San Antonio: A Belizean Hideaway

San Antonio is a village in Belize, with one in the southern Toledo District and the other in the Cayo District. The village in the Toledo District is the largest Maya settlement in Belize, with a population of about 1,000 people, predominantly Mopan Maya. The village in the Cayo District is a small community nestled in a valley, about a 20-minute drive from the twin towns of San Ignacio and Santa Elena. Both villages are known for their unique and diverse populations, primarily consisting of Yucatec Mayas who have their own culture and traditions.

San Antonio is a village in the Cayo and Toledo Districts of Belize

The Tanah Mayan Art Museum, established by the Garcia Sisters, showcases their exquisite slate carvings that depict various scenes and subjects from Maya life and culture. The village also boasts a Maya ruin, Pacbitun, believed to have been an important centre of trade during the Classic period of Maya civilisation (200-900 AD).

San Antonio in the Toledo District is the largest Maya settlement in Belize, with a population of approximately 1,000 people, predominantly Mopan Maya. The village was founded in 1883 by Maya fleeing persecution in Guatemala. It features attractions such as San Antonio Falls, a stone church built in 1950, and ecotourism guest houses.

The village is easily accessible by bus from nearby towns and is known for its friendly and culturally rich community. It is a great destination for those interested in experiencing local life and learning about Maya history and culture.

Overall, San Antonio Village, with its unique location and rich cultural heritage, offers a fascinating glimpse into the hidden gems of Belize, making it an excellent destination for those seeking to explore and immerse themselves in the local culture and traditions.

The village was established by Maya people fleeing persecution in Guatemala in 1883

San Antonio is a village in the Toledo District of Belize. It was founded in 1883 by Maya people fleeing persecution in Guatemala. This migration also included Q’eqchi’ people from Alta Verapaz, who settled further south in the Crique Sarco, Dolores, Sarstoon, Temash, and Moho River areas.

The Maya are an ethnolinguistic group of indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica. Today, they inhabit southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and westernmost El Salvador and Honduras. The term "Maya" is a modern collective term for the various peoples of the region, and was not historically used by the indigenous populations themselves. The ancient Maya civilization was formed by members of this group, and today's Maya are generally descended from people who lived within that historical region.

In the early 21st century, it was estimated that seven million Maya were living in this area. Guatemala, southern Mexico, and the Yucatán Peninsula, Belize, El Salvador, and western Honduras have managed to maintain numerous remnants of their ancient cultural heritage. Some Maya groups are quite integrated into the majority hispanicized mestizo cultures of the nations in which they reside, while others continue a more traditional, culturally distinct life, often speaking one of the Mayan languages as a primary language.

The Maya civilization occupied a wide territory that included southeastern Mexico and northern Central America. This area included the entire Yucatán Peninsula and all of the territory now in the modern countries of Guatemala and Belize, as well as the western portions of Honduras and El Salvador. The Maya were engaged in a dynamic relationship with neighbouring cultures, including the Olmecs, Mixtecs, Teotihuacan, and Aztecs.

The Maya civilization is known for its ancient temples and glyphs (script). It is also noted for its art, architecture, mathematics, calendar, and astronomical system. The Maya script is the most sophisticated and highly developed writing system in the pre-Columbian Americas.

The Maya people have a long and complex history, with a rich cultural heritage that continues to be celebrated in the region today. The village of San Antonio, established by Maya people fleeing persecution in 1883, is a testament to the resilience and strength of this community.

It is the largest Maya settlement in Belize, with a population of around 1,000 people

San Antonio is a village in the Toledo District of Belize. It is the largest Maya settlement in Belize, with a population of around 1,000 people, predominantly Mopan Maya. The village was founded in 1883 by Maya fleeing persecution in Guatemala. This migration also included Q’eqchi’ people from Alta Verpaz, who settled further south in the Crique Sarco, Dolores, and later Sarstoon, Temash, and Moho River areas.

The village is known for its artists and healers. Cayo’s famous slate carvers, the Garcia Sisters, have set up the Tanah Mayan Art Museum in San Antonio. The village is also the home of the late Don Elijio Panti, a shaman guide and herbal healer. The Elijio Panti National Park was established in his honour and is located at the buffer zone of the village, along with its neighbouring villages of Cristo Rey and El Progresso.

The Maya in San Antonio have preserved their unique cultural language and traditional daily livelihood practices. The village's main attraction is the Catholic stone church built in the 1940s or 1950s, which features a historic church bell and a statue of San Antonio. The statue was brought by the first settler who migrated from San Luis Petén, Guatemala, to escape a military regime that was persecuting the Mayan tribes.

The village also features San Antonio Falls and ecotourism guest houses. Traditional Mayan entertainment, music, and storytelling are also offered to guests and visitors. Cultural activities include cacao grinding lessons, art and craft lessons, and the chance to try traditional Mayan dishes such as chicken caldo and rice and beans with stewed chicken.

The village is known for its artists and healers, including shaman Don Elijio Panti

San Antonio is a village in Belize, nestled in a valley along the way to the Mountain Pine Ridge Reserve. It is predominantly a Maya settlement, populated by Yucatec Mayas. The village is known for its artists and healers, including the shaman Don Elijio Panti.

Don Elijio Panti was a traditional healer who used Mayan herbal medicine techniques. He was born in Guatemala in 1893 and brought to Belize as an infant. In 1931, he began practising his art of healing in San Antonio, which was then a village of Mopan and Yucatecan Maya people. Don Elijio learned about Maya medicine from his teacher, Don Jeronimo Requena, a powerful "h'men". He received his training in the oral tradition that had been passed down from "h'men" to "h'men" for thousands of years.

Don Elijio's clinic was located in the small Maya village of San Antonio, in the foothills of the Maya Mountains. His practice focused on medicinal plants, bodywork, and physical and spiritual healing. His reputation grew, and people travelled from far and wide to seek his healing wisdom. In addition to his work as a healer, Don Elijio also participated in a collaborative project between the Ix Chel Tropical Research Foundation and The New York Botanical Garden. This project involved surveying the forests of Belize for medicinal plants that could be used to treat AIDS and cancer.

The village of San Antonio is home to the Garcia Sisters, Cayo’s famous slate carvers, whose Tanah Mayan Art Museum is a popular attraction. The village also boasts a Maya ruin, Pacbitun, and the Elijio Panti National Park, established in honour of the renowned shaman. San Antonio is a place steeped in history and cultural significance, with a rich artistic and healing heritage that continues to this day.

Attractions include the Tanah Mayan Art Museum, Maya ruins, and the Elijio Panti National Park

San Antonio, Belize is home to a variety of attractions, including the Tanah Mayan Art Museum, Maya ruins, and the Elijio Panti National Park.

The Tanah Mayan Art Museum is a great place to learn about Mayan art and culture. The museum is run by the Garcia sisters, who are renowned slate carvers and natural healers. They offer visitors a wealth of information about Mayan herbalism and traditions, passed down through generations. The museum features beautiful art pieces, jewellery, slate carvings, sculptures, and masks. It also has a charming gift shop with local art, ceremonial items, and handmade products. The Garcia sisters are proud representatives of the Yucatec Mayan people and are happy to share their knowledge of their village, San Antonio, and the Elijio Panti National Park.

The Elijio Panti National Park is located in the buffer zone of San Antonio Village and its neighbouring villages, Cristo Rey and El Progresso. The park covers 13,006 acres of mountainous terrain with breathtaking waterfalls, natural pools, and an extensive cave system. It was established in honour of Dr. Elijio Panti, the last Maya master healer of Belize. The park features medicinal trails where Dr. Panti once hand-picked herbs to cure people from all over the world. Visitors can enjoy activities such as tubing, horseback riding, birdwatching, camping, and hiking, while also observing the free-roaming wildlife, including jaguars, pumas, ocelots, monkeys, and anteaters.

San Antonio Village is also known for its Maya ruins, specifically Pacbitun. The village is populated primarily by Yucatec Mayas, and many artists and healers reside there. The village is located about a 20-minute drive from the twin towns of San Ignacio and Santa Elena, on the way to the Mountain Pine Ridge Reserve. San Ignacio and its surrounding areas offer several Maya sites to visit, including Xunantunich, Caracol, Cahal Pech, and El Pilar. Xunantunich, located near San Jose Village, features Belize's second-tallest ruin, sun god bas-relief masks, six plazas, and remnants of palaces and temples. Caracol, situated on the edge of the Maya Mountains, offers majestic temples and a cleverly engineered Mayan reservoir. El Pilar, located 12 miles northwest of San Ignacio, boasts an abundance of natural water sources and 12 pyramids and 25 plazas have been discovered so far. Cahal Pech, meaning "place of ticks," was once the royal acropolis-palace of an elite Mayan ruling family. It consists of seven plazas and over 30 structures, including temples, residential buildings, ball courts, an altar, and a sweat house.

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