Black Belizeans: Where Are They?

Belize has a thriving Afro-Caribbean community, with a significant Black history that is often forgotten. The country has the highest percentage population of African descent of any Central American nation, with the Afro-Belizeans known as Garifuna, Kriols or Creoles. The Garifuna people are of mixed African and Indigenous descent, originating over 500 years ago when the indigenous inhabitants of St. Vincent intermarried with enslaved Africans, resisting slavery and fighting against the conversion of their lands into slave plantations. The Creoles, on the other hand, are primarily the mixed-race descendants of enslaved West and Central Africans and their European colonisers and traffickers.

Belize has the highest percentage of African descent in Central America

Belize, a former British colony, is a country on the northeastern coast of Central America. It has the highest percentage of African descent in the region, with around 30% of the population being Afro-Belizean. This includes the Creoles (Kriols), who make up approximately 25.9% of the population, and the Garifuna (or Garinagu), who account for about 6%.

The Creoles are the descendants of African slaves brought to the country, mainly from West and Central Africa, by the Baymen to support the logging industry. Over time, these slaves intermarried with Jamaicans, Miskitos, and East Indians who were also brought to Belize as laborers. Today, the Creole language, Belize Kriol, is spoken by almost 75% of the total population.

The Garifuna people, on the other hand, have a unique history that dates back over 500 years. They originated when the indigenous inhabitants of the island of St. Vincent intermarried with enslaved Africans, together resisting slavery and fighting against the conversion of their lands into slave plantations. After being deported by British and French colonists to Central America, the Garifuna formed communities along the Caribbean coast in Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Belize. Garifuna culture, known for its music and dance, was proclaimed by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2001.

In addition to the Creoles and Garifuna, other ethnic groups in Belize include Mestizos (around 53% of the population), Maya (about 11.6%), East Indians (3.9%), Mennonites (1.2%), and smaller groups of White, Chinese, and North Americans. Most Belizeans are of multiracial descent, reflecting the diverse society and cultural mix of the country.

The Garifuna people of Belize resisted slavery and fought against slave plantations

The Garifuna people of Belize, also known as Garinagu, are the descendants of an Afro-indigenous population from the Caribbean island of St. Vincent. The Garifuna are a product of 'voluntary assimilation', which indicates the peaceful creation of this new ethnic group. The history of the Garifuna has been one of constant migration and intermarriage.

The story of the Garifuna people begins almost 400 years ago when South American Carib Indians migrated to the Caribbean island of St. Vincent to subdue and discipline the native Arawak Indian islanders. The Arawak Indians themselves had migrated from Guyana, Surinam, and Venezuela and settled in the Greater Antilles Islands in the Caribbean. The Carib and Arawak intermarried and engendered the Island Carib, who settled predominantly on Saint Vincent Island.

In 1635, two Spanish ships carrying hundreds of indentured Nigerians shipwrecked in the area, and many of the surviving slaves were able to seek refuge on the island among the Carib-Arawak population. This event further added to the genetic merger of St. Vincent's ethnic population. The Garifuna are the descendants of the African survivors of these human cargo ships that were wrecked off the island of St Vincent around 1675. These West Africans, along with the steady stream of maroons escaping slavery on other Caribbean islands, found refuge and started families with the indigenous Kalinago (Carib) population.

An Afro-indigenous culture developed that existed independently of the region's colonial forced labour plantation system. They became known as the Black Caribs or Garifuna. The so-called 'Black Caribs' together with the indigenous Kalinago created a formidable fighting force that resisted European colonizing efforts in the region for over a century, forcing both the British and French to recognize St Vincent as one of several 'Neutral Islands'. Conflict between the British and the Black or Fighting Caribs, led by defiant Paramount Chief Joseph Chatoyer (Satuye), continued until 1796, when improved British armaments forced them to accept permanent exile as prisoners of war.

In April 1797, over 5,000 'Black Caribs' (Garifuna) were transported on British ships and abandoned on the deserted Honduran Bay Island of Roatan. Many later moved to the mainland of Honduras and became allied with Spain. The Garifuna fought with Spain against British pirates and military attacks. They also took the Royalist side in the Central American Independence Wars against Spain and as a result became a highly marginalized population in post-independence Honduras. Support for the defeated Conservative forces brought charges of treason in the 1830s and prompted a further maritime dispersion to coastal areas in neighbouring Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Belize.

The Garifuna lived stubbornly outside the hierarchy of slave-driven imperialism and eventually came to develop a formidable armed resistance to the British. But the arrival of new advances in weaponry allowed the British to eventually suppress them, and they came to accept exile as a term of surrender. The Garifuna were exiled from their homeland but resisted slavery and fought against the conversion of their lands into slave plantations.

Belize Kriol language was historically spoken by the Creoles

Belize Kriol, also known as Belize Creole, is an English-based creole language spoken by the Belizean Creole people. It is closely related to Miskito Coastal Creole, San Andrés-Providencia Creole, and Jamaican Patois. Belize Kriol is derived mainly from English but is influenced by other languages brought into the country due to the slave trade. The language was developed between 1650 and 1930 as a result of the slave trade. It first started as a pidgin, a way for slaves and English colonisers within the logging industry to communicate with each other. Over generations, the language developed into a creole, becoming the mother tongue for some.

Belizean Creoles are people of Afro-European origin, primarily mixed-race descendants of enslaved West and Central Africans and the British and Scottish log cutters who trafficked them, known as the Baymen. 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 were brought to Belize as indentured labourers. The majority of Belizean Creoles trace their ancestry to several of these groups.

Belize Kriol was initially developed through interactions between 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 Belizean national identity. In the 21st century, Creoles are predominantly found in urban areas such as Belize City and most coastal towns and villages. They also live in villages along the Belize and Sibun rivers, as well as along the Western and Northern highways.

The Belize Kriol language has a standardised orthography, unlike most creole languages. It is the first language of some Garifunas, Mestizos, Maya, and other ethnic groups. It is also a second language for most others in the country. Today, Belize Kriol is the first or second language of the majority of the country's inhabitants. Many also speak standard English, and a process of decreolization is taking place. As a result, a creole continuum exists, and speakers can code-switch between various mesolect registers.

The Creole ethnic group are native to Belize

The Creole ethnic group, also known as "Kriols", are native to Belize. They are the descendants of English loggers and African slaves, most of whom were brought to Belize via Jamaica. The slaves were established in Central America as early as the 1500s, and in 1724, the British began using slaves in Jamaica and other countries.

In the early 18th century, English loggers came to Belize to harvest valuable timber species such as logwood and mahogany. Some of these loggers became extremely wealthy and began to import slaves from other British colonies. As these loggers were on the periphery of British society, many intermingled with the slaves, resulting in the Creole people.

The British Empire formally outlawed slavery in 1807, and the Creole population of Belize soon began to desire more autonomy and equal rights. After a series of protests in the early 20th century, the British government put Belize on a fast track towards independence. In 1981, when Belize gained full independence from Britain, approximately 70% of the population was Creole. This percentage has since decreased to 24-25% due to emigration and the influx of Central American immigrants.

The Creoles settled into modern-day Belize City, spreading throughout its districts during the 1800s. They developed their own unique version of English, which is now the lingua franca for most people in Belize, despite standard English being the official language. Creole food and its long heritage form the basis of modern Belizean cuisine, including dishes like rice and beans with spicy chicken, potato salad, wild game meats, and seafood.

Belize's culture is strongly rooted in African tradition

Belize is a melting pot of diverse cultures, languages, and ethnic groups. The country's culture is strongly rooted in African traditions, with the presence of the Garifuna people being a significant influence.

The Garifuna are a true Afro-Caribbean people with a unique culture that has gained worldwide recognition. They originated over 500 years ago when the indigenous inhabitants of St. Vincent intermarried with enslaved Africans, together resisting slavery and fighting against the conversion of their lands into slave plantations. As a result of British and French colonial rivalry, the Garifuna were deported to Central America, where they formed communities along the Caribbean coast in Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Belize.

The Garifuna have preserved their traditions and cultural identity over the centuries, and their influence on Belizean culture is undeniable. Their music and dance are renowned, with UNESCO proclaiming their culture as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2001. The Garifuna also have a unique death celebration called Dugu, a tradition brought from the coasts of Africa by slaves brought to Belize. This ceremony is performed to appease the spirits of ancestors and cure illnesses attributed to their displeasure.

In addition to the Garifuna, Belize is home to the Kriols or Creoles, who are primarily mixed-race descendants of enslaved West and Central Africans. They have also intermarried with other groups such as the Miskito from Nicaragua, Jamaicans, Mestizos, Europeans, Mayas, and Chinese. The Kriol language, developed from the interaction between Africans and Europeans, was historically spoken by this group and became synonymous with the Belizean national identity.

Belize's culture is a vibrant tapestry woven from the threads of its diverse ethnic groups. The country's food, music and dance, and traditions bear the imprint of its African heritage, with the Garifuna and Kriols playing a pivotal role in shaping the nation's cultural landscape.

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