Belize – A Caribbean Getaway
Turquoise waters, seaside hideouts, and thick jungles where the elusive jaguar resides, it’s no wonder Belize bills itself as the perfect “Caribbean” getaway. However, to truly appreciate what this Central American country has to offer, listen to the Garifuna drums, indulge in Mayan chocolate, and immerse yourself in the cultures these groups bring to the country – that is where the real Belize lies.
Culture
Garifuna Settlement Day
To be honest, no one knows what time the boats will arrive at Hopkins Beach, but it’s best to arrive at 6:45 in the morning anyway. Despite the early hour, you’ll find out rather quickly that the party has been going on long before you wearily stumble through the sand. The drumming, the singing, and the celebrating have been raging from the night before, and the festivities are only getting started.
November 19 is Garifuna Settlement Day, and the small coastal village of Hopkins is filled with Garifuna people from all over the country (and beyond) waiting for the traditional re-enactment to take place.
This national public holiday celebrates when the Garifuna, who represent about six percent of the population, first arrived in Belize from St. Vincent in the 1800s. Women line the shore singing traditional songs while swaying their hips to the rhythmic drum beats, all while facing the sea; waiting for the boats to arrive.
In the distance, a pair of boats, filled with “settlers” and bearing the black, white, and yellow flag of the Belizean Garifuna, lurches toward the shore. However, a white man, reportedly a representation of English settlers, stands in the shallow waters and turns the Garifuna away. This process occurs three times, and on the third attempt, the man relents and welcomes the Garifuna to the shore. Consequently, the celebration reaches its zenith as each “settler” sets foot on solid land, leading to a joyful procession of singing and drumming through the town and to the local church.
Be sure to bring water, but do fill your belly with the extremely tasty and dense gwetu – a Garifuna porridge made with smashed green plantains, ginger, coconut, carnation milk, and nutmeg.
Note: The national holiday means many businesses will be closed for that day, so plan accordingly.
Music
For the Garifuna, the drum is life. It serves as a direct connection to African ancestry and is a point of pride for those who play it.
“Drumming is so important to the culture because drumming is a part of the culture,” states Ronald Williams, a drummer from Hopkins. “Without drumming, there would be no Garifuna.”
In the dying sunlight next to a beachside restaurant, a collection of musicians gathers – a female dancer dressed in a traditional Garifuna colorful, patterned dress, two men on maracas, and a trio of drummers. The music is fast-paced, not frantic, with a beat that encourages toe-tapping or, for the more advanced, hip-shaking. The singing resembles call and response over the steady rhythm, and participation is highly encouraged.
Most drummers hone their craft at drumming schools located throughout various Garifuna villages in Belize. These schools serve as integral parts of the community, where children as young as four walk through their doors to take up the instrument.
Warren Martinez, who is often considered the best drummer in the country, was born within the walls of a drumming school and has been part of the community ever since.
“I like to share my culture,” says Martinez, who has traveled internationally for shows. “Whenever I die, there will be a remembrance of me… It’s my gift. I want to share.”
Visitors can learn to play at Jabbar Lambey’s Lebeha Drumming Center in Hopkins, where hour-long lessons are available for $15 USD.
Food
Various bowls (one containing a pair of fish heads) scattered about, a large tray filled with green plantains, a white cutting board stacked with cloves of garlic waiting to be diced, and a pair of burners cranked on high. It’s the kind of mayhem any foodie would recognize and adore.
Tucked a few feet away from the ocean and shaded by palm trees, Dian Martinez’s Queen Bean in Hopkins is a popular spot for truly authentic Garifuna dishes. Visitors can sample classics such as hudut, a fish and coconut stew filled with fresh herbs and spices, as well as tikani, made with okra, cabbage, carrots, and generous seasoning. For dessert, do not miss out on cassava pudding.
For those looking to get involved in food preparation, J&D Tours – a locally owned business based in Hopkins – offers a full Belizean food experience that allows visitors to see firsthand how these nationally beloved dishes are made. The immersive experience is available for $45 USD per person.
Mayan Influence
It’s hard to move throughout Belize without noticing the Mayan influence. Ruins dot the entire country, including the backyards of everyday Belizeans. Belize was once considered the epicenter of the Mayan Empire, and although numbers have dwindled, Mayan culture remains – most notably in food.
Chocolate Making
Sitting at a small stool in front of a wooden table, Victoria Pop is hard at work. Using a volcanic rock pestle with origins from the highlands of Guatemala, she quickly processes the cacao bean shells. The crunching echoes through the open-air thatched-roof room located at her hillside home in the town of Toledo, the southernmost region of Belize.
Cacao was once so valuable to the Maya that it operated essentially as currency. Marriage dowries would often be paid in cacao. Moreover, the drink, rich in antioxidants, was used to help young mothers produce milk.
The chocolate-making process is painstaking; the ease with which Victoria breaks the pods, separates the shells from the beans, and later makes a creamy paste is somewhat deceptive. This task has been passed down for generations, with grinding stones handed down from eldest daughter to eldest daughter.
The end result is a piping hot cup of cacao that can be flavored with allspice, once considered the drink of the gods.
Eladio Pop’s Farm offers tours of its agricultural land, emphasizing the cacao plantation, along with a chocolate-making tour that guides visitors through the entire process – “from soil to seed and from bean to bar.”
Agouti Farm, named after a brown rabbit native to the country, is led by Eladio Pop, who started farming at 14. He and his wife, Virginia, had 15 children, who over the years helped the organic farm expand and eventually offer hands-on experiences for visitors.
Tours must be booked in advance via email and usually include a homemade Mayan lunch, with a cost of $50 USD.
