On Tuesday, the Bronx-based Garifuna Coalition USA, Inc. expressed its deepest condolences to the family, friends, and the entire Garifuna nation on the passing of the legendary Garifuna musician Aurelio Martínez.
The Honduran-born popular musician was reportedly among 12 people killed in a plane crash off the Caribbean coast of Honduras Monday night. Five others were injured. Martínez was 55.
“His voice, music, and unwavering commitment to preserving and promoting Garifuna culture transcended borders, uniting our people and sharing our rich heritage with the world,” said José Francisco Ávila, managing director of the Garifuna Coalition USA, Inc.
“As we mourn this tremendous loss, we also celebrate his extraordinary life and lasting contributions. May his soul rest in eternal peace,” he added.
Ávila said Martínez – a singer, guitarist, composer, and percussionist – was “a true virtuoso and one of Central America’s most gifted performers.”
Born in the community of Plaplaya, where he spent his formative years, Ávila said Martínez moved to La Ceiba at 14 to pursue higher education, “working and studying diligently.
“Acclaimed for both his preservation and modernization of the Garifuna musical tradition, Aurelio’s virtuosity was evident in his distinctive, penetrating vocals and his exceptional talent as a composer,” said Ávila, stating that Martínez was born into a family with a long and distinguished musical tradition in the small Garifuna community of Plaplaya in Honduras.
“He began playing the guitar as soon as he could hold the instrument, and, by the age of six, he was regularly playing drums at social gatherings,” Ávila added.
Inspired by his grandmother and father, he said Martínez amassed “a vast repertoire, enabling him to develop his own unique style.”
Ávila said Martínez’s professional musical career began in Honduras in 1984, leading him to join Vicente Blandon’s Shahilas band.
In 1989, he returned to La Ceiba as co-founder of Colectivarte with Guillermo Anderson and Lucas Calderón and formed the Garifuna ensemble, Lita Ariran, which recorded “Songs of the Garifuna (Honduras)” with JVC Company of Japan, Ávila said.
“This project marked the beginning of the internationalization of Garifuna music with a tour to Japan,” he said.
In 1993, Ávila said Martínez joined Alfonso “Fonchin” Flores’ Los Gatos Bravos, a leading band and pioneer of the Punta genre.
In 1997, Ávila said Martínez formed his band and recorded his first “Innocence“ album in the Punta Rock genre.
“This album solidified Aurelio as a pivotal figure in the Garifuna music scene, bringing it to a global audience,“ he said. “Alongside his Belizean colleague Andy Palacio (RIP), he continued the internationalization of Garifuna music through the Paranda genre.
“Aurelio Martínez’s legacy is profound artistic achievement and cultural preservation,“ Ávila added. “He will be remembered not only for his extraordinary musical talent but also for his unwavering dedication to sharing the beauty and richness of Garifuna culture with the world.”
