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Belize-STREET MUSICAL EDUCATION, SEINE BIGHT VILLAGE


the project concerns street education for children and young people through traditional music and dance, in the indigenous village of the Garifuna people of Seine Bight. Seine Bight is a village with problems of poverty, violence and health in the little ones.

In 2001, the Garifuna people, together with their music and their traditional dance, were proclaimed by UNESCO "treasures of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity". A treasure that is in danger of being lost. The Wanaragua, the prince dance performed by Ubafu, is a satirical and desecrating dance towards the colonial era slaveholders, represented by children / young dancers in masked costumes, accompanied by percussion and voices.

It is a street musical satire of West African origin and common in some Caribbean countries. Garifuna and Belizean Creoles forced into slavery in mahogany plantations - they played down their slave condition by simulating the poor rhythmic skills of their English slave masters, dancing out of time.

The common thread that unites the "Rainbow Belize" projects is the recovery-prevention of situations of high psychosocial risk to which children and minors are severely exposed: crack at a very young age (even at 8 years of age), child prostitution, child trafficking and trafficking of organs, recruitment in Central American drug trafficking, gang life .. during the four-year period 2012-2015, models of social agriculture and horticulture-therapy were promoted as rehabilitation programs for the recovery of minors at risk; a street education program (traditional indigenous music and dances) was carried out as positive alternatives to street life, and training of local NGOs and community leaders on these issues was carried out to raise awareness of action on child and youth hardship.

General objective

Contribute to the psychosocial well-being of children and adolescents in the village of Seine Bight through traditional art and music. Promote income-generating activities (construction of traditional percussion), possible creation of a "solidarity brand" for sale. Promote and preserve the cultural identity and traditions of the Garifuna people.


Specific Objectives

Mobilize the community to educate young people through art and music.

To sensitize children and young people to the cultural and artistic tradition of their people.

Promote the acquisition of new skills.

Promote intercultural exchange with international musicians.

Increase the visibility and the market of the instruments produced.


Expected results

Adequate levels of social participation in Ubafu's activities: more members, more performance, greater visibility in the country. Adequate production and sale of percussion, in order to support Ubafu's activities. Improvement of the psychosocial well-being of children and adolescents through participation in educational-artistic processes.


Need Analysis

Indigenous people are defined as vulnerable groups: in Belize they are the Maya and the Garifuna, the latter considered as a tribal people. Both ethnic groups live respecting ancient traditions and customs, but unfortunately they live in a condition of complete marginalization from the national community system (Indigenous People's Framework, Social Investment Funds, 2010.


Activities

Implementation of Ubafu Art Company's current activities: live show, promotion: a video shot during a street parade in January 2011 will be used as a promotional DVD. An information program to involve Seine Bight's youth. Training, revenue creation and sales related to percussion production. Creation of a "solidarity brand" for the sale and promotion of a solidarity dimension of the project. Artistic-cultural exchange with musicians from Italy.


Actors

Rainbow Belize:

http://www.rainbowprojects.it

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rainbow-Belize-project/216084755070216;

Pino Scotto, On the Road, Real Vision Production, Hibu Brewery, MPE;

Legemerie Ubafu Art Company has been playing and dancing for 12 years on the Placencia peninsula, in the streets of the village and in some clubs. The group is made up of 16 members including drummers and wanaragua dancers.



Attached


Local context

Belize, as a developing country (DC), struggles to overcome the numerous challenges and social problems resulting from the considerable state of poverty.

The Country Poverty Assessment drawn up by the UNDP shows that 33.5% of the population continues to live below the poverty line (in rural areas the percentage is 44.2%), of which 10% in a state of poverty and 22 % of matriarchal mononuclear families in conditions of extreme difficulty (UNDP, 2009 Country Report).

1/3 of the population does not have access to an adequate amount of food, while 1/9 is unable to satisfy basic food needs. The country's economic situation is gradually worsening due to the increase in public debt (97%).

The main social problems concern:

* early school leaving and juvenile crime

* increase in domestic violence

* increase in poverty levels

* a growing dependence on local authorities to meet basic needs: food, clothing, health care, school fees.


Technical Project Data

Continent

AMERICA

village

BELIZE

Location

SEINE BIGHT VILLAGE

Project start

2011

Duration

2 YEARS

Project status

CONCLUDED

Project manager

CATERINA VETRO

Project Cost

€ 00,000

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