Culture - Channel 5 Belize

A Deer Dance-Inspired Miss Universe National Costume

Culture and beauty come together in a stunning display of designer craftsmanship, as showcased in the Miss Universe Belize 2024 national costume, unveiled this morning. The costume draws inspiration from the traditional Mayan Deer Dance, which is still performed at special ceremonies today. More than just a performance of masked dancers moving to the marimba’s rhythm, the Deer Dance tells a deeper story—depicting the relationship between the Maya people and the land, as well as scenes from the era of the Spanish conquest. News Five’s Paul Lopez has more in tonight’s Kolcha Tuesday segment.

Paul Lopez, Reporting

A Mayan custom that tells the story of the relationship between the Maya people and the land will come alive on the 2024 Miss Universe stage in Mexico City. Miss Universe Belize, Halima Hoy, revealed her national costume this morning, and it has a striking resemblance to the deer dance attire.

Halima Hoy, Miss Universe Belize 2024

“The back story about it is that a deer farmer spoke to the mountains and the mountains told him to build a marimba. He played the Marimba and the deer came dancing and other animals as well. But behind that, it is the resilience of the Maya people during their colonization period and how they were able to keep their identities and stay true to themselves.”

The soundtrack to the deer dance is played on a three-person marimba. A portion of the dance portrays how this music called all the animals from the mountains and woods. As the story progresses, the Spaniards appear ready to take over the lands. The deer dance attire is typically adorned with an abundance of mirrors to reflect the resistance of the Maya people to the invading forces.

Halima Hoy

“Xwankil, the Maya deer dance is a very respected and part of the Mayan culture. We had the submissions from artist in Belize. We wanted it to be a Belizean custom. They submitted their designs and we got a lot of good ones but Xwankil caught the attention of the Belizean population and the organization. They got the most votes and we chose that one because it has such a deep meaning and it respects one of our ethnic groups here in Belize.”

Towards the end of the story, the dancers act out a scene in which the invaders produced a gun and shot a deer. One iteration is that this did not end well for them. Another iteration suggests that the shooter was a hunter and that he shot a rabid deer. According to that account, the animals banned together to escort the hunter out of the forest so that he does not continue to hunt while also celebrating a successful hunt. The costume was designed and created by Ronelli Requena, Emilio Perrera and Damian Moore.

Ronelli Requena, Founder, Zayvah Sarai

“We named the costume Xwankil. It is depicting the Maya deer dance which is very special and we wanted to integrate the real story of what it is the deer dance, the hunting scene, being out in the jungle. But there is a very deep meaning beyond just the hunting scene. It is more about the harmony which man and earth come together. It is basically saying like respect for mother nature and in today’s day and age everything falls into place perfect. In 2024 that has been one of the biggest topics, climate change and climate action.”

The traditional costume also features a headpiece with antlers made from branches or other natural materials. It is often decorated with feathers and beads. Deer skull headdresses and masks are also traditionally worn. The colours of the traditional costumes are very vibrant. Requena and the team of creators were sure to include every aspect of the traditional wear while making it functional for a beauty pageant.

Ronelli Requena

“We had the costume. We had one big thing that was left, what was the message we wanted to send. We wanted to come up with a tag line. When you see the costume, you could see the beauty of Belize but also what the costume is about. The fires that happened down south and it really touched me, so I thought it was only right to integrate it into the costume itself. And it was very important for me to stay true and very respectful for the culture and the deer dance but yet find ways on how we can make it more feminine, because it is a pageant.”

As Halima Hoy prepared to leave Belize and travel to Mexico today, she told us that the support for her journey and now the costume has been overwhelming.

Halima Hoy, Miss Universe Belize 2024

“I know there is a lot of hard work behind it, Damian, Ronelli and Emilio put their heart and souls into this costume. It was a group effort. We did a lot of fittings, adjustemetns, we were true to the costume. If you ever seen the deer dance in real life or on the videos. The costume is a replica of that. It is bold and brilliant, and I love it. I will say it is the best, because it is my costume.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.

Bringing Maya Civilization to the Fore Digitally

The Maya Civilization has been around for several thousand years and the amount of memorabilia that has been discovered is wide and varied. Yet not every Belizean can boast that they’ve had the opportunity to view these gems close-up. But now, through digitization and technology, the Museum of Belize made space for a display of Mayan memorabilia in digital form. It seeks to bring visuals of these artifacts to the fore. News Five’s Marion Ali was at a ceremony at the Museum for the launch of the exhibition. Here’s that report.

Marion Ali, Reporting

An exhibition that opened today at the Museum of Belize seeks to educate visitors on Maya existence in Belize dating back to the past four thousand years. It does so through digital images of these artifacts for students and tourists alike. And Governor-General, Froyla T’zalam, a Maya woman herself, explained why the Maya culture should matter to every Belizean.

Froyla T’zalam, Governor General of Belize

“What does the ancient Maya civilization mean to me? And why should it matter to you? An underlying feeling I had growing up in the 1970s was that the ancient Maya civilization had nothing to do with me. I mean, I don’t know how to read or write Maya hieroglyphs, or even use the system known as the vejicimal, based on 20 number system. And I most certainly do not live on a pyramid. I could not relate the life I had with those who were being described in history books. We don’t have a time machine, but I am told we now have this beautiful exhibition with all the latest gadgets.”

The display takes one on a walk back in time to have a better appreciation of how these early inhabitants lived. And present-day people can use it to compare it to how we live now. This learning process underscores one thing for Francis Fonseca, the Minister of Education and Culture. It is part of a bigger effort to pump life into Belize’s cultural history.

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Culture

“In 2002, we took a monumental step by opening the Museum of Belize, right where we are today, 22 long years after gaining our independence. And 22 years ago, we are here. Transforming a former jail, a prison into a sanctuary of learning was not just an idea. It was a dream. Niche has breeded life. into several initiatives that honor our culture and creativity. We opened the Museum of Belizean Art, launched the Belize Music Project, celebrated a diverse group of creatives, and initiated the Access 501 Digital Project. We’ve even signed an MOU to transform George prices family home into a vibrant classroom and botanical garden.”

Akirah August explained that it is a new project they have embarked on at the Institute of Archaeology called digital archeology.

Akirah August, Research Officer, Institute of Archaeology

“We use photogrammetry and lidar to create. 3D models and 3D images of our artifacts and, um, of our monuments and different parts of our structures, different important parts of our structures. So when you use photogrammetry, it’s a photoprocess. So you would take an image, you would take an artifact, put it on a laser susan or what we call a turntable, you know, the baker’s whorl. And you would turn the, Ima turn the object around and take several photos of it from raging from a hundred to maybe up to like 500 photos of it in different, um, angles and on different sides of the artifact.”

The Ministry of Culture is hoping that introducing this type of digitization at the museum, it will give more people the chance to learn more about Maya civilization. Marion Ali for News Five.

Using Kriol Culture to Teach Lessons

No one captured it better than the late Lela Vernon when she sang about the misconception that Creole people had no culture. Though she’s no longer with us, her song left a powerful message for the Creole community to reflect on and change that narrative, leaving a legacy for future generations. Today, we were delighted to meet a young Creole man dedicated to preserving and passing on the richness of Creole culture to the next generation. In this week’s edition of Kolcha Tuesday, News Five’s Marion Ali sits down with Wilford Felix, a proud Creole man who is teaching his young daughters the value of their heritage. He does this through the vibrant Creole language, sharing folkloric stories, and even playing the traditional Gumbe drum to sing Creole songs. Marion Ali reports.

Wilford Felix, Chair, Cultural Safeguarding, Nat’l Kriol Council

“This one ya da bout three fren, ih name the three fren dehn. Once upon a time dehn had three fren. Deh mi name Big Head, Big Belly and Snipy foot.”

Marion Ali, Reporting

Wilford Felix made the most of his daughters’ sick day from school by jumping into some Kriol folklore with them. He read them enchanting stories that have been passed down for over a century.

Wilford Felix

“Big Head end up gone up pahn the tree. Ih shake, ih shake, ih shake he shake the tree till ih head drop off because he da Big Head soh ih head it drop off. Big belly he start to laugh and he laugh and laugh and laugh till ih big belly buss. Sniper Foot, fi he foot deh mawga soh. Snipy Foot he run fi goh goh ker the news. Fi he foot drop eena wa cassava hole an bruk, but before ih foot bruk ih drop pa wa pin an what happened? If the pin neva bend, the story nuh mi wa end.”

The Kriol advocate says the stories are oftentimes meant to entertain, and this one was all fun for his two little girls, Kali-Mae, age six, and Imani-Ann, five years old.

Wilford Felix

“Not only are the stories fun to tell but stories often convey an important message or lesson and it’s an intrinsic part of the culture to convey that information via stories to captivate the audience and essentially fi nuh give the lesson eena wa boring way and especially when yoh di transmit da information to pikni, dehn wa tend fi remember wa story than if yoh give dehn wa direct instruction.”

Marion Ali

“Did you like that story?”

Kali-Mae Felix, Daughter of Wilford Felix

“No.”

Marion Ali

“You never like it? (Turning to other child) But you mi like it. What you mi like about it, baby?”

Imani-Ann Felix

“I mi like when the big head drop off. (Laughter)”

Marion Ali

“And what you never like about it?”

Kali-Mae Felix

“Because it’s so sad because I don’t like when people dead. That’s so sad.”

Many of these stories carry important life lessons, and Felix uses them to share valuable messages through the rich tapestry of Kriol culture.

Wilford Felix

“I think the lesson in this story is be careful who you trust. The story might sound convincing weh dehn di tell yoh fi do but mind, dehn di set yoh up.”

The Kriol protagonist also uses music to pass on the hidden messages to the younger generation. And in his home, culture is far more important than gadgets.

Wilford Felix

“My pikni dehn nuh spend a lot of time pahn no device because I want dehn learn the culture? I want dehn learn fi value the heritage instead ah mek wa laptop or wa tablet or a phone entertain dehn. I entertain dehn, soh I meke the time fi interact with my kids a lot and share the culture because if we nuh di pass it to dehn that da how the culture wa dead and like how Miss Lela ask, Ah Want Know Who She Kriol Nuh Got No Kolcha? We do.”

Marion Ali for News Five.

The Indigenous Resistance is Still Going Strong

Today, the University of Belize held an Indigenous Resistance Day forum to celebrate the vibrant Maya and Garifuna cultures. This event brought together people from all walks of life to explore the history and cultural significance of these communities’ practices and beliefs, while also engaging the youth in meaningful conversations. News Five’s Britney Gordon was there to give us the full scoop. Here’s the story.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

The spirit of indigenous resistance is alive and thriving, growing stronger every day. Indigenous Resistance Day brings together people from diverse backgrounds to shine a light on the struggles of indigenous communities and their fight for liberation. Today, at the University of Belize, students and stakeholders gathered to discuss the importance of preserving these rich cultures and to educate each other on their unique beliefs and practices.

Delmer Tzib, Coordinator, Inter-cultural Indigenous Language Institute

“We are celebrating it in a very unique way, trying to open a space for academic discussion, but also to an extent, breaking the walls, because we want the community to also be engaged in discussions about what does it mean to be indigenous in Belize, secondly, different expressions that relate to the cultures that exist in Belize. One of the biggest concepts that we are pushing is the idea of interculturality. Interculturality centers on the notion of understanding each other. So you don’t only know that these cultural expressions exist, but you try to understand what is the significance of it.”

At the forum, both Mayan and Garifuna communities came together to share the cultural significance of the Deer Dance and the Wanaragua. The aim is to tear down the barriers between Belize’s diverse cultures, fostering a true sense of intercultural unity.

Joshua Arana, Owner, ORO Drumming

“Culture is very important. All of us identify with a culture and we need to start to find ways of understanding how. What commonalities we have because we keep looking at the differences that, that makes us who we are. And today we’re going to talk about the Wanaragua. Some, many people know it as Jankunu, and we’re going to get into a little bit more details about what one hour, one hour ago really is.”

The Owner of ORO Drumming, Joshua Arana, presented on the Wanaragua dance, explaining what the different ribbon colors and steps of the dance signify.

Joshua Arana

“It is important for our youth population to be able to understand who it is that they are, who it is that we are, and where it is that we came from. I think that present day there is a disconnect between what was, what is, and what will be. All of us as people we are here because our culture is our legacy from our ancestors. And we need to start recognizing that for us to be able to know where it is that we want to go in the future.”

Creating spaces for young people to discuss indigenous cultures reassures students that pursuing an education doesn’t mean abandoning their heritage. Eighteen-year-old Tareek Smith, now a sophomore at the University of Belize, shares how deeply involved he’s been with the Garifuna community.

Tareek Smith, Wanaragua Dancer

“I am Garifuna. My parents are Garifuna and we have this culture, and we need to express this culture. So as I got older, I felt like I needed to connect to my culture, and that’s how I got into drumming and dancing and all this stuff.”

The holiday shines a light on the struggles that indigenous communities have overcome and are still grappling with to this day. Forums like these, create conversations about how that work can be supported and strengthened.

Rolando Cocom, Director, ISCR

“Our indigenous peoples have endured horrendous suffering because of colonialism the diseases that were brought when Europeans arrived to this side of the world. It’s a significant depopulation of our indigenous peoples. And the same goes for Africa, for African ancestors and our Garifuna communities who had to escape genocide and resist for their very survival. And can now celebrate continue resisting.”

Director of the Institute of Social and Cultural Research at NICH, Rolando Cocom explains how the institute is working to celebrate indigenous people every day of the year.

Rolando Cocom

“Indigenous languages continue to be at risk. Traditional expressions continue to be at risk. And so that is what we’re, what we are aiming to do at the University of Belize. Is really to say the work of indigenous peoples are important. Their culture is important. And we want to ensure that more and more Belizeans have an opportunity to learn more from each other. And to reduce the suspicion, the discrimination that exists. Colonialism has brought to our society.”

Britney Gordon for News Five.

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.

Halloween, A Threat to a Longstanding Cultural Practice

October has officially begun, ushering in what many fondly call the spooky season. While most Belizeans might be gearing up for Halloween with costumes and trick-or-treating, Maya traditions offer a different perspective as October ends and November begins. Depending on where you are in the country, you might hear about or even join in a Dia De Los Muertos or Los Finados celebration. These cultural events are dedicated to honoring the departed through communion, feasts, and prayers. However, as these age-old traditions intersect with the modern, commercialized Halloween festivities, there’s a risk of losing a generation to contemporary trends. News Five’s Paul Lopez delves deeper into this in this week’s installment of Kolcha Tuesday.

Paul Lopez, Reporting

Eighty-five-year-old Angelita Magana, a devout Catholic, faithfully attends mass every week at the San Joaquin Roman Catholic Church. A proud woman of Mestizo descent, she is deeply passionate about preserving her cultural heritage. As the world around her increasingly adopts a westernized version of Halloween, Magana remains steadfast in her commitment to the traditional celebrations of Dia De Los Muertos, or Los Finados. Her dedication to honoring her ancestors through these time-honored rituals is a testament to her enduring spirit and cultural pride.

Angelita Magana, Cultural Activist

“Traditionally we know it as Hanah Pishan, meaning “food for the dead”. The Maya believed a lot or respected dead people because they believe that when you die you continue to live somewhere else. It is a tradition we have that is celebration started on the first of October when our tradition that night, the thirty-first, souls are released from heaven, and they are sent to visit their living family.”

And, as the dead return to earth to visit their families, their loved ones prepare for that encounter with a feast, hence the phrase, “food for the dead”. This is a ritual of gratitude.

Angelita Magana

“The mayas they believed a lot in the dead. They believed in the souls. So it comes from them that they had to be grateful for the parents or whoever died in their family. They had to feed them once a year, give them some food they like, or drinks they like, or you usually had a rosary said in your home or an ascendado. That means you just set the food on the table, but it has to be very hot and you actually see the smoke from the food. The belief was that while that is going up, they are eating it. So, in the evening when the food is cooled already there is a little space that the food went down and we say, see the souls came and they received that food.”

For Magana and her community, the annual tradition begins on October thirty-first, when it is believed that the souls are released back to earth. November first is dedicated to feeding the souls of children who have passed on, while November 2nd is reserved for honoring adults. This heartfelt practice is a poignant reminder of the community’s deep respect and love for their ancestors, blending reverence with celebration.

Angelita Magana

“We are trying to keep it up, because gradually the new generation is losing that spirituality that we have a Maya Mestizos, Belizean Maya Mestizos.”

According to Magana, children and young adults are increasingly replacing these cultural practices with a commercialized version of Halloween centered around costumes, jack-o-lanterns, candies, and trick-or-treating. Here at the Banquitas House of Culture in Orange Walk Town, Cindey Rivero and her team have been working tirelessly to bring awareness to a younger generation through the annual Dia De Los Finados celebration.

Cindey Rivero, Community Arts Coordinator, Banquitas HOC

“It is our job and we take that opportunity seriously to tell them ok, the amount of candle you placed on the alter signifies this. The amount of treat represents something. So we try to educate them as best as possible, utilizing having elders within the community that has knowledge to share with them. So, for us it is important for them to know why we do certain things, and not just say oh we are offering food for the dead and they don’t come and eat it.”

Rivero concedes that in the age of technology her work is becoming increasingly challenging.

Cindey Rivero

“We try to educate our children that Halloween is not a part of the Belizean culture or Belizean tradition. So, it is very difficult for them to understand, because with the increase in technology and vast information of the American population and what they do and influences within our country they don’t really understand and cannot see the separation between one particular celebration which is the Halloween and the other celebration, which is Dia De Los Muertos, which is our celebration.”

Cindey Rivero and Angelita Magana have learned that these family spirits are not to be feared, but celebrated. They cherish the presence of their ancestors, viewing it as a time of joy and reverence. This heartfelt belief is one they hope will endure for generations, even amidst challenges and changing times.

Angelita Magana

“I remember one night I was sitting on my verandah out there and my husband had gone to help his brother in the shop and I was alone and rocking. All of a sudden, I felt those arms around me from the back and I felt that smell and I said ah dad. I opened my eyes and actually felt the hands moving away. I was not afraid. I was not afraid. I just said, my dad came to visit me. That is it, because we were taught they wont hurt you.”

Paul Lopez

“That must have been a very special moment for you.”

Angelita Magana

“Very, I cried.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez

Riding into the September Celebrations

September in Belize is a vibrant time of patriotism, as the nation commemorates the historic Tenth of September and celebrates Independence Day. Throughout the month, streets and buildings are adorned in red, white, and blue, with the Belizean flag proudly displayed at every turn. Civic pride flourishes, and many locals go the extra mile, decorating their personal properties, like homes, vehicles and bicycles, creating a festive tradition that has become a beloved part of the September Celebrations. This month on the Bright Side, we go searching for patriotic Belizeans who go the extra mile in decorating their spaces. This week, we found ourselves in our very own backyard where one patriotic Belizean is preparing her bicycle for the fire engine and Tenth Parade. Here’s that story.

Sabreena Daly, Reporting

Karen Golanche enthusiastically shows her patriotism during the month of September. She displays it on the hanging curtains in her house, her dining room table adorned with mini flags of Belize. Even her bathroom is a statement of her love of country. Among the display is her traditional decorating and showcasing of her bicycle at the Fire Rngine and Tenth parades.

Karen Golanche, Patriotic Belizean
“I find myself to be a very patriotic person. I love my country. I love the people of my country. And so that’s the reason why I do this every year.”

Since 2008, this has been a time-honored tradition for Golanche. Each year, she challenges herself to create an original design. Her bike is a spectacle and a staple of the parade that the public eagerly anticipates.

Karen Golanche

“I just wanted to do something different by changing this motorcycle into a bicycle. And that’s the reason why I chose this. Whenever anybody sees me, my family, my friends, the public, they see me on this bicycle, I think they enjoy it more than myself, and I enjoy it so much too. So it’s just a special time for me when I am on my bicycle.”

Bike decorating has been an added feature of the September Celebrations for decades. Samson Jacobs, a representative of the St. George’s Caye Day Society, says that the bicycles came about because vehicles were not as prominent in that time.

Samson Jacobs, St. George’s Caye Society Representative

“So the bicycle competition all started back in the days before maybe you and I were born. They didn’t have a lot of vehicles in Belize City. So people were encouraged to come out and decorate their bicycle based on the theme or the September celebration. It had to highlight some aspects of the Battle of St. George’s Caye. So, you would see the red, white and blue. You would see things like the boat, the beam, anything related to the Battle of St. George’s Caye Day.”

Now, with vehicles and trucks everywhere, bikes are a limited attraction i the Tenth and Fire Engine parades. In honor of the late Louis “Tony” Leslie, his family has organized a bike decorating competition. The winner will be announced at the Belize City Council’s Tenth Bram.

Samson Jacobs

“The bicycle decoration competition adds additional patriotism to the 10th parade. That is where persons who feel that they want to participate, they want to show their civic responsibility, they want to show national pride, they can come out and participate in that competition. This year we decided to make this year’s competition in honor of Mr. Tony Leslie because he was a lover of the bicycle and the cross country race. So, we decided to do that for him. September is really a time for us to show our patriotism and that is what we want to see, not only this year, but going forward. We want to bring back that old historical component of persons actually decorating their bicycles. So yes, we have a lot of cars, but we imagine we have all the cars in the parade. It will be a long parade, right? So we are encouraging people to come out and use their bicycles, be creative and just have fun at the same time.”

The prizes are attractive, with first place riding away with as much as five hundred dollars. But win or lose, it’s the adornment from the crowd that will be the biggest reward, says Karen Golanche.

Karen Golanche

“I ride my bike every year because of the love of my country. It’s not really for the competition. Well, if I win, that would be a great thing. But, I would do it anyway without being in that competition.”

Among those eagerly anticipating the bicycle spectacle is Mayor Bernard Wagner.

Bernard Wagner, Mayor, Belize City
“Being patriotic also means participating. And the bicycle decoration is an event that highlights the richness of our traditions, the richness of our patriotic demeanor and so I’m always excited about it. I’m certain that we can’t wait to see who will be the winner. We have young, middle, elders participating in that event. We look forward to it and we are so pleased to be able to participate.”

Samson Jacobs
“We want to also say that, while the 10th parade is to help with unity and the level of patriotism, we are strongly encouraging citizens not to let it be something political, no showing of political affiliation, just come out and have a fun time.”

This year’s parade holds even more significance for Karen Golanche, as it marks her return since 2019, following the disruption caused by COVID-19 and a two-year hiatus. Though the decorations on her bike have aged over the past four years, she promises to debut a spanking ride on September Tenth.

Karen Golanche

“The last time I have been out in the streets celebrating on my bicycle was in 2019. Here is the leftover of the decorations that, um, since then, but when you see me, um, on the fire engine parade night, this bicycle will be sparkling. Wow. It will look completely different. Because I’ll go all the way with it.”

Looking on the Bright Side, I’m Sabreena Daly.

7 Belizeans Awarded for Creative and Cultural Excellence

September is a time of celebration. A time to celebrate Belize, its culture, and its people. Today, seven Belizean artists were honored by the National Celebrations Commission with Creative and Cultural Excellence awards for their contributions to Belize’s rich and diverse art sector. We attended the ceremony held at the House of Culture today to meet the awardees.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

Do not be surprised when future history books mention the name Adela Peterson Vallejos. While you may not recognize the name now, she is well on her way to becoming someone you can’t forget. She is one of seven recipients of the National Celebrations Commission’s Creative and Cultural Excellence Awards. She received the Leela Vernon Prize for Creative Community Action and Safeguarding Cultural Heritage. It is said that culture is the spirit of a nation, and these winners are keeping the spirit alive.

Adela Peterson Vallejos, Winner, Leela Vernon Prize

“It’s a big step forward. I represent the Yucatec Maya culture, and the Yucatec Maya culture has been marginalized. Their language is near extinction, so for everyone to recognize our efforts mean the world to us. Maybe now people will take attention and see that we need to do much more to preserve our ancestral language.”

Adela Peterson Vallejos was born and raised in Libertad Village in Corozal and has made her mark in the world by founding a chapter of the Consortium for Belizean Development. Wanting to connect with roots, she dedicated a portion of her life to learning her mother’s native tongue, Yucatec Maya, later establishing the To’one Masehualoone NPO.

Britney Gordon

“And I know that you decided to take the step to connect with that part of your heritage What does it mean for you to be an example that is never too late to take the step towards that.”

Adela Peterson Vallejos

“Yes, we can all make a difference. We just have to do something today.”

The winners hail from all over the country and vary in their areas of expertise. The other six winners are: Teresita Ulloa, recipient of the Beverly Smith Prize for Acting in Theatre and Film; Alfonzo Tzul, recipient of the Don Elijio Prize for the Protections and Development of Traditional Knowledge; Rowland Parks, recipient of the Zee Edgell Prize for Literary Arts; Mercy Sabal, recipient of the George Gabb Prize for Visual Arts; Mohobub Flores, recipient of the Andy Palacio Prize for Belizean Music; and husband and wife duo, Matthew and Virgin Martinez, recipients of the Rosita Baltazar Prize for Dance. Minister of Culture, Francis Fonseca acknowledged the significance of celebrating the trailblazers of the past, while acknowledging those who continue their work and create a new era culture.

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Culture

“Cultural and creative moment. excellence awards. It’s all about making sure that we are recognizing, acknowledging, paying respect to our artists, our artistic community, our creative community. We do so by honoring great icons, so the awards are named after seven great artists, great creative people.”

It is vital that recipients feel supported as they pave the way for new generations of activist and artist.

Francis Fonseca

“We have gone through a process of identifying individuals in our country who have continued that work. And who continue to contribute to believes this cultural development. So it’s absolutely important very important for any country to honor and recognize its creative community. Culture is really the lifeblood of any nation. We’re very happy that we’ve established this. And that each year we’re able to identify and recognize and pay tribute to wonderful Belizeans who continue to contribute through culture to the national development of Belize.”

The pool of winners showcases Belize’s diverse population, not only in ethnicity but talents and abilities, such as Rowland Parks, the blind journalist leading the charge in literary excellence and Teresita Ulloa, who didn’t think she would be able to outdo her competition when she applied to be a librarian. She has since transformed the library into a place that fosters a love for learning. Peterson Vallejos hopes that by leading through example, the heart of her culture will beat on for years to come.

Britney Gordon

“What is your hope for the future of other Belizeans that might want to dip their toes into the work that you do?”

Adela Peterson Vallejos

“Well, everyone needs to do their part to preserve our ancestry, and to create a legacy for the next generation.”

Britney Gordon for News Five.

Connecting Youths to their Roots: Belize Music Project

The Belize Music Project is officially here. Created by the ministries of Culture and Tourism, the initiative seeks to connect Belizean youths to their cultural roots through a love for music. The project was officially launched today at the House of Culture in Belize City. News Five’s Britney Gordon has the story.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

For centuries, music has remained one of the strongest ties to culture that a person can have. Playing instruments, singing and dancing together, music connects people. And the Belize Music Project is seeking to connect Belizean youths to their forebears. Music activist, Bilal Morris explains the significance of the project.

Bilal Morris, Music Activist

“The Belize Music Project is a documentation and celebration of Belizean music, both past and present. It’s placing Belizean music into a historical context and timeline so that present and future generations of Belizeans, students and non-students alike, Belizean musical enthusiasts, entertainers, and the Belizean community at large can hear, see, experience, and feel the Belizean soul. We can even play back this rich history of Belizean music through various musical technologies and medium today to enjoy the song of a people and their musically creative history that have not only developed a nation but globalize this rich and cultural heritage.”

The project is based on three main principles: research, education, and innovation, with the goal of unlocking Belize’s musical soul. Over the course of several months, the experts will attempt to create a digital archive of musical creations across Belizean history.

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education

“The Belize Music Project focuses on preserving Belize’s rich musical heritage while fostering innovative expressions that bridge past traditions with future artistic endeavors, instilling cultural pride and identity. It involves comprehensive research, including interviews and historical recordings to create a narrative of Belize’s musical journey culminating in a multi-format music box set titled one hundred years of Music in Belize which features significant historical recordings and detailed publications.”

Belizean favorites such as Mister Peters, Lord Rhaburn and Sam Hamilton will be featured but as the project progresses, researchers will also attempt to archive the works of still-undiscovered artists of the past. Minister of Tourism Anthony Mahler says that by doing so, the world will be able to look back for generations to come and appreciate the talent concentrated in the small country of Belize.

Anthony Mahler, Ministry of Tourism

“Why can’t we have the next Bob? Why can’t we have the next Rihanna? Why can’t we have the next Marshall Montano or whoever it is, we have talented people here. And that’s why we’ve invested in the music studios that we’ve invested in and we’ll continue to do more. And that’s why we are investing in the music and food festival. I think art has a crucial role to play in our education and believing in what we are as Belizeans. It is important for far too often we take these things for granted but if you listen to the video and you listen to the talent that we had, and we have right now, I think we have to create that environment.”

Britney Gordon for News Five.

Celebrating the Resilience of Emancipated Belizean Ancestors

August first is formally recognized as Emancipation Day in Belize. The date commemorates the abolition of slavery in 1838, remembering the hardships of the nation’s African ancestors who fought for their freedom. As the day draws nearer, Belizeans are encouraged to participate in ceremonies honoring those ancestors and learn more about the impact of slavery on the country. In tonight’s episode of Kolcha Tuesday, News Five’s Britney Gordon looks at Emancipation Day through a historic lens. Here’s that report.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

The beating of drums can be used to express many different emotions. In some instances, it is festive, as people dance and celebrate. On August first, however, the sound will act as a reminder to Belizeans of their African ancestors who were kidnapped from their homes. The drums are the heartbeat of their free descendants. The drums are also a tribute to lives lost and the ones that were set free. Rolando Cocom, Director of the Institute for Social and Cultural Research, spoke with us about the foundations of emancipation in the region.

Rolando Cocom, Director, Social and Cultural Research, NICH

“When we were thinking about this period there are several things that occur and there are several key steps that gets us to emancipation, including of course, the acts. And the actions of the enslaved people themselves who resisted being enslaved they did this through various ways. The most popular and known as revolts, meaning physically taking arms and saying, we must free ourselves, we must live on our own accords and so on. But also in other passive ways which means, doing less work than you’re, you need to do in order to not be abused on a daily basis.”

It is estimated that over two to three thousand Africans were enslaved in Belize to work principally in the extraction of logwood. Cocom explains that there is a misconception that slavery was not as severe in Belize, however records indicate that Africans were fleeing the settlement to gain freedom in Mexico and West Guatemala. YaYa Marin-Coleman, a community organizer dedicated to the empowerment of African communities, told us that the Atlantic slave trade was an interruption of the African story and stressed the importance of acknowledging how that interruption is still impacting people in today.

YaYa Marin-Coleman, community organizer

“Now, we are in different world view. Most of the world view already used that 2024. They’re not for we worldview. They’re not indigenous people worldview. So you’re a fine way to call African descendants. So there’s a people of color, including indigenous people that we have more lack of solidarity because we oppression that is same before European people come with the extraction and natural resources, murdering with people for personal gain. Translations. Get massive wealth to make the first world country women are living in harmony with mama earth. We knew that you know, mama earth and all the other beings, the creatures in the water that we can put that we system, but that natural to we. So the interruption of that glorious history, our stories because his story, her story, our story. When our African ancestors, with the complicity of some of our people, but at that time our people had no idea what they were going to do as far as what happened to the people. They couldn’t see that. Just like when our people were enslaved, they couldn’t see themselves ever being free.”

Emancipation Day was formally recognized as a holiday in 2021, however, grassroot celebrations have been occurring in communities throughout the country for decades. Kim Vasquez, Director of the Institute of Creative Arts explains that a libation ceremony was one of the ways that Belizeans commemorated the occasion.

Kim Vasquez, Director, Institute of Creative Arts

“So the libation is a ritual, It’s actually in both the Creole culture and the Garifuna culture. In the ceremony, it is incorporated because we try to incorporate cultural elements into the official ceremony. So the libation is a ritual in the Creole culture that basically calls out to the ancestors. It’s giving them thanks for their continued guidance. It’s asking them to continue guiding us. And also asking them to come and join us and be present there in spirit. in the ceremony as we call out their names. And there is a very profound moment in the ceremony where you are asked in silence to communicate with your own ancestors and to reflect and to commune with them. And while this is happening, of course, water is being poured symbolically. And that is like how the libation ceremony is done.”

The descendants of the enslaved Africans are still feeling the impacts of slavery to this day, with limited access to education, healthcare and opportunities. It is because of this that the call for reparations continues to be made by descendants.

YaYa Marin-Coleman

“So if you are in a position of power influence. More eyes upon you, more accountability, more transparency. And when you’re wrong, just say I’m wrong. I’ll work and do better. That’s just that. And that’s why it’s so important to frame it as African emancipation, African reparations, because other groups of people get reparations. And reparations is not primarily about finance. The biggest reparation is the repair of self.”

Emancipation Day is formally recognized one day of the year, but Belizeans are a living testament to that day and that freedom.

Rolando Cocom

“So we could think about emancipation on the day itself, but you could also think about the everyday experiences that expresses African emancipation. And you can think to think about this, for instance, in true language, Creole, da di language that we talk every day. And that itself is an expression of African resilience and African the spirit of freedom.”

Britney Gordon for News Five.