Afro-Belizeans: Where Are They?

There are two main Afro-Belizean ethnic groups: the Belizean Creole people, also known as Kriols, and the Garifuna, also called Black Caribs. The Creoles are primarily the mixed-race descendants of enslaved West and Central Africans, as well as the Europeans who trafficked them. The Garifuna are a true Afro-Caribbean people, originating when the indigenous inhabitants of St. Vincent intermarried with enslaved Africans and fought against the conversion of their lands into slave plantations. Today, most Afro-Belizeans can be found in urban areas such as Belize City, and in most coastal towns and villages.

Belizean Creole people, also known as Kriols

Belizean Creoles, also known as Kriols, are a Creole ethnic group native to Belize. They are the descendants of enslaved West and Central Africans, as well as the Europeans who trafficked them.

Belizean Creoles are a mixed-race group, with ancestry from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds. They are descended from enslaved Africans, as well as the English and Scottish log cutters, known as Baymen, who trafficked them. Over the years, they have also intermarried with Miskito from Nicaragua, Jamaicans and other Caribbean people, Mestizos, Europeans, Garifunas, Mayas, and Chinese and Indians. The latter groups were brought to Belize as indentured labourers.

The Belize Kriol language was initially developed by Africans and Europeans and was historically spoken only by them. The Creoles constituted the majority of the population until the 1980s and became synonymous with the Belizean national identity. In the 21st century, Creoles are predominantly found in urban areas, such as Belize City, and in most coastal towns and villages.

Belizean Creoles speak English, Spanish and their own language, Belizean Creole. Belizean Creole is an English-based creole language closely related to Miskito Coastal Creole, San Andrés-Providencia Creole, and Jamaican Patois. It is believed to have developed between 1650 and 1930 as a result of the slave trade. Belizean Creole, like many other creole languages, started as a pidgin, a way for slaves and English colonisers to communicate. Over generations, the language developed into a creole, becoming the mother tongue for some.

Belizean Creoles live throughout Belize, but predominantly in urban areas such as Belize City, Belmopan, and Dangriga. They initially settled in places with a lot of work, including Belize City, and along the banks of the Belize River in the original logwood settlements.

Belizean Creole culture is diverse and plays a strong role in the Belizean community. Creole music, for example, incorporates European harmonies with African rhythms and features a call-and-response format. Creole food is also a mainstay of Belizean cuisine, with staples including rice and beans, fish, meat, and bread.

Garifuna, also known as Black Caribs

The Garifuna, also known as the Black Caribs, are a people of mixed African and Amerindian ancestry. They are descended from West African slaves who arrived on the Caribbean island of St. Vincent around 1635, and from local populations of Arawaks and Carib Indians (Caribs), immigrants from South America. The Garifuna were historically known by the exonyms Caribs, Black Caribs, and Island Caribs, with the term ''Black Caribs'' being used by European explorers in the 17th century.

The Garifuna originated on the British West Indies island of Saint Vincent, known to the Garinagu as Yurumein, in the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles. They were transplanted to the Central American coast, with a founding population of 2,500 to 5,000 people. Small Garifuna communities remain in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, while the Garifuna diaspora includes communities in Honduras, the United States, and Belize. The Garifuna population is estimated to be around 600,000 globally, with extensive emigration to the United States.

In the Garifuna language, the endonym 'Garínagu' refers to the people as a whole, while 'Garífuna' refers to an individual person, as well as the culture and language. The Garifuna language is an offshoot of the Arawak language, with French, English, Dutch, African, and Spanish influences. Almost all Garifuna people are bilingual or multilingual, often speaking Spanish or English as a first language.

The Garifuna people have a rich cultural heritage that combines Caribbean fishing and farming traditions with South American and African music, dance, and spirituality. Their music styles are known for their heavy use of percussion instruments and distinctive drumming. Punta is a popular genre of Garifuna music and dance, with lyrics typically written by Garifuna women. Garifuna food and drink incorporate native Central American crops and African staples, including fish, chicken, cassava, bananas, and plantains.

Dangriga, a town in southern Belize, is considered the spiritual capital of the country's Garifuna people. The Gulisi Garifuna Museum in Dangriga exhibits and documents the art, music, customs, spiritual beliefs, and history of the Garinagu.

The Belize Kriol language

Belizean Creoles, also known as Kriols, are a Creole ethnic group native to Belize. The Belize Kriol language was initially developed through the interaction of enslaved Africans and their European captors and slave owners. Belizean Creole is an English-based creole language, closely related to Miskito Coastal Creole, San Andrés-Providencia Creole, and Jamaican Patois. It is derived mainly from English but is also influenced by other languages brought to the country via the slave trade.

Belizean Creole first started as a pidgin, a way for slaves and English colonisers to communicate with each other within the logging industry. Over generations, the language developed into a creole, becoming the mother tongue for some. Belizean Creole is the first language of some Garifunas, Mestizos, Maya, and other ethnic groups, and the second language for most others in the country. It is also the official language of Belize, alongside English.

Belize Kriol has its own spelling, grammar, and dictionary. While it is difficult to estimate the exact number of Belizean Creole speakers, it is estimated that there are more than 70,000 in Belize who speak the language. The 2010 Belize Census recorded that 25.9% of the people within Belize claimed Creole ethnicity and 44.6% spoke Belizean Creole, putting the number of speakers at over 130,000.

The National Kriol Council of Belize has been working to standardise the orthography of the language, deciding to use the spelling 'Kriol' for the language and 'Creole' to refer to the people. This melting pot of languages and cultures has resulted in a fascinating and unique tongue that is an integral part of Belizean culture and national identity.

Creole culture and identity

Belizean Creoles, also known as Kriols, are a Creole ethnic group native to Belize. They are the descendants of enslaved West and Central Africans and the English and Scottish log cutters who trafficked them, known as Baymen. Over the years, the Creoles have also intermarried with Miskito from Nicaragua, Jamaicans and other Caribbean people, Mestizos, Europeans, Garifunas, Mayas, and Chinese and Indians. The latter groups were brought to Belize as indentured labourers.

The Belize Kriol language was initially spoken only by the Creoles and developed from the interaction between Africans and Europeans. The Creoles constituted the majority of the population until the 1980s and became synonymous with the Belizean national identity. In the 21st century, Creoles are predominantly found in urban areas, such as Belize City, and in most coastal towns and villages.

Until the early 1980s, Belizean Creoles constituted close to 60% of the population of Belize. However, the country's demographics have changed significantly due to immigration from other Central American countries and the emigration of an estimated 85,000 Creoles, mostly to the United States. As a result, Creoles now make up only about 24-25% of Belize's population.

The term "Creole" denotes an ethnic culture rather than a specific set of physical characteristics. Persons identifying as Creole exhibit a wide range of physical features due to their diverse ancestry. In Belize, "Creole" is the standard term for any person of at least partial Black African descent who is not Garinagu, or any person who speaks Kriol as a first or sole language. Thus, immigrants from Africa and the West Indies who have settled in Belize and intermarried with locals may also identify as Creole.

The long history of slavery and its abolition is an important part of the modern Creole psyche. Many Creoles draw strength and a sense of identity from their ancestors' resilience in the face of horrific oppression and abuse. Creole culture is often overlooked in Belize, a country with diverse backgrounds and ethnicities. However, the Creole people are generally known for their laid-back, easygoing, and accepting nature, embracing the assortment of cultures in the country.

The Creole language, Kriol, is the most common language in Belize and is used by other ethnic groups to communicate, serving as the unofficial official language. Similar to the Creole people themselves, the Kriol language resembles Jamaican patois and other blended languages but is uniquely its own. While English serves as the base, Kriol incorporates influences from various West African and Caribbean languages, as well as the Nicaraguan Miskito language and Spanish.

Music and dance have been an essential part of Creole culture since colonial times. A style of music called Brukdown, a genre of Belizean music, originated from the all-night parties thrown by Creole families. Brukdown is a mixture of European harmonies, African rhythms and call-and-response formats, and lyrical elements from the native peoples of Belize. Wilfred Peters, a contemporary performer and innovator of Brukdown, is regarded as a Belizean national icon.

Creole cuisine has also been influenced by various cultures. A typical Creole dinner includes rice and beans with meat, salads, seafood, game meats, and ground foods such as cassava, potatoes, cocoa, and plantains. Coconut milk and oil are common ingredients, although they have become increasingly rare and expensive due to the decline of coconut trees in the 1990s.

The Creole Festival is an annual celebration held as part of the September celebrations on the grounds of the House of Culture. This festival is a significant effort by Belize's Creole population to assert itself as a distinct group with its own rich traditions.

Creole food and diet

Other staples of Creole food in Belize include coconut milk and oil, chicken, fish, and other game meats such as "gibnut" (agouti paca). The cultural fusion is evident in the cuisine, with influences from the Maya, Mestizo, Garifuna, Chinese, Indian, Miskito, Jamaican, and other Caribbean cultures.

Some popular Creole dishes in Belize include:

• Boil Up: A hearty dish of boiled ground foods, flour cakes, steamed/fried fish, boiled pigtail, eggs, sweet potatoes, cassavas, bananas, plantains, onions, and spices, all soaked in a fresh and spicy tomato sauce. This dish is derived from African culture, with added spices native to the Caribbean.
• Creole Bread: A yeast-raised coconut milk loaf often eaten with fried fish, stewed chicken, or beans.
• Johnny Cakes: Coconut-infused biscuits, fluffy and golden in colour, served with stewed beans, chicken, or other sides.
• Fry Jacks: Fried puffs of dough made from a coconut and yeast mixture, often served with stewed beans or other sides.
• Creole Buns: Influenced by British-style hot cross buns, these buns are made with flour, brown sugar, eggs, yeast, butter, vanilla extract, spices, and coconut milk. They can be eaten on their own or with cheese, butter, or jam.

Creole food in Belize has evolved over time, adopting dishes from other cultures, particularly "Spanish" dishes made with tortillas. A more general national Belizean cuisine has developed, influenced by the many Central American immigrants in the country.

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