Category: Culture

Haitian nationals often make headlines in Belize due to migration issues, which sometimes cast them in a negative light. However, many Haitians have lived in Belize for decades, making this country their home. They fled their impoverished homeland in search of a better life and have since established families and integrated into Belize’s vibrant culture. News Five’s Paul Lopez sat down with one such individual, a Haitian taxi driver who has been living in Belize since 1983. He loves Punta music, enjoys rice and beans, and takes pride in earning his living honestly. Join us for tonight’s installment of Kolcha Tuesday as we take a taxi ride-along with him.

Paul Lopez, Reporting

Belize is home to a significant number of Haitian nationals who fled their impoverished communities in Haiti in search of a better life. Many have found work as security guards or taxi drivers, like sixty-nine-year-old Milson Lature. He first arrived in Belize in 1983 and has been part of the community ever since.

Milson Lature, Taxi Driver

“I have a friend here that told me to come take a walk and visit Belize City. You know when people are young, they need to see somewhere, some different place.”

Haiti has faced revolts and political turmoil since the late 1700s. Over the last two centuries, natural disasters have further plunged the population into poverty. Now, strict migration policies have been imposed on Haitian nationals by the Belize government, influenced by pressure from the U.S. Despite these challenges, Milson Lature has never pursued the American dream. For over forty years, he has built his life in Belize, where he now has seven children and ten grandchildren, all born in Belize.

Milson Lature

“I will tell you the Belizean culture is a good culture. The change should be with the younger people, but Belize is a nice, beautiful country and it is nice and has good freedom. I complete to Belizean food, some Belizean cook good. Some, hmp, when you have the food, you can’t eat that. I miss Haiti food, you have food called mimule. It is made with corn. We have corn in Belize and not everybody know how to make it. Then you have legim. It is a beautiful food, but I can’t find somebody that could make it nice and good.”

Lature hasn’t visited his homeland since he arrived in Belize forty years ago. The last time he heard from his relatives in Haiti was three years ago. Over the years, he has fully embraced Belizean culture, developing a deep appreciation for the food, music, and people.

Milson Lature

“What I tell you, when in Haiti, when you hear the music, all the gial deh punta. We have everything and we have soul to, when you have the soul. When we have the soul, nobody moves, everybody just the wine.”

Paul Lopez

“What kind of music you enjoy in Belize?”

Milson Lature

“I like the Punta, I like the Garifuna music.”

Paul Lopez

“Do you know how to Punta now?”

Milson Lature

“I know how to Punta. I love them. And when you say Garifuna people you will be treated with love, good love. Garifuna food is nice. When you have a Garifuna young lady you will eat good. They cook and village people cook. City people you have to go to shop. You know what me call them, foam plate.”

Lature’s white minivan may be worn and in need of new shocks, but it’s his livelihood. He has earned a stellar reputation among his customers, who describe him as reliable, affordable, and friendly. We spoke with a few of them to hear their thoughts.

Voice of: Taxi Customer #1

“Well there is never a dull moment, he is always interactive, always on time, and you can call him anytime of the day, night and he is coming.”

Voice of: Taxi Customer #2

“I notice that he is very reliable and stuff so I call him like almost everyday, sometimes two three times and I don’t matter if it is in the night, he will come for you. And I was just saying, mein he doesn’t sleep, because anytime of the day he is coming for you.”

Paul Lopez

“What is your thoughts on Haitians coming to Belize and integrating themselves into society?”

Taxi Customer #2

“I don’t have a problem with it, because everybody deserves to make a better life for themselves.”

To the casual observer, Milson Lature might seem like just another Haitian taxi driver in Belize. But to those who know him and his service, he’s seen as a cheerful and respectable man from a country a thousand miles away, who has truly immersed himself in Belizean culture. Despite his new life, the struggles of his people in Haiti are always on his mind.

Milson Lature

“I want freedom and in Belize I can go anywhere. There is no bad boys in Belize. Bad boy the hide behind fence, if you are bad boys, you suppose to walk free. I try not to have problems with anyone.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez

Aurelio Martinez, a name synonymous with Paranda music, has left an indelible mark on Garifuna culture. With his soulful melodies and expressive lyrics, Martinez has not only preserved but also elevated the rich traditions of the Garifuna people. From the vibrant rhythms of his acoustic guitar to the heartfelt stories woven into his songs, Aurelio’s music transcends borders, resonating with audiences worldwide. His collaborations with fellow Garifuna legends like Andy Palacio and Paul Nabor, along with his partnership with Stone Tree Records, have brought international recognition to this unique genre. In tonight’s special edition of Kolcha Tuesday, we examine the legacy of Aurelio Martinez, a true cultural ambassador whose contributions will forever inspire and uplift the Garifuna community.

Aurelio Martinez, Garifuna Artist

“So Garifuna music is a special music.  This culture comes from a special mix with African people and Arawak Indians on a Caribbean island, St. Vincent.  From this mix comes a new culture, Garifuna culture, Garifuna community. It was declared by UNESCO as an intangible patrimony of humanity.”

The soulful sounds of acoustic guitars, maracas, Garifuna drums, and other percussion instruments are the signature elements of Aurelio Martinez’s Paranda music. These instruments are the heart and soul of his craft, defining the unique and captivating rhythms that have made him a celebrated artist.

Ivan Duran, Producer, Stone Tree Records

“It’s indescribable… He is there and I really commend him because he is the most professional Garifuna artist I’ve ever had the privilege to work with.  He is the most complete, and again, if he were to stop making music tomorrow, he would still be one of the greatest and it’s because at the human level what Aurelio represents is something that doesn’t happen very often.”

Paranda is a genre that fuses traditional Garifuna rhythms with Latin and Spanish influences, crafting a unique sound that’s both rhythmic and melodic. Andy Palacio, Paul Nabor, and Aurelio Martinez are among the standout artists who have catapulted Paranda music to international fame, highlighting its rich cultural heritage and fascinating storytelling traditions.

Ivan Duran

“Music has no borders like Yalifu, the pelican song that Aurelio wrote.  Music has no borders and people have no borders, feelings have no borders and if you make music that touches you, that’s all we care [about].”

Aurelio wasn’t just a leading figure in Garifuna music; he was also a prominent artist across Latin America. In 2017, he teamed up with Stone Tree Records to release Darandi, Garifuna for thirty, celebrating three decades of Paranda. His best and most personal songs on the compilation album were Dugu and Naguya Nei, in honor of Andy Palacio and Paul Nabor.

Aurelio Martinez, Garifuna Artist

“I introduced this special song as a tribute to my good friend who passed away, my first friend from Belize, Andy Palacio.  And the other one Naguya Nei because Paul Nabor, for me, was my grandpa, my dad, and Naguya Nei was very easy for other people around the world to repeat, “Lau ba la banda habunana.”  In Japan, the UK, a few days ago in Australia, I made people sing the song easily, and people started to sing with me everywhere.”

Paranda music often delves into social commentary and the struggles faced by the Garifuna community, with lyrics that weave heartfelt stories and convey deep emotions. Unlike the upbeat rhythms of Punta, Paranda is known for its slower pace, soulful melodies, and reflective themes.

Ivan Duran

“This sound belongs to a group of dedicated people, both in the studio and on the stage, who have committed their lives and feel a pride for each note, and each sound, and each effect, and each image that it’s indescribable.”

Isani Cayetano for News Five.

Television made its debut in Belize in 1981 with Tropical Vision airing on Channel 7. In the early days, there were three main channels: seven, nine, and sometimes eleven, which rebroadcasted programs from North America. By the mid-80s, the Chicago Cubs games and soap operas such as Days of Our Lives, Santa Barbara, and Another World were all the rage. As locally produced programs started to emerge, along with news and sports broadcasts, television transformed over the next decade into Belizeans’ favorite way to get information. Twenty years in, TV was already overtaking radio and newspapers as the go-to medium for staying informed and educated. Now, almost forty-five years later, television has outshone the other mediums, pushing newspapers to the brink of obsolescence. In this week’s edition of Kolcha Tuesday, News Five’s Marion Ali explores how television has helped shape Belizean culture.

Marion Ali, Reporting

The very first TV programs in Belize hit the airwaves in 1981, the same year the country gained political independence. Back then, most of the shows were broadcasts from U.S.-based TV stations.  As TV gained popularity, Belizeans became hooked on what was then the prime source of entertainment. Who could forget Harry Carey and Cubs Baseball, or the steamy plots of soap operas like Another World?  From its introduction in 1981, even though we didn’t have continuous on-air programming, there were locally produced shows that aired, like the hoisting of the Belizean National Flag and the Independence Day parade. Quite a few shows followed in the early years of Belizean TV. Silvaana Udz wrote, produced, and presented Belize All Over. She believes that television has transformed Belizean culture over the decades.

Silvaana Udz, Producer/Presenter, Belize All Over 1989-90

“Fascinating medium, but my goodness, it makes things larger than life – television. That burger you wanna sink your teeth into it when you see the ad. We crave things because we see it. What is your image of a beautiful person? We constantly are bombarded with these images. Some of the early rappers in Belize, they would rap with a Jamaican accent, or they would bring in Jamaican wording instead of – “They say this and they say that and go, “Dema say – dema this,” which would be more Jamaican. So, it definitely impacts everything, culture, etcetera.”

Belizeans quickly became fans of many U.S. TV shows from the ’80s. There was Solid Gold and comedies like The Jeffersons, Barney Miller, and Different Strokes. Many housewives tuned in to these daily programs back then. Eventually, television began to take hold in Belize. Denvor Fairweather, who grew up watching the lights, cameras, and action of U.S. TV, became a producer while working in television-based jobs. He saw the need for more local TV productions and acted. He is best known for the hit series Noh Matta Wat.

Denvor Fairweather, Local TV Producer

“I realized that there nothing much on TV in terms of entertainment, so I made investment from my salary to get equipment and actually did my first local TV show “You Name It” in 1995. We did actually four seasons of Noh Matta Wat.  We did season one in 2005. We did season two in 2006.  I believe we did season three in 2008.  And we did season four in 2010 because Steve Berry was still a professor at Howard, and he just took some sabbaticals or periods off where he did come back and then we worked on the seasons. In 2017, we teamed up with Kim Vasquez, and we did a pilot for episode season of a sitcom named “Living Mi Life.”

Fairweather recalls his childhood before TVs were in every bedroom and living room. He feels that television has taken away some of the old-time traditions we used to cherish.

Denvor Fairweather

“The social aspect of watching movies in theatres and going out on Sunday evening for ice cream and stuff like that changed people to stay home and watch TV. So it was, let’s say, it had a negative social effect in that aspect. The other negative social, major negative social effect that TV had was, I remember when Colors came out back in about 1987. I think Colors came out around that time. That’s when you started to hear about Crips and Bloods and then the gangbang. And I suppose you had bad man and you had bad areas, but they weren’t affiliated or associated and teaming up as such.”

Stewart Krohn is the former Managing Director of Channel. Having spent several years in TV and News production, Krohn agrees that television is an extremely powerful medium that has had its pros and cons, but he believes that Belizean television is greatly influenced by U.S TV, and some are based on personal tastes.

Stewart Krohn, Former Managing Director, Channel 5

“Things like smoking, you know, fewer Americans smoke now. Guess what? Fewer Belizians smoke. It might be because cigarettes are so much more expensive now, but it might be that people are more health conscious. People work out and live healthier lifestyles more than they used to. Maybe this was a homegrown thing, but maybe, just maybe, it was influenced by what we see on television. It’s a very powerful medium and in many cases it sets the narrative.”

But Krohn also pointed out some more serious issues that television might have influenced.

Stewart Krohn

“Let’s take the instance of environmentalism. It’s my belief that as the United States Culture moved more toward environmentally friendly, um, a more environmentally friendly position. I think Belize reflected that. While you had your forces in Belize pushing toward conservation and that, certainly it got a boost when you saw that culturally the United States got big into conservation. It made it much easier for that message to sell in Belize.  I would add to that the same attitudes towards LGBTQ plus things. Personally, I see that as a positive influence. Others might look at it as a negative influence.”

Fairweather would like to see more local culture in Belizean television, but he says it takes a lot of capital investment for these types of programs.

Denvor Fairweather

“When it comes to entertainment based programming that may not have as much viewership as news, albeit it would be more entertaining, but also costs more to produce. For example, when I do, for a season of “Noh Matta Wat,” we would actually spend about six months shooting, planning and shooting. And another two months editing, so we were doing somewhere between six and eight months of work for eight to ten episodes, weekly episodes. Now, if I try to charge, when we look at it, I only have about twelve minutes of advertising.”

Fairweather revealed that he’s working on a new program set to air in December. The series will be called Clutches. Marion Ali for News Five.

Artworks from twenty-five artisans across the country are now on display at the Museum of Belizean Art. The exhibit, called ‘Hand Made in Belize,’ was launched today by the Institute of Creative Arts in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture. News Five’s Paul Lopez was at the launch and filed this report.

Paul Lopez, Reporting

The Institute of Creative Art, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, has launched an art exhibit showcasing work from twenty-five artisans. The pieces range from calabash shell lamps to embroidery and wood carvings. Minister of Culture Francis Fonseca mentioned that the National Institute of Culture and History is supporting these artisans by helping them market their work for potential export.

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Culture

“Absolutely fantastic project. It is an exciting initiative by NICH. We pay tribute to the artist, the artisans who are really behind this development project. As I pointed out it is a project that has three objectives. We want to document who the artisans are in Belize. So we want to have an accurate database of artisans in Belize. We want to work with them on marketability, how can we help them to promote that, to market that. Then as I pointed out, at the end of the day we really want to make sure our creative people can make a living. So the export market, how can we work with them to provide opportunities for their product in the export market. Culture is my business and this is a key initiatives we have focused at NICH because we understand that so many of our artist are creative people, but they need support in terms of marketing their products.”

Baron Neal, a resident of the Cayo District, makes what he refers to as butterfly collages. It’s a creative process that needs delicate tools. The end result is a stunning piece with vibrant colors and amazing designs.

Baron Neal, Artisan, Iry’s Butterfly Art

“It means a lot. I started this art from my brother in 2004. I have been doing it for twenty years. It took me about twelve years to reach this skill level that I am at. At this moment I have taught ten different persons and they have learned this skill and are helping their family. I have hired a local carpenter and a local glass shop. But at this moment with my art, I feel very great because I am inspiring my youth. Everybody is seeing me make a living off of art work. I was a math teacher and I quit that job because I believe my art work can help people in this world and people in Belize.”

Meet Keith Francisco, the artist behind this stunning Jankunu crown. Francisco shared that his talent stems from his deep love for Garifuna culture and the demand for these beautiful crowns. Today, he is proud to have his work displayed inside the art exhibit.

Keith Francisco, Artist

“Dah wah nice feeling or me to see my art on exhibit in this exhibition here. This dah wah Jankunu crown. This crown, we use this piece for when it’s Christmas this is the gear we use for that festive season to dance and do our display, like a house to house thing. I have been doing this from like 2013. What make me get into it, because anytime I need crown for me and my kids I need to spend money and make crown. So I put my interest into it. My bigger brother taught me how to get started and it is from then I started to do this jankunu crown. To make one of these could be like two days. It is a lot of time because when I get started I start with the roses. This is the hardest for this. It would take me a whole day to make all these roses. Then I wrap my hard box and put on the rest of pieces.”

Francis Fonseca

“All in all it is fantastic initiative and I pay full tribute to Gilvanno Swasey, Yassir Musa, the entire team at ICA, Kim Vasquez, the artisans who are from every districts, so many different communities coming together to make this a reality.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.

These days, internet connection is more than just a luxury, it’s a necessity. Every day, billions of people use the internet to communicate, learn, and stay updated on the latest news. Many of you at home might be using the internet right now to watch this newscast. But have you ever wondered about the early days of the internet in Belize and how it has evolved over the years? In tonight’s episode of Kocha Tuesday, News Five’s Britney Gordon delves into how the internet has shaped Belizean culture.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

In 1994, the Belize Telecommunications Authority (now known as BTL or Digi) launched internet services in Belize, sparking widespread excitement across the country. Back then, BTA was the only internet provider, and the launch was a big deal. Ervin Marin, who worked at BTA at the time, recalls the buzz and celebration surrounding this groundbreaking event.

Ervin Marin, Former BTL Employee

“ We started out with the dial-up internet. That was the only thing available. People were excited about it because it moved away from the telex and the telegram and we moved over to the dial-up. People were excited. You had homes that were connected and you had most of the offices that were using it as well.”

Belize may have been late to the internet party, arriving nearly a decade behind, but once it hit, Belizeans jumped right in. They flocked to chat rooms like AOL and MSN to connect with family, friends, and even strangers. Crios Munnings, who owns Sigertronic Systems in Belize City, remembers the explosion of popularity these chatrooms enjoyed.

Crios Munnings, Owner, Sigertronic Systems

“It took a few years before BTL, who was the primary ISP at that time, brought about internet and that was using a telephone line, what we call dial up. And at 56K, it was our lifeline in order to connect. To the world before cell phones, before it was our primary means of communication, reaching out to the online chat boards such as America Online, as we know it as AOL, and it was the only way of really reaching out to the world, hello world, and communicating, getting information, getting advice, communicating with people, sharing resources at that time.”

Before long, Belize rolled out its first internet-capable cell phones, and Belizeans couldn’t wait to get their hands on them. People rushed to the stores, eager to experience the new technology and stay connected on the go.

Ervin Marin

“When we launched the CDMA phones we had introduced, I think it was about a thousand phones for the entire country. I’m not sure the exact amount, but that was a crazy launch. There was some smart phones, but we had, I think one of the offices, I think it was in PG, the doors were broken down by the customers wanting a phone. They were really excited about getting the first cellular phone launched in Belize.”

The internet is more than just a way to stay connected, it is a means of accessing knowledge. Nowadays, the answer to most of life’s questions is a few taps away, but before Google, there were chat rooms.

Crios Munnings

“Again being the birthplace of chat groups, it was how we could gain knowledge and learn basically right now where we have Google, that was a precursor to Google, where it was there wasn’t a database of all this information, nor was there even a search engine. But there were means of just basic communication with others out there that, that were sharing their knowledge that was, that were coaching Belizeans and others.”

Marin notes that many customers initially struggled with computers, facing a steep learning curve. However, the younger generation, who grew up with the internet, quickly outpaced their parents in tech skills, becoming household experts.

Ervin Marin

“I think the young people are more knowledgeable of the way to use the internet and  I think it comes natural for them. I’m still learning. I still have to ask my daughter what to do here, what to do there. It comes very easy for young people.  It’s struggling sometimes. It’s hard.  I’m getting there.”

In 2007, Facebook overtook Myspace to become the world’s top social media platform. Its knack for showing users content based on their location and interactions drew millions. In Belize, where it’s often said that everyone knows everyone, Facebook’s popularity soared just the same. Today, with features like Groups and Facebook Marketplace, Facebook remains a hit in Belize, helping many small businesses advertise their products and reach a wider local audience.

Crios Munnings

“Businesses can use it to reach the masses of the people. As actually as a media for news, entertainment, for everything, just as you’re saying, it actually has migrated a lot of people away from television screen or from the movies or from, from many of the traditional ways of reaching the eyes of everyone.”

The internet is vital today. Marin advises all Belizeans to remain involved in online spaces so that they do not miss out on life’s most important developments.

Ervin Marin

“I think technology is moving very fast and  it’s exciting to see what would be next. You’re always thinking about what would be next. Everything is done online now.  I think eventually  that will be the new norm. Everything is online. So to me,  I speak for myself. If you don’t keep up with the times you’ll be behind.”

Britney Gordon for News Five.