Cayo Scoop! The Ecology of Cayo Culture

Happy St. George's Caye Day!  Joe Awe wrote a synopsis for Nine Eco Cultural Tours detailing what happened, and some of the key players, 216 years ago.  Totally worth a read.  He has a great essay about the allure of Belize.  Lord Rhaburn's Tenth September is on Youtube.

"Between September 3rd and September 10th, 1798, things truly became very interesting in the settlement of Honduras.  The Spanish made a final attempt to take (British) Honduras by force.  The English and a rough neck crew of about sixty five Baymen decided that they would not walk away from their home anymore.  They found it unacceptable and they resisted with all their souls in defense of what is today our native land Belize.  They resisted successfully and perhaps the most important outcome of this final Spanish-English battle on our shores was that the Spanish never again attempted to remove anyone from this land."

We have a winner!  Congratulations, Jeanelle Mencias, for coming up with this year's September Celebrations theme: "Belize in You, Belize in Me, Land of the Free."  Shouldn't something that rhymes with 'you' be in the 3rd place?  Like, ' The Baymen Knew.'  Anyways, well done, and she will get $1000 for winning the competition.

"Belmopan resident Jeanelle Mencias has won the competition for the theme for the September Celebrations.  A statement today from by the National Celebrations Commission announced that the theme to be used for the 215th anniversary of the Battle of St. George’s Caye and the 32nd anniversary of Belize’s Independence is: “Belize in you, Belize in me, Land of the Free.”  The official release says Mencias’ submission was chosen from among 125 entries and was selected because “it engenders a spirit of personal pride and nationalism about being Belize and Belizean.”  As her prize, Mencias gets a cash award of BZ$1,000."

Happy Battle of St. George's Caye eve!  There's a lot going on around Belize tonight in preparation for the 215th anniversary, and holiday.  Some history.

"Our story begins with a town hall meeting where it’s announced that Spain is sending a large force to invade and subjugate the English-speaking settlers, known collectively as the Baymen, and African slaves who had been eking out a living mostly by cutting logwood, which was highly valued for producing an indigo dye used in the British textile industry.  Living far from any seat of government or authority, these were hearty souls who had mixed over the years and developed a rather unique society with their own way of doing things.  It is said that pirates were welcome, but the authoritarian rule of Spain definitely was not.  When word of a Spanish invasion arrived, a referendum was held to decide whether to evacuate, or stand and fight, with the final vote in favour of standing to defend what was now considered to be home.  Before long a Spanish fleet of 32 vessels, some 500 sailors and 2000 soldiers was on its way."