Danny Michel Gives the Garifuna Collective's a travel tour

The Garifuna Collective has been one of Belize's nationwide known for their diver's unique music. Brukdown, Punta rock, Paranda, Maya marimba, Garifuna and Creole drumming;is the famous Belizean style music played in Belize.  42 year old Danny Michel feel in love with the garifuna collectives band, when he heard their music when he was vacationing in Belize about 15 year's ago. Danny Michel which he is a songwritter, has been touring in Canada, Ontario, proving that he could teach the group some music. Ivan Duran, who is known in
 Benque Viejo owner of Stonetree Records and producer of some excellent albums, including the work of the late, great Andy Palacio, the deeply rewarding “Paranda” featuring Paul Nabor and other Parranderos, and many others. Michel learned his way around with his lone guitar-slinger funky guitars and using turtle shell for defense. Today The Garifuna Collectives say that travelling abroad is very expensive. Danny Michel who is the head leader that gives the travelling tour gave seven weeks vacationin to the Garifuna Collectives to meet as a jaunt in Belize, when they received the call from Vancouver. They say that Michel sounded very unusaul, and It will feel out of his comfort zone. The challenge for them is to pay the expenses when travelling. With all the booking at a hotel a night which comes up to $1000, Transportation, Visas, the official Adressing of the governemt and the Fisheries Department. The Garifuna collectives say that Winnipeg and Vancouver’s folk festivals had taken act by the ambitour tour.  The reason why they had to go through all this hard immigration and  travelling was because some of the instrument were made by rattles made from turtle shell which they were taking to Canada.

what Michel loves about the Garifuna Collectives is that when they perform on stage the perform very unique. As they are known in Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua and Guatemala. Michel says that all shows he has seen were all fabulous. It's a very big work to put on stage. Because looking at it is very crazy that the idea came from a pinch of a salt. The latest album  Juno-nominated Black Birds Are Dancing Over Me, which kinda beared back Michel a little from the project taken by road. Paul Nabor and the late Andy Palacio, the Garifuna Collective’s former singer and he was if can sing along with the Garifuna Collective's. As seeing the fans gathered to see the Garifuna Collective's they would like for the Winnipeg festivals shows were recorded and for them to listen to our performance Belizean music. If you wish to find out more about the Garifuna Collectives here are some website you can visit:

eveolmers@calgaryherald.com
www.stonetreerecords.com

Roan Garel first Blind person dived the Blue- Whole

Fourteen-year-old Rowan Garel, the visually impaired teenager who conquered Victoria Peak two years ago. He walked for miles for a Walk-a-ton fundraiser, now he was set to dive the Blue Hole on Tuesday July 14, 2013; however, plans to make the descent below the surface of the Caribbean Sea have changed due to the weather. It’s a minor setback given all the preparation that has gone into Rowan’s latest adventure.In this goal he wish to conquer is the first blind person to dive the blue hole. The reason he is doing this is for the porpuse of raising funds for the BVI summer summer camp. He says he was so excited anxious because it was his first time ever. he says that "the quiz was was taken 6 times as each section their is an exam. multiples times I had a heart attack multiple times beacuse of taking the quizzes. The fundraiser plan was to achieve $100,000. Rowan and his father went up to dive for the great experience. The reason it was free, because the services BCVI offers gave Rowan the opportunity to achieve his goal. Rowan says he is being strong in his mind explaining that no disability person should feel ashame of themselves to show who they really are inside them.

While diving under water he got to experience the sharks around him and got to feel the the turtle's shell. As enjoying the experience his father and sister remained on his side. As prayer's kept on him he felt very anxious and happy of what he has done. So, how well he did? he handled his own gear, bouyancy, propulsion and monitoring his air guage. BCVI (Belize Council for the Visually Impaired) an institution which provides support services to the visually-impaired children of Belize, Rowan is the Council's best ambassador.  Donation can be done here at http://www.bcvi.org/?p=13 or deposit to Belize Bank account number 71096 or drop by a donation at the office at BCVI on Princess Margaret Drive.


Rowan explained that all he want was to dive underwater at the Blue Hole. Instructor Diver Says he hasn't seen somebody learn so quick than his usual students. Entering the Blue Hole it was time for them to go for an experiece. They used hand communication for any assistants. Looking at the Blue Hole View it is Like a tunnel when you dive in the Blue Hole. Joe Garel explained that he was very actrive in his youth Traveling the country, playing sports and doing activities stuff. It is a good expereince to be doing activities with your children,  as long as they enjoy it. Rowan was certified as open water with his PADI card. It took a lot of practice and preparation for this to go on  in the Blue Hole. Garel explain our family likes to be more on the adventurous type going out hiking, climbing mountains, swimming on the water, ect. Joe Garel explain that this shows Belize how much we have fund of raising to Belize Council for the Visually impaired. Rowan explain that it was a fun experience to feel the water.

The eight Contestants of the San Pedro International Costa Maya 2013

It was a pleasure to see the eight contestant joined in for dinner on July 25, 2013 for an enjoyable time at Fido's. As the night went through with no hurry, the eight contestant went up on stage to represent their own country. With flouent english and a well spoken time they each gave a speach of their own country. Meeting them all eight of them they say that Belize is the place to visit and they wish to come back as a beautiful country like Belize would take them to an adventrous time. Their time at fido's was a success to them as they enjoyed dancing, meeting people, and taking Picture with fans. The continuation of the eight delgates they went at Elvi's Kitcken for a Mayan Buffet that is held every Friday night. For the first timer's in the island they got to spend an adventurous time like scuba diving, snorkeling, dinning in the well atmospheric resturants and got to know the island. here are some picture's of them dinning at Fido's Restaurant: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=574290505950631&l=a11bd72ec7



Belize

Costa Rica



Guatemala

El Salvador



Nicaragua

Panama



Mexico

Honduras

 

 

 

Now Let's look on how they did for the Noche Tropical At Ramaon's Village. It started very well as the eight contestants were very friendly as they greated the audience before starting the show. Each individual had the oppurtunity to meet them all and take photos with each contestants. The night started of as each one showed their dresses. Each dress had a meaning of why they had chose the dress. It looked very beautiful and creative to how they had put together their own dresses. As the night went on, a presenter from from Belize called "MARIPOSA" presented her fabulous dance. She started her dancing when she met one of her friend which is arab tought her how to do belli-dance and mariposa thought her how to do punta. Now they do exchanges as the arab is still teaching mariposa how to belli-dance. Second, the Casual was well presented showcasing their summer clothing and dressing clothing. It was a entertainable as the Mariposa call and audience to belli dance with her. Third, each contestant had to show their national dress of why they chose either from their country showing their dress and some where life experience from and friend. Honduras presented her Punta dress she explained that the reason she chose punta because she liked it she also explained that the dress is used when someone dies, Mexico her Mayan culture dress, Nicaragua presenting her Black and gold dress meaning "the sun", Belize reperesenting her Garifuna culture dress, Panama's dress had a creativity of a mayan style with design that reperesent a woman that should be respected, Guatemala reperesented her mayan top peice and her blue dress, El Salvador reperesented her national blue dress,  Costa Rica Represnted her Black and gold dress.

Here is all the photo taken at Ramon's Village: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=575508329162182&l=c3e18ff3



found Mayan Site 1,500 year old site in Guatemala

• A nearly 1,500-year-old Mayan stone monument, inscribed with a story of an ancient power struggle, has been unearthed in Guatemala.

The stone slab, which dates to A.D. 564, was found in a small tunnel that adjoins the tomb of an ancient queen beneath the Mayan temple at the site of El Per-Waka'.

The slab, almost 6 feet high and 3 feet wide, is carved with the image of a large man in its center, and is inscribed with Mayan hieroglyphics. The text on the monument describes a tumultuous seven-year period when two dynasties battled for rule of the ancient kingdom.

Prior to discovering this monument, no one knew the names of Mayan rulers during the sixth century.

"It really does advance our knowledge of the history of this royal family and dynasty," said study co-author David Friedel, an anthropologist at Washington University in St. Louis.

 

Ancient empireThe Mayan empire flourished in southern Mexico and parts of Guatemala for about six centuries, then mysteriously collapsed around A.D. 900. The Mayans built the massive city of Tikal, developed a hieroglyphic writing system and their own calendar, which infamously predicted the world would end in 2012.

The text on the monument describes a tumultuous seven-year period when two dynasties battled for rule of the ancient kingdom.

However, because they usually wrote on paper, rather than stone, "most of their writing is gone," Friedel told LiveScience.

Earlier this year, Friedel and his colleagues were excavating the Mayan tomb of a royal woman named Lady K'abel, when they uncovered the massive stone stele. Carved into the stele was the outline of a man cradling a sacred bundle in his arms, and there were inscriptions describing his feats on the sides of the monument.

Though the stone was worn away in the center, the inscriptions on the side remained readable.

 

Tumultuous periodThe team deciphered the inscriptions to reveal that a king known as King Wa'oom Uch'ab Tzi'kin, or He Who Stands Up the Offering of the Eagle, likely dedicated the stele to his father, King Chak Took Ich'aak, or Red Spark Claw, in 564. Both names were lost to history until now.

Because the Mayan calendar date was written on the slab, the team knows the exact day on which it was dedicated.

The inscription reveals that the death of the father, King Chak Took Ich'aak, in A.D. 556 ushered in a period of political turmoil as different groups grappled for supremacy. His son ultimately took the throne.

The stele also describes a royal woman, Lady Ikoom, who was a holy person and probably the mother of the king who dedicated the stele.

The team hypothesizes that the stele is so worn because it was exposed to elements aboveground for over a century before being brought into the tomb in A.D. 702.