Archaeologists find signs in Belize that climate change and migration are inexorably intertwined.

There’s no denying it: Strange and sometimes catastrophic weather experienced around the globe is making a solid case for climate change. While Central America has stayed out of the news as headlines focus on diminishing Polar ice caps and catastrophic melting in Greenland, breaking news from Belize is just beginning to grab the world’s attention: Archaeologists are proving that migration and climate change go together.

What exactly has grabbed the attention of climatologists, archaeologists, and historians? New Belize digs that have unearthed some of this hemisphere’s earliest tools, each of which contributes to a growing body of research that Mesoamericans experienced climate change that leads to southern migration patterns. In fact, a close collaboration between project social scientists and local Maya communities (whose ancestors created these tools many centuries ago) is one of the most interesting aspects of this project.

According to the publication Science Daily, University of New Mexico (UNM) teams, working in Belize’s Bladen Nature Reserve, recently found “some of the earliest stone tools ever used in southern Mesoamerica.” These tools are evidence that “waves of immigrants” from the north, responding to ice age encroachment, fled south around 13,000 years ago, bringing with them stone tools necessary to help them adapt to warmer surroundings.

“Popular Archaeology” editors were so impressed by this news, details, and photos of students working on the Belize dig were featured on the front page of their September 2019 issue. They quote dig principle, UNM Anthropology Professor Keith Prufer, with saying that “This is an area of research for which we have very poor data regarding early humans.” This project is likely to add substantive evidence to that void.

What contemporary lessons can we learn from this project’s ongoing discoveries? That human beings are amazingly adaptable. When climate change made inhabited areas unlivable, people were clever and creative enough to see the signs, adapt their lifestyles and undertake migrations that were likely arduous and dangerous. But the will to survive proved stronger than changing weather patterns.

If your interest is piqued by this fascinating project and you’re interested in seeing why Belize is fast becoming a leader in Western Hemisphere archaeological research, you’ll need accommodations to sustain you during your own investigative journey. Chabil Mar not only offers luxurious lodgings, a gourmet onsite restaurant and Belize vacation packages, but as the only full-service resort on the Placencia Peninsula, guests can arrange for archaeological tours guaranteed to satisfy everyone’s curiosity.

Shoulder season rates remain in effect until December 19th, so you may even save money while you delve into the past. As news of these discoveries spread, Belize anticipates a tourism spike, so you’re advised to book your villa as early as possible in order to see for yourself what the scientific world is talking about!

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.

Sports fans in Belize and beyond are eagerly anticipating the kick-off of the XIX Central American Men’s & Women’s Beach Volleyball Championship. The event will take place on Kukumba Beach in Old Belize from August 16th to August 19th, 2019.

Games will begin at 9:00 am on each day of the tournament and will run through until approximately 6:00 pm. The cost to attend a full day of high-level beach volleyball is just $10.

This year, Belize will have three teams competing in the tournament:

• Bryton Codd and Francis Hauze (Males)
• Michael Jenkins and Edgar Martinez (Males)
• Emma Hoare and Clara Sabal (Females)

Hopes are high for these teams after a strong performance at the U-21 Central American Beach Volleyball Championship in Guatemala in July. Francis Hauze and Michael Jenkins, in particular, will be hoping that they can replicate or better their bronze medals from that tournament.

The Belizean teams, who have been coached by Profe Juan Carlos Perdomo, will compete against teams from six other Central American nations to see who will be crowned the champion. Those countries are, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.

The entire staff and management team here at Chabil Mar wishes all of the Belizean teams the best of luck in the upcoming competition. We will be cheering loudly and are confident that they will do the entire nation proud!

Anyone who will be attending the tournament is, of course, always welcome to stay in one of our luxurious villas. Our comfortable rooms, delicious dining options, and scenic views are the perfect spot to come back to after a long day of cheering on the home team.

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.

When a small nation wins a big prize, everyone takes notice, thus when Team Belize took second place at the recent Under-23 Central American Female Volleyball Championship 2019 in Managua, Nicaragua, these feisty athletes immediately became the darlings of a country eager to show the world that one needn’t come from a world capital to perform like a superstar.

Belize’s 12-player team showcased their expert training and willingness to go the distance against equally seasoned volleyball players and did the country proud. Every woman, all three coaches and one referee returned home to Belize wearing silver medals to show that they not only rose to the challenge but exceeded it.

What do the players say about their road to this victory? That it was a hard-won experience made possible by a coach who refused to stop pushing each woman by calling 6:30 a.m. practices so players were conditioned to wake up early and perform to a highly-set standard.

Team Captain Sherika Burton said, “We all knew it was going to be difficult, especially since our competitors were equally desirous of medaling. And we had to contend with Nicaragua’s hometown fans, so our team had to stay extra focused.”

Was Coach Jose Fontes happy with his team’s performance? You bet. “Each player went into the competition with a great attitude and displayed all of the teamwork and camaraderie a coach could ask for. By placing second, our team earned the respect of all Central American fans and the sky is the limit when it comes to future competitions.”

Chabil Mar management and staff are proud to salute these 12 heroic female athletes and the dedicated behind-the-scenes team that supported their hard work and tenacity. “These twelve women are putting Belize on the map,” say Chabil Mar employees who followed every minute of the competition. “We’re so inspired by their amazing performance. Next year, gold!”