7 News Belize

Ugandani Reunites
posted (September 25, 2009)

Way before the Garifuna All-Stars or Umalali there was the Ugandani Dance Group. Noemi Flores formed the group in 1986 and for 20 years the Ugandani dancers and drummers crisscrossed Europe and Asia as ambassadors of Garifuna dance and music. But Ugandani fell off the radar after its 2003 performance in Japan. The members moved away, fell out of touch, and that brought an end to the drum beat. But the news tonight is that 30 members of the original group have reunited and will perform together for the first time in a long while on Saturday night at the Bliss Center. It is a much anticipated reunion concert and today we spoke to the group’s director Mathew Martinez and got a preview.

Mathew Martinez, Director
“The title of the show is ‘We are meeting again’ or we are reuniting and the major purpose of this show is for us to bring all, as much as possible the old members, of Ugandani together as well as the current members. So we are starting from 1986 since our inception to 2009.

The show will feature traditional Garifuna music and dance as well as drumming and singing. We also have for the show, a highlight of the show is the Wanagra and that will be done by some children, some young boys from Belize City.

It is not only a reunion concert, it is also to reorganize the group itself because the group has been a little dormant for about three to four years, about four or five years, and we believe that Ugandani is a very strong group and it is a group that educates the general public and uplifts the Garifuna culture here in Belize City because most of us are originally from different parts of the country.

It will be a spectacular show, an action packed show, nothing to miss and it is only $10 per person and I can assure you that after you pay that $10 you will even want to give us more contribution for the performance itself because it will be very very well put together.”

You can see the group performing live on Saturday night at the bliss. Tickets will be available at the door.

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