HISTORICAL FIGURES
Marcos Sánchez Díaz – Guatemala
Marcos Sánchez Díaz is celebrated as the primary hero of the Garifuna in Guatemala and is credited with founding the Garifuna community of Livingston in 1802. Guatemala, a Central American country bordering Belize and Honduras, has a relatively small Garifuna population compared to its national total.
According to oral tradition, Marcos Sánchez Díaz and his group of Garifuna men departed the coast of Honduras, where he had been working, and journeyed along the Río Dulce until they arrived at its mouth. It is reputed that Sánchez Díaz originated from Haiti and may have served as a Major in the Haitian Army during the Haitian Revolution, possibly participating in the war against the British in St. Vincent. Alternatively, he may have been one of the younger men exiled from St. Vincent, arriving at Roatán in 1797. Despite uncertainties, historical accounts confirm that he was embraced as a leader by the Garifuna community and recognised by Guatemalan authorities. Oral history attributes spiritual powers to him, and he is said to have lived to the age of 113.
Alejo Beni & Thomas Vincent Ramos – Belize
Historical records suggest that from 1802, the first Garifuna began migrating from Honduras along the coast to British Honduras (modern-day Belize). In 1823, Alejo Beni led a significant group of Garifuna to seek permission from the British to settle, establishing the first settlement on the banks of the North Stann Creek River. This settlement was initially named Carib Town, later Stann Creek Town, and is now known as Dangriga, the name its inhabitants have always used.
Thomas Vincent Ramos was born on 17 September 1887, in Puerto Cortés, Honduras, and moved to Dangriga, Belize, in 1920, his mother’s hometown. Ramos became an influential advocate for improved healthcare and education for the Garifuna people. He co-founded the Black Cross Nurses and spearheaded initiatives to assist the most vulnerable through organisations such as the Carib Development and Sick Aid Society (CDS).
In 1941, Ramos established Carib Disembarkation Day to honour the Garifuna cultural heritage, which was later renamed Garifuna Settlement Day. Together with others, he successfully petitioned the British Governor in 1943 to make the day a public holiday, commemorating the arrival of the Garifuna to Belize on 19 November. The celebration was initially limited to Dangriga but became a national holiday in 1977.
Paramount Chief Joseph Chatoyer – St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Paramount Chief Joseph Chatoyer, also known as Joseph Satuye, led the Garifuna resistance against British colonisation of St. Vincent. He was killed during the Second Carib War and is a revered figure among the Garifuna people. In 2002, St. Vincent and the Grenadines declared him the nation’s first National Hero, and 14 March—the anniversary of his death—is observed as a public holiday.
Dr. Adrian Fraser’s book, *From Villain to National Hero – Chatoyer and the Early Struggle for the Independence of St. Vincent (Yurumein)*, highlights Chatoyer’s leadership of the Garifuna and Kalinago peoples during wartime. Anthropologist Dr. Nancie Gonzalez noted that by the mid-18th century, the “Black Caribs” (Garifuna) and “Yellow Caribs” (Kalinago) had become culturally and biologically indistinguishable. Nevertheless, both groups played key roles in resisting colonial forces.
A 1768 visit by French priest Abbé Valladares to Grand Sable, the Caribs’ main settlement, records Chatoyer rejecting allegiance to the British Crown, declaring, “*Quel roi?*” (“What king?”). A portrait of Chatoyer, painted in 1764 by Italian artist Agostino Brunias, remains the only visual representation of him.
Juan Francisco Bulnes – Republic of Honduras
Juan Francisco Bulnes, or “Walumugu,” was born on 12 December 1808, in Río Negro, Trujillo, Honduras. Trained in maritime strategy by British sailors who nicknamed him “John Bull,” Walumugu became a multilingual soldier and a lieutenant under Central American liberator Francisco Morazán during the Unionist Wars.
Walumugu fought for the emancipation of Central America, participating in battles across Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. After Morazán’s death in 1842, Walumugu resettled in Trujillo, where he lived until his death at age 70. Recognised as a Garifuna and national hero, his contributions are honoured annually during Honduras’ independence celebrations.
Barrouallie (Barauda) – St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Barrouallie, or Barauda, was a formidable Garifuna leader born in St. Vincent. As one of Chief Chatoyer’s wives, she played a significant role in strategising and leading resistance efforts against British colonisation. Oral tradition portrays her as courageous and decisive, even admonishing Chatoyer with the words, “Give me your trousers, and I will give you my skirt,” when she saw him faltering in battle.
After Chatoyer’s death, Barauda assumed leadership alongside her son, Chatoyer Jr. Tragically, she was murdered on Balliceaux Island in 1797 before the surviving Garifuna were exiled to Roatán. Her legacy endures through annual commemorations and honours such as the Barauda International Award, recognising influential Garifuna women.
Dr. Alfonso Lacayo Sánchez – Republic of Honduras
Dr. Alfonso Lacayo Sánchez, born on 2 August 1923 in La Ceiba, Atlántida, Honduras, overcame significant challenges to become the first Garifuna doctor in Honduras. Despite limited early education opportunities, his determination led him to the prestigious Salesian Institute San Miguel, and later to the Faculty of Medicine at the National Autonomous University of Honduras.
After graduating in 1962, Dr. Lacayo chose to serve Garifuna communities, founding the first Maternal and Child Clinic and the Salvador Paredes Hospital in Trujillo. He also supported agricultural cooperatives, poultry farms, and scholarships for Garifuna nurses and teachers. Despite facing political persecution for his liberal views, he remained a pillar of his community until his death on 22 March 1985. His contributions are commemorated annually, with monuments and institutions named in his honour.
