Belize celebrates two important events in September, St Georges Caye Day and Independence Day. St George’s Caye Day is celebrated on September 10 and commemorates the victory of the Baymen who won the battle that took place on September 10, 1798 between military forces from Mexico in an attempt to assert Spanish claims to present-day Belize.
On September 10th, the entire country dresses in patriotic colors of red, blue and white and in every corner of the country, you hear the lyrics of the patriotic song “The Tenth Day of September”.
Photo by Ambergristoday.com
The song and lyrics are below:
The tenth day of September words by B. F. Abeling
It was the 10th day of September In ninety-eight Anno Domini
when our fore-fathers won the
glorious fight at Old St. George’s Caye
Then hail them – cheer them.
Let our grateful loyal hearts not fail them,
as we march and sing and shout in merry glee
The Battle of St. George’s Caye.
Hip! Hip! Hurrah. Hip! Hip! Hurrah.
You can hear the song below courtesy of Lord Rhaburn Combo & Calypso Rose:
This year also marks the 226th anniversary of the Battle of Saint George’s Caye Day.
The second most important event for the month of September in Belize is Independence Day. This year, Belize will celebrate its 43rd anniversary of Independence from Great Britain and traditional events around the country include the Queen of the Bay Pageant, Carnival Parade, St. George’s Caye Day Citizens Parade, Expo, Official Independence Day Celebrations and live musical concerts.
The September Celebration theme is: ‘A Nation Proud and Free: Belize @ 43’
Listen to some instrumental Belize National Songs here:
For more information about traveling to Belize or Placencia for the month of September, feel free to chat with our Concierge at: concierge@chabilmarvillas.com or contact our Reservations Manager at: reservations@chabilmarvillas.com. Or perhaps you would like to call toll-free from the US or Canada: 1-866-417-2377.
10 Reasons to Dive and Snorkel Belize’s Southern Waters!
1. Everybody speaks English on dive boats hired to take you to southern Belize’s deepest, most challenging spots. Whether you need your guide to give you expert gear instruction or you simply seek advice, no translator required to make sure your dives are safe and memorable.
3. Grab bragging rights by visiting the south end of the world’s second biggest barrier reef rather than the reef’s northern rim which tends to be more crowded with divers. Keep this secret: southernmost Belize waters offer unrivaled diving and you won’t have to compete with fleets of dive boats that have the potential scare fish away.
4. Choose a resort offering the best proximity to Belize’s southern waters so you spend all of your time diving instead of traveling from site to site. By booking a luxury, all-inclusive snorkeling and scuba diving package at Placencia’s Chabil Mar Resort, you get a luxurious suite plus your choice of six customized dive trips.
5. Visit paradise without traveling to the Pacific Rim! Great airline deals get you to southern Belize in a short amount of time and without busting your budget since current discounts average 20-percent. Roam islands, inspect coral cayes and venture onto atolls where you can pitch a tent, stay the night and dive your heart out.
6. Learn the primitive and exciting art of spearfishing, just as the earliest people on earth did before rods, reels and hooks were invented. By spearing predatory Lionfish, you save endangered fish indigenous to south Belize waters while you have a great time, learn a new skill and help rid the area of unwanted aquatic interlopers.
7. Pair your diving adventure in southern Belize with land excursions that include exploring Mayan ruins, jungles, caves and spectacular waterfalls. If you’re interested in Belize’s burgeoning commercial scene, visit cacao farms to see how chocolate is grown and used in Belizean products that range from candy to beer!
8. Introduce yourself to Belize’s cultures when you’re not diving. Learn to play the drums courtesy of Garifuna teachers, explore the Placencia peninsula from your Chabil Mar hub and meet fascinating people. From music and food to arts and crafts, this nation’s Creole, Mayan, East Indian, Garifuna and European populations are great examples of how to live in harmony.
9. Investigate the ecological efforts being undertaken by this nation’s government to make the Placencia Peninsula and adjacent waters the Mecca divers seek when they pick destinations in the Caribbean. This effort is so successful, there are already 60 dive sites on tiny Turneffe atoll near Chabil Mar.
10. Make southern Belize your forever destination. You won’t be the first diver to come for the thrills and fall in love, so if you decide to explore real estate with an eye toward retiring here, Chabil Mar makes a great base camp! As the only full-service resort in Placencia Village, it’s the destination travelers who value privacy and seek personalized service choose. Settle here and you’re always welcome to come “home” to the resort for diving and socializing!
Visit our website chabilmarvillas.com for more information on Belize and don’t hesitate to send us an email, or call US/CAN Toll Free: 1-866-417-2377, Local: (011-501) 523-3606, if you have questions or need help in planning a Belize scuba diving vacation.
Do you crave a destination wedding but the distance issue is scary? No worries. Belize is fast becoming the destination wedding capital of Central America and resorts like Chabil Mar have a talent for turning even small celebrations into extravaganzas. From basic arrangements to all-inclusive packages customized to suit your taste and budget, why go elsewhere?
Here are 21 great reasons to get married in Belize:
1. You don’t have to feed the multitudes, including Aunt Mary who ruins most weddings anyway. Enjoy a lavish wedding for less cash because your wedding party is likely to be small enough to make the day both lavish and affordable.
2. Your photos will be perfect–especially if taken late in the day when golden rays of the sun make everybody look gorgeous, even mothers-in-law!
3. Find out who your real friends are. Invite your nearest and dearest; if they can’t get to your Belize affair, you know where you stand.
4. Make other newlywed connections. Since Belize is fast-becoming Central America’s wedding destination, you could bond with other newlyweds and stay in touch over the years.
5. Save money. According to The Knot, today’s average 150-guest wedding averages $29,000 USD. Compare that to a full-blown Chabil Mar affair. If your party is big enough, reserve the entire resort just for your big day.
6. Everyone speaks English in Belize. Forget struggling with a second language as you put together your wedding celebration using skilled Chabil Mar event planners.
7. Beach? Jungle? Waterfall? All things are possible in this wonderland, so whether you want your wedding on a beach, in a cave, at a Mayan ruin or at a quaint local church, your choices are unlimited.
8. Save a bundle on your honeymoon. You’re already in Belize. Voila! Instant honeymoon.
9. The food is delish. Treat your guests to gourmet meals prepared by Chabil Mar chefs skilled in European cookery and ethnically-rich plates that reflect Belize’s diverse cultures.
10. Your host does all the work. Included in Chabil Mar’s basic wedding package are the honeymoon suite, bouquets, beach or pier deck ceremony, help with your license and tropical reception, all at one price.
11. Chabil Mar offers a wide range of extras, like reception planning, couples massages, in-country airfare, photographer, videographer and even clergy.
12. It’s easy to get a marriage license. Show up three days before the big day. Present your passport with photo as proof of the day you arrived in Belize and you’re done.
13. Your marriage will be recognized everywhere, so it’s just as official in Belize as it would be if you exchanged vows in Ottawa, Detroit or Los Angeles.
14. The weather is divine. Year-round. Seriously.
15. Wear what you like. White gown. Floral sarong. Bedazzled pedal pushers. Swimsuit. Bridal Fashion Police officials avoid Belize, so don anything you fancy.
16. No clothing restrictions for guests, either. Inform guests that your ceremony and/or reception is to be held on a boat, on the beach or at Chabil Mar Resort so they can wear whatever they consider appropriate.
17. It’s easy to get to Belize. Anyone wishing to attend your wedding can find lots of flights from Mexico, the U.S. and Canada. Adventurous guests may wish to make your event the object of a long and relaxing road trip!
18. Stress-free planning. Use your phone or the Internet to do all of your planning with Chabil Mar staff. Since no grumpy, frazzled couples are permitted in Belize, you fly down and hit the beach to get the tan other couples pay for at tanning beds back home.
19. Save on pricey décor because Mother Nature is another of your wedding planners. Brides lament that their floral bill is as daunting as a student loan, but in Belize, everything is perpetually in bloom.
20. Take advantage of rate drops during low season at Chabil Mar and save even more on airfares and accommodations so you can spend it on the reception instead.
21. Make exceptional memories. This reason to marry in Belize is strictly up to you!
Often described as a true melting pot, the modern-day nation of Belize is a rich blend of different cultures, including the Maya, Garifuna, Creole, and Mestizo people.
During its earliest history, Belize was briefly under the dominion of Spain but then became Britain’s only mainland colony in the area. Later emigration of Mennonites from Germany and Switzerland added to the many European influences in Belizean music, including polkas, quadrilles, schottisches, and polkas.
Primarily from the Garifuna culture, local styles feature musical instruments like drums, banjo, accordion, guitar, and a donkey’s jaw bone (played like a saw or zither). The Mestizos, immigrants from Guatemala and Mexico, brought the marimba, double bass, and drum sets.
These various influences have created a number of distinct styles of musical expression in Belize. Cumbia, related to salsa and merengue, is a popular type of music played by troupes in areas where Mestizos live. Probably the most famous musical Creole style is known as “brukdown” (breakdown), a melodic mix of calypso featuring percussion and rhythms from a donkey’s jawbone, drums and banjos. Newer forms of brukdown are called “boom and chime” and feature the use of electric guitars, congas, and bass guitars.
Two related genres of music created in Belize are known as punta and punta rock. Developed by Garifuna musicians, punta and punta rock mix traditional rhythms and dance steps from African melodies and add modern lyrics to create a style somewhat similar to reggae. Punta and punta rock were developed for parties and social events where dancing is just as important a component as the music and singing.
Probably the most iconic component of Belizean music is Garifuna drumming. Whether as an accompaniment to other instruments or played solely, Garifuna drums are traditionally made from local hardwoods covered with a skin from peccaries (a kind of wild pig) or deer. Garifuna drumming preserves the flavor and intensity of its African origins, and is often played along with “siseras”, a kind of maraca.
The award-winning luxury resort of Chabil Mar on the Placencia Peninsula is an excellent place to stay in order to experience all of the rich musical heritage of Belize. With close access to Dangriga, the culture capital of Belize, and other towns and villages with a rich heritage of Maya, Creole, and Garifuna music, Chabil Mar features well-appointed villas, a lush tropical garden, and its own gourmet restaurant featuring elegant beachfront dining, with live garifuna drummers and dancers during our Friday night beach-side grill nights (in-season), where our chefs prepare your dinner for you on open grills adjacent to the dining area, outside.
Visit our website chabilmarvillas.com for more information on Belize, and don’t hesitate to send us an email, or call US/CAN Toll Free: 1-866-417-2377, Local: (011-501) 523-3606, if you have questions or need help in planning a Belize vacation.
The Ancient Maya Of Belize
By: Jaime J. Awe Ph.D.
Copyright: First Edition December, 2005
(Following are excerpts taken from the above publication and do not constitute the book in its entirety)
What Mayan language was spoken in Belize before the arrival of the Spanish? Epigraphers and historical linguists believe that two major languages were spoken in Belize during the Classic period (A.D. 300-900) of Maya civilization. Yucatec was spoken in the northern two thirds of the country, and Cholan was the common language of the people who lived in the south. Cholan speakers are now only found in Guatemala and in the state of Chiapas in Mexico.
What Mayan languages are spoken in Belize today?
Today Yucatec is still spoken by the Maya who live in the villages of San Antonio and Succotz in the Cayo District, and by people in the Corozal and Orange Walk Districts. Mopan, which is spoken in San Antonio Village in the Toledo District, is a dialect of Yucatec. Other Maya communities in the Toledo District are Kekchi speakers. Kekchi originated in the Alta Verapaz region of Guatemala.
When was Maya civilization fully established?
In the past scholars believe that Maya civilization was not fully established until about A.D. 300, at the start of the Early Classic Period. Recent research, however, has provided conclusive evidence that ancient Maya civilization was actually in full bloom by at least 100 B.C. in the late Pre-classic period. By this early date the Maya were already carving stelae on altars, conducting long distance trade, utilizing mathematical and calendrical systems, and constructing monumental architecture.
How did the Maya perceive their universe?
They perceived their world as having three levels: the heavens, earth and underworld. The heavens were subdivided into thirteen levels and the underworld into nine levels. At the center of the universe was the sacred Ceiba tree whose limbs touched the heavens and roots descended into the underworld. Heaven was the adobe of sacred gods and deified ancestors. Earth was the home of humans, the forests, and all other creatures. The underworld was a place of death and diseases, and home of the Bolontiku (nine evil gods).
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