- artist:Andy Palacio & the Garifuna Collective
- region:Caribbean
- release year:2007
- style(s):Roots, Acoustic
- country:Belize
- formats:Audio File / Digital, CD (Compact Disc)
- record posted by:Cumbancha / Putumayo
- label:Cumbancha / Putumayo
- publisher:Cumbancha Music Publishing
- buy this record
A stunning album featuring a multigenerational, all-star lineup of musicians from the African-Amerindian Garifuna communities of Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras. Filled with enchanting rhythms, powerful melodies and a deep soulfulness that recalls Cape Verdean or Afro-Peruvian music, Watina has been praised by media worldwide as one of the best world music albums in recent memory, Watina is the masterwork of the late Andy Palacio, whose sudden death in January 2008 shocked his homeland of Belize and the international music community.
Echoes of the poignant history of the Garifuna can be heard reverberating through the songs on this album. Beaten out on distinctive Garifuna drums, called primero and segunda, the rhythms recall the spirit of a long-lost Africa, where their exact origins are shrouded in mystery. The melodies are tinged with a heart-wrenching melancholy that reflects a longing for answers to the enigmatic questions of both the past and the future, as well as joyful cries of celebration and thanks for the uplifting traditions they have been blessed with. The lyrics deal with the everyday challenges of life, faith in the face of adversity, and rallying cries of hope and solidarity.