Belize Creole

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In Belize, a Creole is any person who has some African blood, and in a few instances, some locally born ‘whites’.

They are mainly the descendants of British settlers and African slaves that were brought to Belize in the 18th and early 19th centuries.

Creolization of Belize

belizean bad word: stap yu rass

The Creolization of Belize involved the relations of slaves and their European masters, resulting in a culture which eventually left the Creole fully in charge of the majority. The masters taught the slaves English so that the Creole language spoken in Belize became a version of English which has African words.

Belizean Creoles emerged from urban-focused people who worked seasonally in the forest, mostly cutting mahogany and harvesting chicle, and as forestry declined, they looked for occupations on the waterfront, in service industries, and in government. Some do still carry on small-scale subsistence farming but they are limited.

Creole People in Belize

creole woman in Belize

Historically, Creoles formed over 60 percent of Belize’s population, however, those numbers have diminished greatly over the past years and it is currently at about 24 percent. This has been mainly due to their migration to North America and to the influx of Central American immigrants to Belize.

Presently, most Creoles live in Belize City, and in villages along the Belize and Sibun rivers; as well as along the Western and Northern highways. Because of their colorful inter-mixture and having occupied the largest center of population in Belize, the Creole has perhaps adapted the most nationalistic attitude among cultural groups.

Creole Food

Boil Up

Creole foods consist of mostly rice, beans, bread, fish, and any type of meat. Their dishes may seem simple and basic but they are exotic in flavor. Popular delicacies include rice-and-beans, stew chicken, beef or pork, boil-up, sere, cow foot soup, crab soup, and conch soup. As for drinks, every meal must-be accompanied with a juice or soft-drink and they are fond of local wines made from cashews or blackberries.

Creole Beliefs

The Creole share many of the same beliefs and myths that other Belizean cultures have. This includes Tata Duende and Sisimite, however, their most common folklore is Anansi. Anansi is depicted as a clever spider that always outsmarts other animals. Belizean Anansi stories were brought to Belize by African slaves and similar stories of Anansi are still told by the Ashanti people in Ghana.


Destinations in Belize with a lot of Creoles

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