Patriotic - Channel 5 Belize

Stanley Lizama’s House of Patriotism

Patriotism is the deep love, devotion, and sense of pride one holds for their country. It’s a commitment to the nation’s values, culture, history, and future. Acts of patriotism can be as simple as preserving and protecting the environment through cleanliness, a quiet yet impactful expression of civic pride. However, this pride often takes on a more visible form in Belize during the month of September, when citizens go the extra mile to decorate their surroundings, showcasing their national spirit. Last week, we shared the story of a woman who proudly adorned her bike for the Fire Engine and Tenth Parade. This week, we turn our focus to a man known to many for his unwavering sense of nationalism. Though he humbly claims that his efforts aren’t for the spotlight, we believe his dedication deserves recognition. Here’s his story.

Sabreena Daly, Reporting

He’s a self-styled marshal, leading festive parades during the September celebrations. On Carnival Day and for the Tenth Parade, everyone looks forward to seeing the faithful presence of Stanley Lizama.

Stanley Lizama, Patriotic Belizean
“Well, it’s something you have to love. You have to love your country.”

His presence on Carnival Day heralds the arrival of revelers from participating mas bands. But his involvement goes as far back as the early nineties, as the former Carnival King for six consecutive years.

Sabreena Daly

“What was carnival like at that time?”

Stanley Lizama

“Carnival was very great. I met new friends. Not like now where people fuss and put things on facebook. You could go to any camp. If you needed a glue gun or wire, they welcomed you just like you were with your neighbor.”

While he no longer competes for the coveted titles, Lizama shares that his role in the annual Carnival Road March holds deep personal significance for him.

Stanley Lizama

“When I lead that carnival, sometimes people don’t realize I drop my tears. I’m so happy to see my Belizeans on the route cheering for me and looking forward to seeing me out there.”

And on September Tenth, Stanley Lizama is front and center displaying historical themes of Belize with his regalia. But when the parades draw to a close, Lizama goes the extra mile to express his love for the country through the elaborate decorations he displays at his home for the festivities. If you’re unfamiliar with the significance of September Tenth, a glimpse of Lizama’s decorated entrance might offer a hint of its story.

Stanley Lizama

“Well, I’m trying to share the Battle of St. George’s Caye because the four guys that came down the river from Flowers Bank, they didn’t have outboard machines. They paddled down the river, so that’s why the paddle is out there.”

His creativity truly comes to life at this time of year, as he skillfully repurposes materials to create the display he envisions.

Stanley Lizama

“I’ll tell you, what you throw away I’ll pick up. That is a piece of an old cast iron from a sewage pipe. That’s an old sewage pipe. But it’s shaped like a cannon, that’s why I set it there as a cannon.”

Sabreena Daly

“Talk to me about what neighbors would say when they see your display on a yearly basis.”

Stanley Lizama

“Well, my neighbors would say, “Man, you’ve brought out something new! I’m going to take my picture”. Everyone comes to take pictures and i dont charge to take them. There’s even a guy from LA, whenever he comes, he would bring his family to take pictures.”

Lizama’s friendly neighbor, Richard Gabourel, shared that these displays are a yearly tradition. He views them as a heartfelt effort and act of love from Lizama for his community. Despite the limited recognition, Gabourel takes pride in seeing this tradition continue year after year.

Richard Gabourel, Neighbor

“I’ve noticed that for all these years, nobody has recognized his effort. He does this every year, annually. We do this for Halloween, tenth of September, nineteenth of November. We do this for Easter. We do this for Cross Country and we’ve always had everything here for that time.”

Regardless of recognition, Lizama remains committed to his patriotic efforts. He encourages all Belizeans to fully embrace the festivities and show love and support for one another.

Stanley Lizama

“Be strong, show love to each other and be together as much and let this September, Independence and celebrations be good.”

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

Honouring Cleopatra White: A Legacy of Service and Belize’s Trailblazer in Healthcare

The life of Cleopatra Eugenie White remains a celebrated part of Belizean history. Born in then British Honduras to Joseph and Maria White, she made significant contributions as a nurse, social worker, and community leader. Her work had a lasting impact on both healthcare and community management in Belize.

Pioneering Healthcare in Rural Belize

In the 1940s, Cleopatra White was one of Belize’s first formally trained nurses for public health services. She began her career in the early 20th century and focused on rural areas.

White’s first assignment was in Double Head Cabbage village, but she soon relocated to Gales Point and the Manatee River area of Belize, where she would spend the majority of the next 16 years. As the first rural health nurse in the region, her role quickly evolved beyond traditional nursing duties to include social work. She became a beloved mentor to many village children and played a crucial role in educating young women about hygiene practices.

White was an innovator in community management. Her most notable achievement was her establishment of the first village council in Gales Point. Recognising the need for organised management of village affairs, especially during emergencies, she set up a system that would later be replicated across Belize. This model proved effective during hurricanes and other crises, showing her foresight and leadership.

White played a crucial role in disaster relief efforts. After the 1931 hurricane, she helped establish nursing facilities and supply stations. Her work during Hurricane Janet in 1955 and Hurricane Hattie in 1961 further demonstrated her commitment to her community. She drove daily to care for people affected by Hurricane Hattie, showing remarkable dedication.

Awards and Recognition

In recognition of her contributions, White received several honours. In 1953, she was awarded the Victoria Medal for her services. By 1958, she had travelled to England to receive the Member of the Order of the British Empire Medal in the 1958 Birthday Honours. These awards underscored her impact on both a local and international scale.

In 1986, the Women’s Bureau of Belize created the Cleopatra White Shield, awarded to the winner of the National High School Quiz Contest. This prize not only honours her memory but also supports educational achievement among Belizean youth. In addition, the Cleopatra White Outpatient Clinic was established in her honour, and a postage stamp was issued in 1993 featuring her image.

A Legacy Preserved

Upon retiring from the Hattieville Clinic in the mid-1960s, Cleopatra White returned to Belize City with a fervent goal: to rejuvenate the declining Black Cross Nurses training courses. Her commitment extended beyond nursing education; she founded the Women’s League and played a pivotal role in organising fundraising events and entertainment for the National Festival of the Arts. Known for her exceptional skills as a scriptwriter, songwriter, and storyteller, White earned numerous accolades for her creative work. To honour her contributions to Creole heritage, E. Beck, a professor at St. John’s College, recorded several of her songs, preserving her efforts to instill pride through music.

Cleopatra White’s life showcased her deep commitment to service, shaping healthcare and community management in Belize. Although she lived modestly and spent her final years as a pauper at the Belize City Old Folks Home, her impact imprinted Belize’s history for years to come.

Celebrating September 10th in Belize City

The National Celebrations Commission is proceeding with an itinerary of events to celebrate Saint George’s Caye Day on Tuesday. Here’s ICA Director Kim Vasquez, once again.

Kim Vasquez, Director, Institute of Creative Arts

“In the morning, we have, of course, the official ceremonies at Government House at nine a.m. I think everybody looks forward to this because a big part of that is the installation of the Queen of the Bay. And then after that, we have festivities right back at Memorial Park and Lord Rhaburn Plaza, we go back out there for bram, hosted by the Belize City Council.”

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.