Seine Bight's Lirahuyu Seinbeidi Determined to Reclaim Battle of the Drums Championship Title

from The Placencia Breeze November 2018

by The Placencia Chapter of the BTIA

Devin Guzman Joins Seine Bight Running Club Crew of Coaches

**The "Children of Seine Bight" will take the stage on Saturday, Nov. 17.**
ALEXANDER SMITH/BTB

By JOLIE POLLARD, Editor in Chief, The Placencia Breeze, pollard.jolie@gmail.com

Talk to some people in Seine Bight, and they’ll tell you that the only reason Lirahuyu Seinbedi didn’t capture first prize in last year’s Battle of the Drums is because, well, “They can’t make them win EVERY year.” The 2015-2016, back-to-back champions are hoping that after serving their third-place sentence in 2017, they can come home with the championship title again this year.

When not witnessing their spellbinding presentation at the Battle of the Drums, people on the Peninsula can see the young men performing at weddings, wakes and birthday parties, but their show at the Battle of the Drums is not one to be missed. Hours and hours of dedicated practice bring a fierce presence like no other to the stage.

**Ewarth Martinez performs the Jankunu dance during last year's competition.**
ALEXANDER SMITH/BTB

Conceptualized in 2006, the Battle of the Drums has grown into an award-winning international event in Belize having won the Belize Tourism Board’s Major Festival of the Year Award in 2016 and hosting competitors from Guatemala and Honduras, in addition to talented groups from around Belize. A win for Seine Bight’s Lirahuyu Seinebedi is monumental, and an achievement they hold dear to their hearts.

Translating to “Children of Seine Bight” in English, Lirahuyu Seinbedi is comprised of six male artists, ranging from ages 16 to 20 carrying their respective talents of dancing, singing and drumming. They are Ronnel Thomas, Ewarth Martinez, Devin Guzman, Jarrid Flores, Jarmil Ramirez and Steve Maximo. According to 19-year-old band leader, Ronnel Thomas, who graduated from Independence High School in May and has joined a few others in the village on a fundraising campaign to finance their sixth form (junior college) education, they have been practicing every single day during the month leading up to the event from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m..

**Band leader, Ronnel Thomas says the group has been practicing for hours everyday during the month leading up to the event.**
ALEXANDER SMITH/BTB

Their driving force to compete is the same that keeps the Battle of the Drums going: a burning desire to promote and preserve their Garifuna culture. “We do it because we love it, and we want our young kids to learn and keep our culture alive,” says Thomas, speaking in the voice of someone beyond his teen years. “We want our younger villagers to know that our culture is here, and we need it to uplift our language. These kids nowadays, they don’t know what the words mean anymore. We want to help and assist them. Music helps to know the language.” The boys will be judged on their creativity, technique and style. The young men thank all their supporters for the opportunity to compete this year.▪

**More than competitors, Lirahuyu Seinbeidi see themselves as advocates for cultural preservation in Seine Bight.**
ALEXANDER SMITH/BTB

Read more about Battle of the Drums in the new Destination Belize, the official visitor guide to Belize, published by the Belize Tourism Industry Association. Browse the online copy at destinationbelize.com.