Back in Belize!

OK, after a nice break of 2 weeks in Spain, I am back to work and clearly determined to save the forest and its birds during the remaining 3 months before the project comes to an end!!!! Just kidding, it isn't that easy.

But the Spanish break was everything but a holiday. Please guys, remember me never to do again such a lightning visit to Spain. Too many people to meet, simply. But it was a successful trip!

I have no much inspiration today to write, but at least I can leave you with some pics of our whale shark dive!

Whale shark

Loggerhead turtle.

And also, and example of the Punta music and dancing I already talked about some weeks ago:

A Race Against Fire, opossums, whale sharks and Spain

The dry season is coming. Actually, it is more than arrived. And it is hot. And sweaty. And humid (the dryness refers only to rain). In fact, my hair has gone curly, for the first time in my life.

This means that the farmers in the area will start clearing land and making fires. Sometimes to clear the land, sometimes by accident and, sadly, sometimes for fun... and the dryness and heat of this time of the year involve that these activities can easily go out of control.

This is why Ya'axché organizes every year the Race Against Fire, a bicycle race (accompanied by many other activities) that becomes a big awareness rising event, in which we try to emphasize the importance of using the molching instead of the burning to clear the land and, if not possible, to promote safe fire-use practices. This took place last Saturday (the day before yesterday), and there was the normal bicycle race, a slow bicycle race, sack race, kid games, corn seeding contest, dancing contest, music... had tons of fun, but it was tiresome, as I was in charge of documenting everything with pictures, which meant I had to be everywhere. I present many pics from the event below.

This means we didn't really have an Easter break... but we are taking it next week! I am going with Erik, James and Jauma today to Placencia to try to see the whale sharks, which are supposed to be around after the full moons during the dry season. I can't wait for that!

On the other hand, I am having more and more new neighbors at home... OK, not really new, they have been there all the time: the unavoidable cockroaches (you can't get rid of them in tropical climates), scorpions (yes, already got some at home), mosquitos (clouds) and, on Friday... an enormous opossum walking around our house!

And last, but not least, I want to tell you in advance that it is very likely that there will be no blog entries the next couple of weeks. I have to go to Spain for 10 days, kind of a last minute change of plans... I must recognize that I am looking forward to it: some days in Madrid, some in Vitoria and, most likely, a lightning strike over Pamplona! But I will be back before the end of April. Don't desperate meanwhile!

Julio, proud event organizer and our
environmental education and outreach officer.

Getting prepared. 

Go!

Having fun!

Competition was tough!

Drawing and painting.

The winner!

Corn seeding contest.

Little friend.

Another friend... aren't maya kids cute? 

Me and friends.

Slow bicycle race.

Aerial sack race.

Watermelon eating contest. 

Dance contest. 

Barts, COL Program Manager and showman.

The garifuna

Once upon a time... sorry, in 1635, two boats charged with human cargo, coming from Western Africa and on their way to the New World, capsized in front of the Caribbean island of San Vicente. The slaves managed to scape the boats and get ashore, where the locals welcomed them and offered them protection. Eventually, both groups hooked up and mixed, giving birth to the "garinagu" people, once known as "the black caribs", and nowadays know as Garifuna. This people, on their fights against the neigbouring French and British colonies captured more slaves that found shelter in their society.

The Garifuna flag.

In the days prior to 1796, the Brits and the French were in war in their Western Indies colonies. The Garifuna were allied of the French, who eventually lost the confrontation, surrendering the island of San Vicente to the Brits. The former considered the Garifuna enemies for their alliance with the later, and decided to deport them. These people had suffered enormous looses during the war, but the worst was still about to arrive. In a journey that led them first to Jamaica and, finally, to Roatán (Honduras) about a half of the 5000 Garifuna died.

The Garifuna journey.

Roatán Island turned out to be too small for its new inhabitants. Hence, they asked permission to the Spanish authorities in the nearby coast of Honduras to settle down there. The Spanish, very intelligent, agreed in exchange of using them as soldiers, shall the occasion arrive. The sign of the times was close to come, and with it the end of the Spanish dominion over their American colonies, which soon got their independence in different moments of the XIX century.

Don't get lost in Central America! (not kidding, I've discovered friends that
didn't know where Belize was!).

The Garifuna thrived in Roatán and Honduras, and they needed to expand their territories and find new lands in which to look for a living. This resulted in an expansion that made them spread towards Nicaragua, Guatemala and what in those days was the British Honduras (nowadays Belize). In Belize, for instance, the "Garifuna Settlement Day" is a National Holiday. In the XX century, the Garifuna, as well as many other Belizeans, have continued their particular diaspora towards the USA.

Celebrating Garifuna settlement day.

The Garifuna are famous for their extremely erotic dancing (that makes reggaeton look like a kindergarden yard game), their music style named "Punta" (or its modern and electric version, "Punta Rock") and their colorful arts, crafts and lifestyle. Actually, Garifuna culture has been declared Non-Material Cultural Mankind Heritage.

And guess what... PG Town is full of Garifuna people!