The Black Caribs, also known as the Garifuna people of Central America, comprise individuals of mixed African and American Indian descent, living on the Caribbean Coast of the republics of Honduras and Guatemala, and the colony of British Honduras. A small number are in the Caribbean nation of St Vincent and Grenadines. There is a reasonably large diaspora in the United States.The Carib people migrated from South America to the Caribbean circa 1200, according to carbon dating of artifacts. According to Taíno testimonies, the Kalinago largely displaced, exterminated, and assimilated the Taíno who were resident on the islands at the time, as well as the earlier Igneri.
The working life of Black Caribs was historically defined by fishing, farming, and later, seasonal wage labor, and diversified cash crop agriculture like sugar and fruits. Known for their seafaring and boat skills, they used these abilities to trade their goods and engage in conflict with European colonial powers who sought their land for plantations.Black Carib (Garifuna) family life has historically been centered around matrifocal households, with women playing central roles in domestic affairs and forming strong support networks. While historically men had responsibilities to multiple wives and their communities, contemporary Black Carib family patterns show strong ties to the mother's household, where men often return. These families maintain extended, transnational networks for support, often with women at the forefront of coordinating these relationships through communication and travel.
The majority of Black Caribs have been Catholic since the community's historical encounters with the Jesuits, Dominicans, and various Catholic colonial powers (namely the French and Spanish) in the West Indies and Central America.Religion presents the most complete fusion of Indian, African, and European elements. The Black Caribs have adopted the Catholic faith, imposed on them by the European invaders, without altogether renouncing their aboriginal beliefs. But, in their conception of the world, besides God, which is called Bungiu (from the French ‘bon Dieu”) and his phalanxes of angels and saints, there are other equally powerful beings.
The physical needs of the Black Caribs, a diverse group with roots in both indigenous Caribbean and African populations, included food, shelter, and water, as well as the physical capabilities for fishing, hunting, and farming, which were integral to their traditional lifestyle and survival.Black Carib people have unique spiritual needs rooted in their syncretic traditions, blending African and Indigenous beliefs with Christianity. Their spiritual practices involve venerating ancestors, seeking strength from God and spirits for guidance and support, and addressing pain through prayer and other forms of communication with deities.
Pray for a special spiritual renewal where the Black Caribs would separate African and Indigenous beliefs from faith in Christ and put their faith in the only Savior.Pray for the Black Carib Christians to take their place in God’s efforts to reach the nations.Pray for deliverance from evil spirits and for Christians to exercise their authority by demonstrating the power of the Holy Spirit for those in need.Pray for the protection of the family system in Christian homes, so that Christ-like relationships will be a witness to non-Christian believers.
Scripture Prayers for the Black Carib, Garifuna in St Vincent and Grenadines.
https://www.caribbeanlife.com/black-history-month-the-black-caribs-garifunas/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garifunahttps://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/black-caribshttps://www.toughconvos.com/post/what-is-the-difference-between-black-african-and-black-caribbeanhttps://www.refworld.org/docid/49749cd65d.htmlhttp://globalsherpa.org/garifunas-garifuna/
| Profile Source: Joshua Project |
