Last year on March 17, 2025, Honduran musician Aurelio Martínez died in a tragic plane crash. He was the voice of the Garifuna, a people of mixed African and Indigenous ancestry who live throughout Central America and its diaspora. A fierce defender of his people and culture, Aurelio went from being raised in a traditional Garifuna town in the Mosquitia rainforest to performing paranda music on stages around the world and serving in the Honduran Congress. Wherever he went, he used his platform to raise awareness of the issues facing the Garifuna, such as the loss of traditional lands and language.

Almost two decades ago, our producer, Marlon Bishop, became friends with Aurelio after spending several months living and studying with him in Honduras. Marlon shares the story of his time with Aurelio and pays tribute to his life and legacy.

Illustration by Alex Charner.

This episode originally aired in 2025.

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Episode credits:

Producer: Marlon Bishop

Editor: Peniley Ramirez

Fact Checking: Roxana Aguirre

Engineer: JJ Querubin

Managing editor: Fernanda Echavarri

Production manager: Nancy Trujillo

Executive producers: Peniley Ramirez and Maria Hinojosa