Belize has lost a towering figure in cultural preservation and education with the passing of Sebastian Cayetano, a veteran educator and one of the most prominent advocates for Garifuna culture and heritage. Cayetano is survived by his son, Isani Cayetano, who serves as News 5 Director.
Cayetano had battled chronic health conditions for half a decade. Five years before his death, he received a diagnosis of an enlarged heart, and his condition worsened when doctors later identified kidney failure. Just last Friday, his family made a public appeal for assistance with mounting medical costs as his health declined.
Tributes have poured in from across Belize’s cultural and political sectors, starting with the National Garifuna Council (NGC) Belize City Branch, where Cayetano once served as president. The organization remembered him as a beloved former leader, a veteran educator, a respected historian, and a cultural giant whose decades of work left an indelible mark on the Garifuna community.
Throughout his long tenure as an educator, his leadership at the NGC, and his relentless dedication to the Luba Garifuna Museum, Cayetano made it his life’s mission to guarantee that Garifuna history, language, and traditions would be preserved for future generations, the NGC said. Describing him as a true pillar of strength, knowledge, and national pride for the entire Garifuna nation, the council extended its deepest condolences to Cayetano’s family, close friends, and the wider Garifuna community both at home and abroad.
In a call to action to honor Cayetano’s legacy, the NGC urged Garinagu (the plural term for Garifuna people) across Belize and in the global diaspora to carry forward his work. “Teach the children our language. Share our history. Protect our culture. Stand proud in our identity,” the council stated.
Belize’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology also released a statement honoring Cayetano’s decades of service. Minister Francis Fonseca, alongside the ministry’s senior management and all staff, recognized Cayetano as a distinguished educator and a passionate, unwavering advocate for Garifuna culture and heritage.
Cayetano’s career in education spanned nearly four decades, from 1965 to 2004, where he taught at both the primary and secondary school levels. In that time, he shaped the lives and worldviews of generations of Belizeans, the ministry noted. Beyond his work in the classroom, he was a proud and uncompromising defender of Garifuna identity, language, and traditions, dedicating his entire life to preserving and elevating Belize’s rich cultural heritage.
“His legacy will continue to inspire future generations to embrace, protect and celebrate our diverse cultural identities,” the ministry said, as it extended its condolences to Cayetano’s family, friends, and loved ones.