Gifiti is a prepared beverage associated with the Garifuna community, named after the Garifuna word for “bitter”. With its origins as a medicinal concoction of the Afro-descendants of Honduras, its ingredients include herbs such as chamomile, pericon, anise, fat pepper, cloves and palo de hombre, among others.

Although it consists of a base of seven plants, Gifiti can include up to 38 different types of roots, leaves, branches, flowers and seeds. These can vary depending on the recipe, which many Garifuna protect as one of the best kept secrets of their family and culture.

Usage

Gifiti, it is said, has medicinal treatment function for the Garifuna - a belief that extends beyond Hondurans of African descent. They attribute to it powers to heal ailments as well as to enhance men’s libido.

The drink has been used as a preventative measure, as well as to treat everything from hot flashes and stress to menstrual cramps and back pain. For some, Gifiti is behind giving the Garifuna community longer and healthier lives.

Above all, of course, discretion is emphasized with the use of Gifiti and responsible handling focused on its medicinal purpose and not for the intoxicating effect of abusing it. The recommended measure is no more than three small drinks a day.

Although some of the ingredients that form the basis of Gifiti are known, the recipes vary - and are highly guarded among the Garifuna culture.

Preparation

All the ingredients are combined in a pot along with the liquor of choice - among the most popular are rum and aguardiente, although originally it was prepared with water. Depending on the recipe, it is either buried or placed in the sun for fermentation and usually after one or two weeks it has the desired color.

The history of Gifiti and the Garifuna in Honduras

The Garífunas arrived on the Atlantic coast of Honduras more than two centuries ago, on April 12, 1797, in the community of Punta Gorda, Roatán, bringing with them a myriad of millenary traditions. The first Afro-descendants who arrived in Honduras did so as prisoners of war, coming from San Vicente.

In the past, their ancestors prepared Gifiti within their communities, placing in a bottle of boiled water the roots of “palo de hombre”, fat pepper, chamomile, cloves and other spices to cure themselves of different ailments, due to the lack of doctors.

Today, in addition to maintaining its position as a Garifuna remedy, Gifiti is also a window into the culture and historical background of Honduras. It’s a cultural immersion experience you can’t pass up - always in moderation, of course. Enjoy!