The 1970s were a guitar-riffing heyday for Rolling Stone magazine. From the breakup of The Beatles in 1970, to the Billboard domination of rock legends like Led Zeppelin and Aerosmith, there was no shortage of music news during this decade. While the rock revolution appeared to occur exclusively on either side of the Pond, Belizean musicians were having a notable jam session of their own along the sunny shores of the Caribbean.
The brainchild of Pen Cayetano and the Turtle Shell Band, punta rock started making waves in the late 1970s as a medium for social commentary. While the genre is built on the traditional punta rhythm of the Garifuna people, electric guitars, synthesizers, and catchy hooks contribute to the contemporary sound. Punta instrumentation—including bass and treble drums, maracas, and a set of turtle shells—is often accompanied by a performance of kuliao, a competitive fertility dance of West African origin. Punta rock has gained significant popularity throughout Latin America, but Belizean punta—often sung in the Kriol language—has established a unique following in its celebration of Belizean identity. Punta Rebels, Aziatic, and Super G are all great examples of modern punta.
