Santos Ramirez was noted as one of the most popular buyeis in Belize for more than three decades. He was born in 1882 in Seine Bight known throughout the Garifuna community as the “home of young intelligent folks in the physical South”. His parents Eufemio Ramirez and Mauricia Martinez had him and his older sister Simeona Ramirez before their father went back to Honduras, his country of origin. Mauricia refused to go when her husband requested her to follow him. She had preferred to stay with her relatives in Seine Bight village. It wasn’t long after that, that she got involved with Victor Marin for whom she bore five other children – Catarina, Ramona, Seperino, Antolina, Obispa and Arcadio.

Santos or Bába Sandu, as he was affectionately known, grew up as a normal boy and attended primary school under Mr. Secundino Ogaldez. While he was still at home his concerned, attentive mother got him to become an apprentice in the basket-weaving craft under the tutelage of master craftsman Mr. Santiago Lambey. While there, he learned to make baskets, cassava-sieve, large pataki, bagara (small pataki) and wowla (cassava squeezer). He mastered the preparation of the raw materials, willow tree. Bába Sandu also learned to sew fish nets with large and small meshes. These multifaceted skills would become useful in his later life as he used them to support a remarkable family.

As a normal young-man he fell in love with Maria Martinez and engaged her with the burning desire to marry his childhood sweetheart. A sudden turn of events in the life of young Santos occurred leading up to compelling story. A chain of events ensued, shaped and changed his life and the lives of those around him forever. Strange phenomena began to manifest themselves to him. He began to experience unusual dreams and apparitions. Spirits of the ancestors made their endearment and wish known ingratiating themselves in no uncertain terms. Whenever he voiced his refusal to accept their offer of clairvoyance, he would swoon and fall into convulsions. Many months passed by and Santos’ health kept failing as he lay in his hammock. He, in his stubborn way, was adamant in denying the Hiyuruha (divining spirit helpers) his consent. He was been wooed to become a medium between the living Garinagu and the deceased family members. His devastated mother, with the unwavering support of his sisters and brothers tried to persuade him to accept the rare spiritual gift he was been offered. Traditionally, buyeis are specially chosen by the spirits of the ancestors. Some villagers thought that he was out of his mind and pronounced him demented while others tried to discourage his fiancée from continuing their love affair. She remained constant as the northern star.

One day two men sent by a master buyei from Chawecha, Guatemala arrived in Seine Bight in search of the young sick man with a strong message to go with them for healing or else. Santos finally agreed to go with the messengers. Accompanied by relatives, Santos was soon on his way for healing and initiation into the realm of mysticism and spiritualism.

On his arrival in Chawecha the postulant was duly prepared for his future illustrious spiritual career and lifelong work. During the proceedings of the ritual the new prospective buyei was given his mandate as dictated by the Hiyuruha (spirits of the ancestors). The guidelines and rules of his service to the community were clearly defined and articulated. The new buyei, like all others before him, was warned and reminded not to abuse his spiritual powers and was not to commercialize his service and knowledge. There is a consequence imposed by the Hiyuruha. His initiation having been successfully completed, Bába Sandu returned home fully ready to perform the duties of a buyei. He was completely healed and ready to direct the proceedings of his first dügü healing ritual.

Young man Santos got married to Maria and from their conjugal union came nine children, namely, Eduvijes, Faustino, Clotilda, Felicia, John Gualberto, Nicolasa, (a.k.a. Clara), Victor, Fermina and Alexina. One of them, Clara, was also a buyei.

The first dügü ceremony he celebrated was one that was sponsored by the Estrada family at the Dabuyaba (Garifuna Temple) built and owned by Hammer. It was not long before news of his name and prowess quickly went far and wide. For over three decades his fame and reputation traveled far within the Diaspora. As a result all roads led to Seine Bight and countless people came in search of healing by Bába Sandu, the buyei. People came from as far North as Corozal District and from as far South as Labuga and more than forty-five Garifuna villages in Honduras. All who came to him went away completely satisfied and pleased after Bába Sandu put their worries to rest.

It is fitting at this point to mention one of Baba Sandu’s priced possessions, a maraca (a rattle) that he named “Maraga”. The rattle had a special place in his sanctum and was always covered with a piece of red cloth. “Maraga” was used when there was a difficult, challenging case and the outcome of the healing process seemed dubious. After playing it for some time, he would release his grip of it. If “Maraga” stood up on its peg or handle the person would be eventually cured. If “Maraga” remained lying on the ground, the chances for the survival of the sick person were dim.

The village of Seine Bight was fortunate and honored to have had a spiritual leader like Bába Sandu, a man of pleasant disposition. Indeed, he was a man of uncommon and admirable qualities. He was by nature a reserved, quiet, soft-spoken and private person. Sincerity, honesty and truthfulness were the hallmarks of his character. When individuals went to look for him on health matters he always knew they were coming and was aware of the nature of their request. He knew in advance if he could help or not. Before leaving his home on his way to his sister Simeona’s house, he would say to his wife, “I am expecting someone today. I’ll be at my sister’s house.” That announcement never failed. He never pretended to be able to cure or heal every ailment. If the illness needed the attention of a medical doctor, he would advise the individuals to seek professional medical help. When an ailment was within the range of his capability he would first consult the Hiyuruha (spirit helpers) during a special ritual known in Garifuna as “Areiraguagüdüni”. The spirit helpers are invoked by special chanting done by women “gayusa” causing the buyei to go into a trance-like state while the spirits speak through him explaining to those present the cause of the illness and the recommended cure for it. It is worth mentioning that the Spirit Helpers communicate in old, ancient Garifuna language using terms from the Arawak and Kallina languages.

The Spiritual Helpers are helpful in several ways. They protect the immediate family members from harm, physical and spiritual. One of Bába Sandu’s nephews often recounted incidents when he was away at a sawmill camp, on several occasions, he felt the presence of a spirit entity. One day he experienced hearing an unusually solemn, shrill whistling sound in his camp after returning home in the evening. On meeting his uncle, Bába Sandu in Seine Bight after that occasion, he (Bába Sandu), with a chuckle, described to him how he reacted in a frightened, startled manner and added that Rucio and Eufemio (Spirit Helpers) systematically paid him (his nephew) courtesy visits at the sawmill camp.

The Hiyuruha often reveal certain unexplainable phenomena. One day in 1952 a British Ship passed by in front of Seine Bight few miles away sounding its horn. The whole village was curious and started to guess at what the sound meant. Bába Sandu through the assistance of his spirit helpers was able to explain to the inquiring people that the British vessel was announcing the death of His Majesty, King George VI who had died in his sleep.

The unusual events involving Bába Sandu and his impact on the community are seared into the memories of the people of Seine Bight. In the early 1940s Vicente Gotoy was murdered and his body was apparently dragged to the beach and dumped into the deep sea with a huge, iron ballast tied around the neck. For three days men from the village searched for the body with no success. At the end of the third day Bába Sandu advised the search crew to go back to the area they visited previously, but this time they were to press forward eastward until they reached where the point of the bight and the west end of False Cay seemed to meet. He assured them that they were going to find the body there. Lo and behold! As the search crew arrived at the designated spot, the body surfaced with a weighty iron around its neck.

One day, a master drummer of the village wanted to know if it was safe for him to go to Dangriga to play drums for a dügü. Bába Sandu responded, “If I were you, I would not go because your family owes your ancestors an offering, a dügü.” The man ignoring the warning from Bába Sandu, unknowing to his wife traveled to Dangriga and participated in the dügü. While playing the base drum and a certain song was being sung the man slipped into a trance from which he never recovered and died. Long before the message was received in Seine Bight, Bába Sandu had informed the family of the sudden tragedy.

Another spectacular event confirmed Bába Sandu uncanny, supernatural ability. His wife’s niece was gravely ill in the Stann Creek Hospital. While there she became worse and passed away. That particular day was the day the mail-boat, Heron H. traveled southward as far as Punta Gorda Town. John Noralez, Sr. a.k.a. John Box, one of the sailors on board, was given a message in Stann Creek Town (now Dangriga) to relay it to Seine Bight. Two mail boys, walking three miles along the beach, were always in Placentia to pick up the village mails. John Box made sure he delivered the sad news to the mail boys. It was after midnight when the mail carriers arrived in Seine Bight. Before they reached the home of Pilaya Lewis to relay the sad news to her family, Bába Sandu met them and asked if they were on their way to deliver the bad news. He continued by saying that they didn’t have to because he had already told them. The boys were shocked and bewildered. The impact of that incident is indelible.

Bába Sandu supported his family of nine children in diverse ways. The service he gave the community as a buyei was not a means of earning wages as the hiyuruha traditionally dictated only a small amount, less than a dollar which was a always placed in a calabash cup. Essentially he was a farmer raising tropical crops mainly cassava, plantains, yams and bananas. During the banana season in the 30s and the 40s he traveled to Monkey River with loads of bananas for sale to banana companies. He also owned a seine for catching fishes in large quantities, but he hired men to operate that business for him. From this he earned a modest living. When he was not farming he spent most of his time weaving wowlas (cassava squeezers). At a younger age he was hired as a mahogany laborer at a mahogany camp where he learned the art of making rectangular and round wooden bowls.

As an herbalist Bába Sandu learned from his Hiyuruha (Spirit Helpers) the art of identifying the herbs he needed for curing certain ailments. The tropical rain forest was his drugstore that yielded herbs of all sorts suitable for different diseases. He also knew how to apply first aid in case of snake bites.

For many years, leading and guiding his people, a buyei’s life inevitably comes to an end, mission having been accomplished. On November17, 1962 after a brilliant spiritual career, at the age of eighty years following a short illness Bába Sandu passed away peacefully at his residence in Seine Bight. The elements were so mixed in him that the world could stand up and say, “This was a true man.” Henrenguti ladairún aban wügüri libe. (It is difficult to find an adequate replacement for him.)