šARšš's Philosophy
Our Mission
Our Vision
Garifuna Institute for Research and Indigenous Understanding (GARIU) places utmost importance on providing comprehensive education aimed at empowering individuals to confidently contribute towards progressive and constructive society building. To achieve this objective, GARIU has adopted the Ancestral Garifuna Mental Model (TAGMMODE) as its central guiding framework. By integrating this time-tested indigenous knowledge system into the modern education system, GARIU aims to nurture individuals who are not only equipped with academic knowledge but also possess a deep understanding of their cultural heritage. GARIU firmly believes that this approach will enable students to make a positive and lasting impact on society by embracing values such as respect, empathy, discipline, and community spirit. GARIU is committed to cultivating a diverse and inclusive educational environment that encourages academic excellence and fosters personal development.
GARIU is a passionate and dedicated organization that has taken up the crucial task of protecting and advancing the mental model developed by the wise and time-honored Garifuna ancestors. This unique and powerful mental model is specifically designed to promote and encourage the building of a virtuous world – one in which the Garinagu people are provided with numerous and significant opportunities to develop and maximize their full range of capacities, including their spiritual, social, scientific, legal, technological, and economic competencies.
The Garifuna nation has always been at the forefront of creating a better and brighter future for its people, and GARIU is committed to ensuring that the Garinagu community continues to thrive through participatory community-building initiatives. With a focus on empowering and nurturing the Garifuna people, GARIU is dedicated to making sure its members have all the tools and resources they need to achieve their goals and make a positive impact in the world. Join us in our mission to protect and promote the Garifuna ancestral way of life!
Garifuna Institute for Research and Indigenous Understanding (GARIU)Ā truly believes in a world where virtues are highly valued and prioritized. It is the vision of the Institute to ensure that every Garifuna individual has access to high-quality educational opportunities that will enable them to unlock their full potential and contribute meaningfully to community development in a collaborative and inclusive way. With this vision in mind, GARIU is committed to providing comprehensive educational resources, programming, and support services to all students, regardless of their background or circumstances. The Institute firmly believes that by nurturing the unique talents, skills, and perspectives of each Garifuna student, they can help build stronger and more resilient communities that are better equipped to tackle the challenges facing society today.
What Is The Garifuna Mental Model?
The Ancestral Garifuna Mental Model is a universal, relevant and progressive worldview which has facilitated the survival and thriving of the Garinagu in their homeland, Saint Vincent, and in those countries where the Garinagu subsequently settled. It is therefore fitting that such a mental model be the central guiding pillar of GARIU’s Vision and Mission. The ancestral Garifuna mental model proved effective against the colonial mental model which gave rise to the virulent, racism-grounded slavery in the New World. There is no doubt that the ancestral Garifuna mental model, aside from the military prowess the Garinagu developed to protect themselves, contributed to the fear the colonists had towards the Garinagu, a fear that led to the thought of the colonists having them exiled from St Vincent to a remote part of Africa, far from the new World. Subsequent to the Garinagu being exiled from St Vincent in March 1797, over time, they were more and more assimilated into the mainstream life of the countries they made their new home and hence less and less lived as autonomous as they were in St Vincent. They were now subject to colonial life, so education over time led to their deculturalization. The education GARIU will provide is geared towards the re-building and strengthening of the ancestral Garifuna mental model and values, factors that held our people together to grow and develop as a nation.
Elements of the Ancestral Garifuna Mental Model include the following:
- The primacy of GodĀ
- Reverence towards the spirits of our ancestorsĀ
- Strategic thinkingĀ
- High value of the familyĀ
- Self-sufficiency
Consensus-based governanceĀ
JusticeĀ
FearlessnessĀ
ResilienceĀ
UniversalityĀ