7. • The Mestizo of Belize are descended from the union of the indigenous Maya
and the Spanish who came following Columbus' discovery.
• The Mestizo population in Belize can be found throughout the country, but
are concentrated in the Corozal and Orange Walk districts.
• Their appearance is decidedly Hispanic, hair is typically black, straight, or
slightly wavy. The complexion is at times pale, or slightly tan.
• Today, the customs of the Mestizo are a perfect blend of Spanish customs as
well as those of the Maya.
• The food as well, shows the influence of the Maya, as many of the Mestizo
dishes make use of corn in some way or form.
• The Mestizo are very fluent in Spanish.
• The Mestizo populace in Belize is Roman Catholic, having adopted the
religion of the Spanish.
10. The dance, the fiesta and the music from the peninsula of Yucatan are called jaranas.
This music is a marvelous combination of Spanish folklore with the pentaphonic
sounds of Mayan music. In addition, the Afro-Caribbean guaracha style (known as
"salsa" today) has exerted a tremendous influence on the jaranas due to the
peninsula's proximity to Cuba. The music is usually played by an orchestra with the
clarinet and saxophone as prominent instruments.
11. Since slavery was abolished in 1833, the sugar plantation owners needed a
large labour force to replace the freed slaves. Being an indentured
labourer meant East Indians belonged to the employer. East Indians had to
work on the sugar plantation for years with minimal wages and no rights.
East Indians were commonly referred to as "Coolie", which means a paid
servant of East Indian descendants, or Hindu. But usually Hindu is applied
to members of the Hindu faith, which is a dominant religion of India. To
distinguish us from many other Indians in the world, we are called East
Indians because we came from the East.
14. The music of India includes multiple varieties of folk music, pop, and Indian classical
music. India's classical music tradition, including Hindustani music and Carnatic, has a
history spanning millennia and developed over several years. Music in India began as
an integral part of socio-religious life.
Indian musical instruments can be broadly classified according to the Hornbostel–Sachs
system into four categories: chordophones (string instruments), aerophones (wind
instruments), membranophones (drums) and idiophones (non-drum percussion
instruments).
15. The Garifuna history has been one of constant migration and intermarriage. After a
ship wreck of African slave caused them to intermarry the Garinagu of St. Vincent and
eventually fused into a single culture, the Black Caribs or Garinagu. They were forced
to exiled and search for a home. They were deposited on the island of Roatan,
Honduras. Unfortunately, a brief civil war in 1832 found the Garinagu on the wrong
side and once again many were forced to flee to neighboring British Honduras.
According to tradition, the first Garifuna arrived in then British Honduras on
November 19th, 1802.
16. The traditional Garifuna colors are yellow, black, and white. Women often wear
long dresses sewn from checkered material along with colored head pieces, the
colors could also symbolize the Garifuna’s hardship and struggle that they
endured (black), hope and prosperity (yellow), and the peace that they yearned
for in their history (white).
18. This spiritualism spawns a wealth of creativity among Garinagu in the form of music,
dance and art. Punta Rock is a modern musical interpretation of a Garinagu cultural
dance. The Punta dance accompanying the music - with its seductive movements and
rhythmic beat - is Belize's most popular dance.
Another favorite dance - the "John Canoe" - is performed during the Christmas season.
The dancer wears a mask which resembles an English face topped by a hand-made hat
similar to the English naval hats of the 18th century. The dance displayed the skills of
warrior-slaves while mocking their British overseers.
19. The Creoles formed as thirty percent of the whole of the Belizean population and
are direct descendants of African slaves brought by the English in the seventeenth
century to work in the timber industry. In many occasions, the landlords and owners
of slaves were of English origin or Scots, who mingled with the black slaves, which
resulted in different patinas of the Creole community. The Creoles living mostly in
Belize City and still preserve and they jealously guard their cultures, customs and
traditions that in large part are rooted in African culture. The creole language is
derived from the English and is spoken with a different accent, similar to the Creole
spoken in the Caribbean islands.
22. • Music and dance were always parts of religious ritual in Belize.
• The Creoles enjoy rhythm and love to dance. The BRUKDOWN perhaps
comes closest to being their traditional dance, as well as the BRAM
which is performed only at Christmas.
• The music includes: drums, rattles, sticks knocked together, bottles hit
with metal, and grater rubbed with fork.