New Year’s Day. January 1. New Year’s is celebrated in much of the same way as other countries. Clubs and bars are open late, and many people attend private parties. Many ethnic groups may also do their own parties, dressing up in traditional dress. There are also a lot of migratory birds that pass through during this time, so bird watching is often a popular thing to do as well.
Baron Bliss Day (or National Heroes & Benefactor’s Day).
March 9. Baron Bliss is an Englishman who sailed his yacht first to Trinidad
where he got food poisoning. He then traveled to Belize in an attempt to
recover from his illness. He actually stayed on his yacht the entire time he
was there, but the Belizeans who lived nearby taught him about Belize and
brought him food and supplies. He fell in love with the country and its people
through their kindnesses towards him. He eventually did succumb to the food
poisoning, but not before bequeathing $2 million to the nation. It went to
build libraries, health clinics, museums, markets, and upgrading water
supplies. Every year there is a boat regatta held on this day in several
different towns and cities.
Good Friday. Varies. Church services are held in the
mornings, followed by processions around 3pm, which is thought to be the time
that Jesus died on the cross. Processions are usually held through the streets
carrying a large replica of the cross and other sacred objects with
significance to this holiday. There are some folklore traditions that say that
if you swim on 3pm on Good Friday, you’ll turn into a fish; or that if you cook
an egg that was laid on Good Friday, you can see the image of Jesus in the
yolk; or that if you chop a coconut tree, it might bleed the blood of Christ. (I
sincerely hope no one has actually tried it to see if it’s true.)
Holy Saturday. Varies. Holy Saturday is reserved for the
annual Cross Country Classic Bicycle Race. It starts in Belize City, goes out
to the west around the towns of San Ignacio and Santa Elena and then returns to
Belize City.
Easter. Varies. Like most other countries that celebrate Easter,
Belizeans start out their day with church services in the morning and then
spend the rest of the afternoon with friends and family, many heading to the beaches. The Easter Bunny and
looking for eggs have increasingly become popular among Belizeans.
Easter Monday. Varies. There are still activities going on
to fill the day: more bicycle races, horse races (something you’ll find
wherever the British set foot), good food and drinks, and lots of live music.
Labour Day. May 1. A holiday in honor of the workers of the
world. The Prime Minister (or the Minister of Labor) will give an address in
the morning, and the rest of the day is followed by picnics with family and
friends and sporting events.
Sovereign’s Day / Commonwealth Day. May 24. Commonwealth Day
is a celebration that is held in all of the British and former British colonies
(commonwealths). There is a multi-faith service held, and the Queen delivers an
address that is broadcast throughout the world.
Saint George’s Caye Day (or National Day). September 10.
This is a day to commemorate the Battle of Saint George’s Caye. Basically this
was one of the many battles between the British and the Spanish. The Baymen
(British and Scotsmen in Belize) had already established the logging industry
for mahogany there when the Spanish surprised the people at Saint George’s Caye
by destroying their town and taking 140 prisoners. There were several attacks
throughout many years, but the Belizeans prevailed, and the Treaty of
Versailles in 1783 allowed the Baymen to continue with their logging activities
but under certain boundaries. There are ceremonies, parades, as well as
get-togethers and parties. There are also a lot of concerts and live music and
cultural arts festivals around this time in many of the cities.
Independence Day. September 21. The previous holiday and
this one somewhat merge into one large holiday season. Many people hang flags
and decorate everything in red, white, and blue. Belizean music is played –
including soca and punta music – throughout this time. Different cities have
their own parades and festivities that are held at various times. Many
participate in music contests, dance contests, and/or pageants and watched by
many. (It’s also my daughter’s birthday who thought it was pretty cool that
there’s a holiday on her birthday.)
Pan American Day (or Columbus Day). October 12. This is to
commemorate Christopher Columbus’ landing in the western hemisphere. (It just
happens to be this week.) Many school children will read about the stories
surrounding Christopher Columbus. Different countries call the day by different
names but essentially the reasons are the same. There are some who criticize
the holiday because of the fact that Columbus and his crew set up for the slave
trade and wiped out thousands of Native Americans with smallpox (oh, yeah,
THAT.).
Garifuna Settlement Day. November 19. The Garifuna peoples
are those who are mixed African and Caribbean. This marks the day when the
Garifuna were first transported to Belize in 1832. They were originally on the
island of St. Vincent and had rebelled against the British. For this they were
banished to the island of Roatán. They left Honduras to escape a
civil war and landed in Dangriga (Belize), which is where many of the largest
festivities for this holiday take place. There is a lot of food, music, dancing
and parades that are held for this celebration. (My son was also happy to know
his birthday also had a holiday on the same day.)
Christmas. December 25. Many of the traditions are a
combination of Spanish traditions, British, and Maya traditions. The season
begins with statues of Mary and Joseph parades through the streets to the music
of marimbas, torches, and fireworks. A Maya tradition known as the Maya Deer
Dance is performed in the village of Santa Cruz, in full regalia of traditional
costume and foods. The city of Dangriga has famous balls where couples dance
many of the great ballroom dances introduced from the British. Many people
attend a midnight mass on Christmas Eve. Gift giving and elaborate meals are
enjoyed by almost everyone on Christmas Day (although some open gifts the night
before). In some cities, like Dangriga, the afternoon is reserved for what’s
called Wanaragua or Charikanari, both of which are somewhat related to and
inspired from Junkanoo (as in the same that we talked about from The Bahamas,
although there are several variances in spellings and pronunciations), both
involving dancing in elaborate costumes.
Boxing Day. December 26. The traditions of singing from
house to house extend to Boxing Day with
Asederahatian (meaning “one who serenades”). Gifts are exchanged with those who are less fortunate, and many give to charity around this time as well. For the sports lover, there is an annual horse race and bicycle race that also takes place. And I’m sure that there are also a lot of really good buys out there as well.
Asederahatian (meaning “one who serenades”). Gifts are exchanged with those who are less fortunate, and many give to charity around this time as well. For the sports lover, there is an annual horse race and bicycle race that also takes place. And I’m sure that there are also a lot of really good buys out there as well.
Up next: art and literature
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