Bringing Pumpkin Carving to the Doors of Belizeans  

Halloween is just around the corner! While it’s not a huge holiday in Belize, plenty of folks still love getting into the spooky spirit. One popular activity is carving jack-o-lanterns from pumpkins to display. But finding the perfect pumpkin can be a bit tricky if you don’t know where to look. In this week’s edition of Kolcha Tuesday, News Five’s Britney Gordon visited some local vendors to find out what kinds of pumpkins are available for those eager to carve up some Halloween fun.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

From pepitos seeds to pumpkin soup, Belizeans have found plenty of delicious ways to enjoy pumpkins. But there’s one tradition that hasn’t quite taken off yet: Halloween pumpkin carving. While it’s a big deal in other parts of the world, it’s tough to do here since the special pumpkins used for carving aren’t typically grown locally. That’s why the owners of Cesar’s Fruit and Vegetable Shop have made it their mission to import these pumpkins every year. Victor Perez, one of the shop’s vendors, shares how this all started.

 

Victor Perez, Vendor, Cesar’s Fruit  Vegetable Shop

“As I was a kid and I was fascinated with Halloween. That’s like my favorite month of the year. And then I had my other sister that pitched the idea to my mom that we should bring in pumpkins, for all the, cater to all the the young and everyone who has, who likes the Halloween season and that’s basically how it came about.”

 

When Perez and his family started importing pumpkins in 2014, it was only ten per season. But as they have expanded their business, they now import up to thirty-five, which are available for preorder. One of the biggest challenges with importing the fruit is the effects of Belize’s weather.

 

Victor Perez

“Our main challenge is our climate because these pumpkins, whenever they hit in our country, the heat just tends the shelf life, it starts to run. Like fifteen to twenty days would be the most a pumpkin could last in Belize before it starts to rot.“

 

In addition to the climate, one of the challenges Perez faces is the growing cost of the fruit. Since he began, the cost has increased annually.

 

Victor Perez

“We’re gonna get a small amount because the reason is that the price went up. Every year it’s going up, but just last year we took it hard because they increased each pumpkin between  ten to fifteen depending on the size. If it’s the small, the medium, or the large, then it would be ten to fifteen dollars. And then again, the reason why we’re getting less is because it’s too hot.  And then last year we had to throw away like, I think six pumpkins.”

 

For those unable to get their hands on the limited supply of imported pumpkins, Raylene Tejeda, a vendor at the Michael Finnegan Market, says her pumpkins are perfect for carving and eating.

 

Raylene Tejeda, Vendor

“You use them to make pies, you can make jam out of them and you carve them for Halloween.”

 

Tejeda explains that the large, orange pumpkins are too expensive for her to acquire but details how her pumpkins can be used in a very similar way.

 

Britney Gordon

“What type of pumpkin would be best out of these ones to do something like the carving, if you could pick one?”

 

Raylene Tejeda

“Like the long ones, they were long like this. You could carve out the eyes and the mouth. Then you’re carving inside the nose and then thing, then you put inside of them from the bottom, you dig out the inside and from the bottom you put light inside it and then it look beautiful.”

 

Tejeda has noticed a slight uptick in pumpkin sales every October, as people flock to the stalls in search of the biggest ones. Even though Halloween isn’t a traditional holiday in Belize, Perez believes it has a place here because it brings the community together for some fun. He hopes Belize will create safe spaces for kids to dress up and carve pumpkins, just like he did when he was a child.

 

Raylene Tejeda

“There’s a plenty of space for it. I just like I mentioned, I feel like the Halloween spirit in Belize it’s dying. It’s not like before back in the day children can go trick or treating no problems, but now it’s different because there’s a lot of robbery The guys ride on their bikes and they just look for their prey and they teeth their sweets.”

 

Britney Gordon for News Five.