Belize was Britain's only colony in Spanish-dominated Central America until self-government in 1964 and gaining full Independence in 1981.
[1][2] African culture resulted in the creation of brukdown music in interior logging camps, played using banjo, guitar, drums, dingaling bell, accordion and an ass' jaw bone played by running a stick up and down the teeth.
Almost forty sites of ancient Mayan ruins have been discovered in the Belizean area of the Yucatán Peninsula.
In 1986, the excavation of the tombs of two elite Maya women in Pacbitun revealed a myriad assortment of ancient flutes, rattles, and ceramic drums.
The shapes and styles of the flutes found in the tombs suggest that instruments served an important role in Mayan burial.
These flutes were also capable of playing several octaves, which suggests melody and tone as a key musical aspect in ancient Maya.
[10] Buru was often satirical in nature, and eventually grew more urban, accompanied by a donkey's jawbone, drums and a banjo.
Popular brukdown groups include The Tigers, The Mahogany Chips, Mimi Female Duet and Brad Pattico.
Forms of Garifuna folk music and dance encompass many styles including: punta, hungu-hungu, combination, wanaragua, abaimahani, matamuerte, laremuna wadaguman, gunjai, charikanari, sambai, charikanari, eremuna egi, paranda, berusu, punta rock, teremuna ligilisi, arumahani, and Mali-amalihani.
These drums are typically made of hollowed-out hardwood such as mahogany or mayflower, with the skins coming from the peccary (wild bush pig), deer, or sheep.
These shakers are made from the dried fruit of the gourd tree, filled with seeds, then fitted with hardwood handles.
[11] These musicians have taken many aspects from traditional Garifuna music forms and fused them with more modern sounds in a style described as a mixture of punta rock and paranda.