwide release on August 14.
The members currently representing Belize on the tour are Desiree Diego, Kenrick Lewis, Mohobub Flores, Al Ovando, Denmark Flores, Emilio Thomas, Sam Harris, and Austin Aranda.
The Garifuna Collective will return to Belize in August and is expected to hold a press conference at the House of Culture in Belize City to share highlights from the European tour.
