Palmento Grove Garifuna Eco-Cultural & Healing Institute

We did the cooking class and drumming lesson. From the moment we arrived via kayak, we were immersed in Garifuna culture. After a tour of the grounds and some introduction Garifuna, we made one of the most delicious and unique meals we’ve ever had. We made coconut milk from scratch—even husked the coconuts—and mashed plantain with a giant mortar and pestle. Along with fried fish, this made the Garifuna specialty of Hudut. It was delicious and we gained an appreciation for the work that goes into making it. After the meal, we had a drumming lesson which was also great. Definitely take them up on the offer to borrow traditional Garifuna clothes!

We were on a fact finding mission to visit different parts of the country to possibly relocate. After visiting Corazol for a few days, we wanted to see the southern areas. So we picked a place near a town we were interested in. It was advertised as a place to learn about the Garafuna culture so we made reservations and off we went. As we nesred the town, our driver asked for the address to plug it in because his GPS doesn't find how to get to the address.i couldn't find it either! We called and the owner/operator answered and gave us directions. We would have never found it alone. The drop-off location said Kayak Pickup Point. Yes. You reach the resort via a quick kayak ride across a channel! We were given a tour of the island as we walked to our bungalow. I was really impressed with all the things to explore and experience. Our room was not for the Ritz Carlton crowd. It was perfect for people who go with the flow however. We were told what time breakfast begins and invited to help cook. I thought she was kidding. We helped cook learning new ways to prepare foods. The fried bread was amazing! We were the only guests staying in the island so it was just so quiet and we could see the sky like rarely before. We spent 3 days exploring the area, the food, and learning. It was sad we had to leave. We made a friend.

During our visit we had been learning from locals about Garifuna history and traditions but folks recommended we take the cultural tour to learn more. It was the best decision we made. We were lucky in that the 9 other people that were supposed to be on the tour with us dropped out last minute. That allowed us to have more detailed, intimate conversations with our guide, Eugene. He was a great teacher but also very patient as I asked a lot of questions. He was very kind and compassionate to me as I had some emotional responses (positive) to parts of the discussions. The history; many of us not of Caucasian descent have known for a long time that Indigenous Africans predated Colombus's arrival to the Americas but this was the first time I got to sit with and learn directly from the descendants of one of those cultures. What an incredible education. The herb walk was incredible. Then we made Hudut, a famous and traditional Garifuna stew using fresh herbs we had picked on the walk. We had already tried it at a local bar and restaurant and but making it from beginning to end was a whole different experience. It is one of the best coconut curry stews we have ever had. The tour ended with a drum lesson, where we learned 3 trasitional rhythms, Sebastian was a great teacher! We learned the rhythms really quickly. Learning about the indigenous sustainable practice on the Island was humbling as well. I would highly recommend this tour to everyone who comes to visit Hopkins village.