Sarteneja is the largest fishing community and the second largest village in Belize. It recorded a population of 3,500 according to a 2016 estimate. The name ''Sarteneja'' is a Castilian distortion of its original Mayan name ''Tza-ten-a-ha'', which means 'water between the rocks'. Sarteneja is on the Sarteneja Peninsula, approximately forty miles by road from

Orange Walk Town Orange Walk Town is the fourth largest town in Belize, with a population of about 13,400 (Official Release of the Main Findings of the 2010 Population and Housing Census). It is the capital of the Orange Walk District. Orange Walk Town is locate ...

and is near the privately owned Shipstern Conservation & Management Area. The village's economy is based primarily on fishing for lobster, conch, and finfish. There are many farmers, particularly retired fishermen who farm. Tourism is becoming increasingly significant as a source of income or at least as another alternative livelihood for those who no longer fish.

Demographics

At the time of the 2010 census, Sarteneja had a population of 1,824. Of these, 91.1% were Mestizo, 3.6% Mixed, 2.6% Creole, 1.3%

Caucasian Caucasian may refer to: Anthropology *Anything from the Caucasus region ** ** ** ''Caucasian Exarchate'' (1917–1920), an ecclesiastical exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Caucasus region * * * Languages * Northwest Caucasian l ...

, 0.3% Mopan Maya, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% Ketchi Maya, 0.2%

Garifuna 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 ...

, 0.2%

Yucatec Maya Yucatec Maya (; referred to by its speakers simply as Maya or as , is one of the 32 Mayan languages of the Mayan language family. Yucatec Maya is spoken in the Yucatán Peninsula and northern Belize. There is also a significant diasporic commu ...

, 0.1% East Indian, 0.1% Lebanese, 0.1% African and 0.1%

Mennonite 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 Radi ...

. In terms of languages spoken (multiple answers allowed), 97.6% spoke

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, Can ...

, 49.6%

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

, 5.4% Creole, 0.4%

Mandarin Mandarin or The Mandarin may refer to: Language * Mandarin Chinese, branch of Chinese originally spoken in northern parts of the country ** Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Mandarin, the official language of China ** Taiwanese Mandarin, Stand ...

Cantonese Cantonese ( zh, t=廣東話, s=广东话, first=t, cy=Gwóngdūng wá) is a language within the Chinese (Sinitic) branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages originating from the city of Guangzhou (historically known as Canton) and its surrounding ar ...

, 0.4% Mopan Maya, 0.2%

, 0.2%

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

, 0.2%

, 0.1% Ketchi Maya, 0.1%

Hindi Hindi ( Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been ...

and 0.4% other languages; 0.2% could not speak. Population & Housing Censu

/ref>

Boatbuilding

Sarteneja is home to shipwrights who are still active, having built most of the traditional fishing boat fleet (visible in Haulover Creek in Belize city) and many of the tourist sailing boats, most notably: ''Sirena Azul'' (San Pedro), ''Ragga King'', ''Ragga Gial'', ''Blackhawk'' (Caye Caulker), ''Brujula'' (Hopkins), and ''Zayann''. One of the best known boat builders of Sarteneja is Evaristo Verde (Barich). Verde built more than 17 boats during his lifetime.

The Sarteneja Easter Regatta

Sarteneja is known for its Easter Regatta, which takes place every year on Easter Sunday when most of the village's fleet has returned during the fishing season break.

Gallery

File:Sarteneja, Belize, Central America.jpg File:Sarteneja North Front.JPG, Sarteneja North Front at sunset

References

{{Authority control Populated places in Corozal District Corozal South East