![Altun Ha Belize](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/Altun_Ha_Belize.jpg)
The culture of Belize is a mix of influences and people from
Kriol,
Maya
Maya may refer to:
Civilizations
* Maya peoples, of southern Mexico and northern Central America
** Maya civilization, the historical civilization of the Maya peoples
** Maya language, the languages of the Maya peoples
* Maya (Ethiopia), a populat ...
,
East India
East India is a region of India consisting of the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha
and West Bengal and also the union territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The region roughly corresponds to the historical region of Magadh ...
n,
Garinagu
The Garifuna people ( or ; pl. Garínagu in Garifuna) are a people of mixed free African and indigenous American ancestry that originated in the Caribbean island of Saint Vincent and speak Garifuna, an Arawakan language, and Vincentian Creol ...
(also known as Garifuna),
Mestizo
(; ; fem. ) is a term used for racial classification to refer to a person of mixed Ethnic groups in Europe, European and Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous American ancestry. In certain regions such as Latin America, it may also r ...
(a mixture of
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...
and
Native Americans),
Mennonites
Mennonites are groups of Anabaptist Christian church communities of denominations. The name is derived from the founder of the movement, Menno Simons (1496–1561) of Friesland. Through his writings about Reformed Christianity during the Radic ...
who are of German descent, with many other cultures from
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...
to
Lebanese. It is a unique blend that emerged through the country's long and occasionally violent history.
In Belizean folklore, we find the legends of
La Llorona
''La Llorona'' (; "The Weeping Woman" or "The Wailer") is a Hispanic-American mythical vengeful ghost who is said to roam near bodies of water mourning her children whom she drowned.
Origins
Early colonial times provided evidence that the lore ...
,
Cadejo
The cadejo () is a supernatural Spirit world (Spiritualism), spirit that appears as a dog-shaped creature with blue eyes when it's calm and red eyes when it's attacking. It roams isolated roads at night, according to Central American folklore of ...
, the
Tata Duende The Tata Duende or El Dueño del Monte is a supernatural creature appearing in cultural folklore stories, mostly evident in Mayan and Mestizo cultures. The Tata Duende is considered a powerful spirit that protects animals and the jungle. There are m ...
, and
X'tabai. The idea of the mystical healing and
Obeah
Obeah, or Obayi, is an ancestrally inherited tradition of Akan witches of Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Togo and their descendants in the African diaspora of the Caribbean. Inheritors of the tradition are referred to as "obayifo" (Akan/Ghana-region ...
is prominent in Belizean legend, and there is still talk of evil
shaman
Shamanism is a religious practice that involves a practitioner (shaman) interacting with what they believe to be a spirit world through altered states of consciousness, such as trance. The goal of this is usually to direct spirits or spiritu ...
practices like putting "Obeah" on certain houses. This is known to be done by burying a bottle with the 'evil' under a tree close by the house.
Marriage and family
Belizean marriages are commonly celebrated with church weddings and colorful receptions featuring food, drink and dance. An increasing number of Belizean families are headed by single parents, especially mothers. Due to this trend, many of the present-day youths decline to pursue marriage and get involved in common law relationships with their partners. It is not common to encounter youths living with their parents around the age of 20 or above.
As a consequence of this trend, the most common family structure in Belize is the single-parent family. Moreover, grandparents are frequently involved in raising children, with or without the help of one of the parents. Most Belizean families either own or rent some type of house, typically wooden or concrete, and built to withstand minor fires and floods. However, when the hurricane seasons come around, most people will evacuate.
Food and eating
![Belize mealUploaded on August 4, 2007 by Jimmcclarty](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/Belize_mealUploaded_on_August_4%2C_2007_by_Jimmcclarty.jpg)
Belizeans of all ethnicities eat a wide variety of foods. Breakfast consists of bread, flour
tortilla
A tortilla (, ) is a thin, circular unleavened flatbread originally made from maize hominy meal, and now also from wheat flour. The Aztecs and other Nahuatl speakers called tortillas ''tlaxcalli'' (). First made by the indigenous peoples of Me ...
s, journey (johnny in Creole) cakes, or fry jacks that are often homemade. It is eaten with various cheeses (Dutch cheese, band back cheese, craft cheese, etc.)
refried beans
Refried beans (from es, frijoles refritos, ) is a dish of cooked and mashed beans that is a traditional staple of Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine, although each cuisine has a different approach when making the dish. Refried beans are also popular ...
, various forms of eggs or cereal (corn flakes, oatmeal) sweetened with condensed milk. Morning beverages include milk, coffee, tea, Milo, Ovaltine, Cocoa, orange juice (fresh or concentrated). Eating breakfast is called "drinking tea."
Midday meals vary, from lighter foods like
bean
A bean is the seed of several plants in the family Fabaceae, which are used as vegetables for human or animal food. They can be cooked in many different ways, including boiling, frying, and baking, and are used in many traditional dishes th ...
s and
rice
Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima
''Oryza glaberrima'', commonly known as African rice, is one of the two domesticated rice species. It was first domesticated and grown i ...
with or without
coconut milk
Coconut milk is an opaque, milky-white liquid extracted from the grated pulp of mature coconuts. The opacity and rich taste of coconut milk are due to its high oil content, most of which is saturated fat. Coconut milk is a traditional food i ...
,
tamale
A tamale, in Spanish tamal, is a traditional Mesoamerican dish made of masa, a dough made from nixtamalized corn, which is steamed in a corn husk or banana leaf. The wrapping can either be discarded prior to eating or used as a plate. Tamale ...
s,
panades, (fried maize (corn) shells with beans or fish) and meat pies,
escabeche
__NOTOC__
Escabeche is the name for a number of dishes in Spanish, Portuguese, Filipino and Latin American cuisines, consisting of marinated fish, meat or vegetables, cooked or pickled in an acidic sauce (usually with vinegar), and colored w ...
(onion soup), chilmole (black soup made wit
black recardo, stew chicken and garnaches (fried
tortilla
A tortilla (, ) is a thin, circular unleavened flatbread originally made from maize hominy meal, and now also from wheat flour. The Aztecs and other Nahuatl speakers called tortillas ''tlaxcalli'' (). First made by the indigenous peoples of Me ...
s with beans, cheese, and cabbage sauce) to various constituted dinners featuring some type of rice and beans, meat and salad or
coleslaw
Coleslaw (from the Dutch term ''koolsla'' meaning 'cabbage salad'), also known as cole slaw, or simply as slaw, is a side dish consisting primarily of finely shredded raw cabbage with a salad dressing or condiment, commonly either vinaigrette ...
.
In the rural areas meals may be more simplified than in the cities. The Maya use recardo,
corn
Maize ( ; ''Zea mays'' subsp. ''mays'', from es, maíz after tnq, mahiz), also known as corn (North American and Australian English), is a cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago. Th ...
or maize for most of their meals, and the Garifuna are fond of fish and other seafood,
cassava
''Manihot esculenta'', common name, commonly called cassava (), manioc, or yuca (among numerous regional names), is a woody shrub of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, native to South America. Although a perennial plant, cassava is extensively ...
(particularly made into hudut) and vegetables. Local fruits and certain vegetables are quite common. Mealtime is a communion for families and schools and some businesses close at midday for lunch, reopening later in the afternoon.
Socializing
With a population of nearly 400,000 people,
Belize has more than 10
distinct languages that each hold their own cultural implications. All of these languages create a hierarchy with English at the top and Spanish at the bottom. Belize is the only Central American country with English as its national language,
and this is because of the country's rich history of British imperialism. As a result, the English language along with Western culture has left a lasting imprint on Belize's culture.
Nationwide, Belizeans regard American and British English as the highest form of communication. British and American visitors, especially higher ranking officials, are celebrated and treated with honors. In some cases, being able to speak "proper" English as well as being informed on European and American high culture allows for individuals in Belizean society to progress their careers and gain an elevated social status.
Although English is regarded as the preferred form of political and social interaction, a more common vernacular called English Creole is spoken throughout Belize.
To speak English Creole means, to those living in Belize, that you are a "born-Belizean." This automatically places you above "outsiders" particularly those of Spanish speaking descent. Though Spanish speakers make up a majority of rural Belizeans, English Creole speakers typically regard the Spanish as having the same form of culture as Guatemalans and Mexicans. The tension between English Creole speakers and Spanish speakers derives from immigrants from other Central American countries as well as the
nation's history of Spanish-British conflicts.
Courtesy is important to most Belizeans. It is not uncommon for Belizeans to greet each other on the street even if they have never seen each other before, or for acquaintances to spend minutes at a time chatting. It is, however, considered impolite to greet by first names, (''gial'', and ''bwai'' are common and acceptable) unless one has already established a relationship of some depth (you have had one or more conversations together). A simple nod of the head or shouting is acceptable when passing someone on the street, and acquaintances might also be greeted with any number of introductory phrases as covered here:
* '' Maanin!'' ("Good morning!")
* ''Weh di gowan?'' ("What is going on?")
* ''Aee Bwai!'' ("Hi Buddy!")
Other acceptable greetings are handshakes, combinations of palms and fingers touching, thumbs locking and slaps on the back, or even a kiss on the cheek for someone to show great appreciation and trust. Formal situations call for use of titles and surnames, and children are expected to address their elders with Miss/Mister and answer “Yes, ma’am” or “No, sir” when asked questions but often do not.
Since the late introduction of television in 1980, visiting with friends is not as common as it used to be. When such a visit does occur Belizeans generally take care to make even unexpected guests feel at home. However, arranged visits are more commonly practiced, arriving without previous notice to a friend’s home may be seen as impolite or dangerous.
Recreation and sports
The most popular sports are
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
and
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
, and there is enthusiastic support for league teams formed since the early 1990s. Other sports enjoyed in Belize include
volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Summ ...
,
track and field
Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping events ...
,
cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...
,
jai-alai
Jai alai (: ) is a sport involving bouncing a ball off a walled-in space by accelerating it to high speeds with a hand-held wicker ''cesta''. It is a variation of Basque pelota. The term ''jai alai'', coined by Serafin Baroja in 1875, is also oft ...
,
boxing
Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermined ...
,
cycling
Cycling, also, when on a two-wheeled bicycle, called bicycling or biking, is the use of cycles for transport, recreation, exercise or sport. People engaged in cycling are referred to as "cyclists", "bicyclists", or "bikers". Apart from two ...
, and
softball
Softball is a game similar to baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Softball is played competitively at club levels, the college level, and the professional level. The game was first created in 1887 in Chicago by George Hanc ...
, which all have established associations. Catching on in recent years are
triathlon
A triathlon is an endurance multisport race consisting of Swimming (sport), swimming, Cycle sport, cycling, and running over various distances. Triathletes compete for fastest overall completion time, racing each segment sequentially with the t ...
,
canoeing
Canoeing is an activity which involves paddling a canoe with a single-bladed paddle. Common meanings of the term are limited to when the canoeing is the central purpose of the activity. Broader meanings include when it is combined with other acti ...
,
chess
Chess is a board game for two players, called White and Black, each controlling an army of chess pieces in their color, with the objective to checkmate the opponent's king. It is sometimes called international chess or Western chess to disti ...
,
darts
Darts or dart-throwing is a competitive sport in which two or more players bare-handedly throw small projectile point, sharp-pointed projectile, missiles known as dart (missile), darts at a round shooting target, target known as a #Dartboard, dar ...
,
billiards
Cue sports are a wide variety of games of skill played with a cue, which is used to strike billiard balls and thereby cause them to move around a cloth-covered table bounded by elastic bumpers known as .
There are three major subdivisions of ...
,
martial arts
Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; combat sport, competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; a ...
, and even
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...
(in the Western Cayo District among the Mennonite population). An
international cross-country cycling race is held every
Easter
Easter,Traditional names for the feast in English are "Easter Day", as in the '' Book of Common Prayer''; "Easter Sunday", used by James Ussher''The Whole Works of the Most Rev. James Ussher, Volume 4'') and Samuel Pepys''The Diary of Samuel ...
weekend. Belize has the world's second largest
barrier reef
A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, whose polyps cluster in groups.
Co ...
and hundreds of small islands, called cayes, that are popular recreation areas for urban people, particularly during school vacations and
Easter
Easter,Traditional names for the feast in English are "Easter Day", as in the '' Book of Common Prayer''; "Easter Sunday", used by James Ussher''The Whole Works of the Most Rev. James Ussher, Volume 4'') and Samuel Pepys''The Diary of Samuel ...
.
Music and art
Punta
Punta is an Afro-indigenous dance and cultural music originating in the Caribbean Island of Saint Vincent And The Grenadines by the Garifuna people before being exiled from the island. Which is also known as Yurumei. It has African and Arawak ...
is by the far most popular genre of
Garifuna music
Garifuna music is an ethnic music and dance with African, Arawak, and Kalinago elements, originating with the Afro-Indigenous Garifuna people from Central America and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. In 2001, Garifuna music, dance, and language ...
and has become the most popular genre in all of Belize. It is distinctly Afro-Caribbean, and is sometimes said to be ready for international popularization like similarly-descended styles (
reggae
Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...
,
calypso,
merengue, etc.). Established stars include
Andy Palacio
Andy Vivian Palacio (December 2, 1960 – January 19, 2008) was a Belizean punta musician and government official. He was also a leading activist for the Garifuna people and their culture.
Biography
Palacio was born and raised in the coastal ...
, Herman "Chico" Ramos, "Mohobub" Flores, Adrian "The Doc" Martinez, and Lindsford "Supa G" Martinez. A slower, more melodic variant, known as Paranda, has been catching on recently behind the talents of Honduras' Aurelio Martinez and
Paul Nabor
Paul Nabor (26 January 1928 – 22 October 2014), born Alfonso Palacio, was a Garifuna singer and musician from Punta Gorda, Belize. He is often credited with popularizing paranda, a style of traditional Garifuna music, and is considered to have ...
of
Punta Gorda; Nabor's signature track "Naguya Nei" is considered the informal popular anthem of the Garifuna nation.
Brukdown
Brukdown is a genre of Belizean music. Its best-known performer and innovator, Wilfred Peters is regarded as a Belizean national icon. The word ''brukdown'' may come from ''broken down calypso'', referring to the similarities between brukdown a ...
is a very popular modern style of Belizean music related to
Calypso. It evolved out of the music and dance of loggers, especially a form called
buru
Buru (formerly spelled Boeroe, Boro, or Bouru) is the third largest island within the Maluku Islands of Indonesia. It lies between the Banda Sea to the south and Seram Sea to the north, west of Ambon and Seram islands. The island belongs to Ma ...
. Its greatest proponents include
Wilfred Peters
Wilfred Peters (Sr.) MBE (April 15, 1931 – June 9, 2010), better known as Mista Peetaz, was and will always be the King of Brukdown Music (Brukdong Myoozik in Belize Creole) in Belize. He was a pioneer of the music of Belize's Creole (Kriol) pe ...
and
Gerald "Lord" Rhaburn of Belize City and
Leela Vernon
Leela Vernon MBE (21 October 1950 – 19 February 2017) was a Belizean cultural icon noted for her contributions to preserving Creole culture in the country. She was awarded the title "Queen of Brukdown", received the Order of the British Empire ...
of Punta Gorda.
Reggae
Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...
,
Dancehall
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) "The Rou ...
, and
Soca
Soca or SOCA may refer to:
Places
* Soča, a river in Slovenia and Italy
* Soča, Bovec, Slovenia
* Cayenne – Félix Eboué Airport, by ICAO code
* Soca, a village in Banloc Commune, Timiș County, Romania
* SoCa, Southern California
Other u ...
imported from
Jamaica
Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...
and the rest of the
West Indies
The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Greater A ...
, and
Rap
Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...
,
Hip-Hop, heavy metal and
rock music
Rock music is a broad genre of popular music that originated as " rock and roll" in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of different styles in the mid-1960s and later, particularly in the United States an ...
from the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, are also popular among the youth of Belize. Belize's recording industry turns out a few CDs each year; the majority of musical exposure occurs at monthly concerts featuring Belizean and international artists sharing the same card, or else DJ's mixing music at local nightclubs.
Drama and Acting have also become a part of the Belizean culture. Many plays have taken place at the Bliss Center for the Performing Arts and the George Price Center for Peace and development. Several plays that have had a dramatic impact are "Tigga Dead" written by the Governor General. Also "Stop! Stop the Bus", directed by Beverly Swasey.
Media
*
List of newspapers in Belize
This is a list of newspapers in Belize.
Major newspapers
* ''Amandala'', established in 1969, offers a mix of national news, sports, and editorial opinion
* ''The Belize Times'', official newspaper of the People's United Party
* ''The Guardian ...
*
List of television stations in Belize
This is a list of Belizean television stations.
Television stations
* Channel 5: Great Belize Television
* Channel 7: Tropical Vision Limited
* Channel 15: Krem TV
* Love Belize
* TeleNova
* Maximum TV
* Plus TV
* Wave TV
* BBN TV : BELIZE B ...
See also
*
Disability in Belize
*
Public holidays in Belize
This is a list of public holidays in Belize.
Public holidays
*(*) Moveable holidays
*(**) Replacement days:
**Note 1 – Chapter 289 of the laws of Belize states that if the holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is observed as the ba ...
*
Religion in Belize
Christianity is the dominant religion in Belize. The single largest denomination is the Roman Catholic Church with about 40.1% of the population (129,456 adherents), a reduction from 49.6% of the population in 2000, 57.7% in 1991 and 61.9% in 1 ...
References and notes
Further reading
* Thomas, Chad Ryan. "Digression and Insertion in a Belizean Folktale." In: ''The Journal of American Folklore'' 113, no. 448 (2000): 185-94. Accessed April 6, 2021. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/541288 doi:10.2307/541288.
External links
Moon Belize HandbookFrommers TravelThe CIA Fact BookPicture galleries, early 20th century
{{North America in topic, Culture of
*