Independence Junior College Crowned 2024 Battle of the Drums Champion

Independence Junior College is the winner of the 19th Annual Belize Battle of the Drums competition. The competition, the grand finale event for the November celebrations, was held in Punta Gorda Town on Saturday. Seven competing bands, five Belizean, one from Honduras, and one from Guatemala, battled for this year’s top spot. The Punta Gorda Sporting Complex came alive with cultural music and tightly choreographed dances in vibrant uniforms. President of the Battle of the Drums Secretariat Darius Avila explained how the participants were scored.

Independence Junior College walked away with $1,800, a pair of customized Garifuna drums valued at $1,000 and a Ziricote trophy also valued at a thousand dollars. For them to keep the trophy they will have to win next year’s competition as well. The Hawani Wayunagu Dangriga Group came in second place and third place went to the Georgetown Ibayani Group.