Story

Garifuna Greats: Listen to 'Sandi Le'

The beach at the small Garifuna town of Corozal, Honduras. Image by David Rochkind. Honduras, 2013.

Music and lyrics written and performed by Aurelio Martinez, Jens Erik Gould and Rolando “Chichiman” Sosa. Traditional music and dance help raise awareness of the HIV/AIDS epidemic that has ravaged the Garifuna of Honduras.

Transcript 

(Garifuna)
This sickness, this sickness
Don’t hide from it; we still love you
This sickness, this sickness
Won’t take your love away

(English)
There’s a girl named Maria
The affliction of her man soon became hers
She hides her face in shame
Afraid to say what she’s got inside
She hides; people sneer and stare at her
She may soon leave this Earth

(Garifuna)
That girl she’s now gone
Her husband never told her the truth
That he was sick
Look at that girl; her husband didn’t tell her he was sick
He infected her with this terrible sickness
Friends, she’s now gone.

(Garifuna)
This sickness, this sickness
Don’t hide from it; we still love you
This sickness, this sickness
Won’t take your love away

(English)
Maria she found strength to stand up for herself
You hear her sing, “Sandi Le won’t take my love away”

(Garifuna)
Maria told me she’s no longer ashamed
To tell people that she’s sick
So she can help others with this sickness in this world.

(Garifuna)
This sickness, this sickness
Don’t hide from it; we still love you
This sickness, this sickness
Won’t take your love away

The time is now. The time is now