Caye Caulker Chronicles

Main Street Rush Hour!

For more photos from this photographer, click HERE:

CC Specialty - Slow Food!

Restaurants in some countries specialize in churning out “fast food”. Fast food = you drive up, order your food, and have meal in hand within a few minutes.

On Caye Caulker we specialize in the opposite - SLOW FOOD! That is because our food on your plate is fixed fresh from scratch when you order it. Seafood fresh from the sea to you, prepared with love! Mmmmmmm, mmmmmm, good!

For other great photos from this photographer, click HERE.

Slow Season Now, Time To Get Good Bargains!

The months of September and October are traditionally slow tourism-wise for Caye Caulker. During these months, some businesses close for repairs or to upgrade. But while the island is slow, it is not comatose. This is the time to get some good bargins everywhere. Plus, the weather is absolutely beautiful. And the sea as as smooth and as clear as glass. Call up your fav locations and ask them if they have any specials. I bet they do.

For more fantastic photos by this photographer, click HERE:

What’s Happening on CC for the Celebrations?

Come on folks, email us with some info. What is happening on Caye Caulker for the celebrations? We haven’t heard about anything yet, but every year there IS something. Send us some info. Will Miss Louise and her group captivate in the street carnival again this year? Will the bicycles and floats parade? Will the school children rally? Will there be a dance? If so, with who, and where? Inquiring minds would like to know.

Wikid September Celebrations Songs!

As part of the September celebrations, the official committee held a patriotic song competition which resulted in some excellent new patriotic songs being composed, six of them to be exact.  Three of them are patriotic songs and three of them are carnival songs.  To hear the six winning songs, click HERE.

Celina Has Patriotic T-Shirts For Sale

If you are looking for patriotic t-shirts to celebrate the Battle of St. George’s Caye and Belize’s Independence Day, Celina Novelo has some for sale. 

Call her or Javier at 226-0327 to place your order.

$45,000 BZ Embezzled From Caye Caulker Water Taxi

Hector Alpuche, 40, General Manager for Caye Caulker Taxi Association located at #10 North Front Street, Belize City, reported that between 24.12.07 and 4.08.08, both Oleido Quiroz and Valeria Lambey (Administrative Assistants) were to deposit money in the Associations’ account, but did not do so. Oleido Quiroz was to deposit $25,742.46 and Valerie Lambey $19,172.93, a total of 44,915.39, but did not. Police are investigating.

“Majestic World” Heading to Caye Caulker

About Majestic World: Majestic World in a multi-year around the world adventure. The team will attempt to explore many fascinating destinations around the globe and will update Majestic World regularly, documenting their adventure travel experiences along the way. The Majestic World itinerary of the world’s hundred most beautiful places is an attempt to reach a balance between cities and nature, between mountains, oceans, rivers and deserts, between modern and historic.

If you would like to sponsor Majestic World, please follow the links the travelers have provided below.

August 29, 2008

Dear Caye Caulker Chronicles,

Majestic World is coming to Caye Caulker around 1 September.

Please feel free to use any text or photos from our links below if you would like to write about our adventure, or to email us with any questions.

Best Regards,

Majestic World
Joseph & Farideh Ross
298 East Agua Caliente Road
Sonoma CA 95476
(707) 721-7477
jr@goals.com
http://www.goals.com/majesticworld
http://www.prlog.org/10089624-couple-leaving-on-ambitious-around-the-world-adventure.html

In Loving Memory of Jim Pugh

August 29. 2008

To the Editor of the Cay Caulker Chronicles.

The world has many people who want to make a difference by assisting others. I feel that with 120 local residents of Cay Caulker who attended the funeral of Mr. Pugh of recent weeks makes a statement. Could you please consider printing the letter below remembering the life of Mr. Jim Pugh and the selfless spirit he displayed in assisting others of Caye Caulker.

I thank you for your consideration.

Gavin.

Being originally from Australia my family has seen many beautiful beaches and Islands but Caye Caulker holds a special place in our hearts. It wasn’t the palm trees the blue waters or the fine fishing but the beautiful people of Cay Caulker that made a difference and stands out in our minds. Ever since we visited Cay Caulker two years ago we fondly reflect on the many friendly locals of your Island that we had the pleasure of meeting but there was one couple that really stood out. Mr. James and Mrs. Carol Pugh. Jim’s Tragic death on the waters off Caye Caulker earlier this month has left my family truly with heavy hearts.

Though not being of Belizean back ground Jim and Carol obviously fell in love with the Belizean People as they gave up a comfortable retirement in the United States. Jim and Carol spent the last three years daily helping the locals of Cay Caulker in avoiding many harmful practices that destroys families and benefit from following the Bible’s comforting message as Jehovah’s Witnesses. Jim and Carol loved visiting people in their homes all around the island with the Kingdom hope following the example of Jesus Christ.

Unfortunately as the Bible states in Ecclesiastes 9;11 “Time and unforeseen occurrence befalls them all.” The Christian hope in which Carol shared with so many on Cay Caulker will no doubt bring on special meaning as she reflects on Jesus kindly words in John 5;28&29 “the hour is coming which all in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out.”

May Carol find support from the good people of Cay Caulker as she looks confidently to the future knowing that the “God of comfort” Jehovah is by her side. 2 Corinthians 1 3&4.

By Gavin Clifton and family.
(now residing in)
Amherstburg, Ontario
Canada.

BTIA AGM To Be Held Nov 6, 2008

Dear BTIA Members,

The Annual General Meeting for the Belize Tourism Industry Association will take place on Thursday, November 6, 2008 in Belize City. Members are reminded that in order to cast their vote at the AGM, all dues need to be paid in full for 2008 no later than Friday September 5th,2008. Venue and time will be announced later.

All members in good standing may vote at an election but new members must have been members in good standing for at least 60 days prior to the election.

For more information about BTIA’s Annual General Meeting, please contact the BTIA at telephone 227-1144/227-5717, E-mail: info@btia.org or visit our website at www.btia.org

Warm regards,

“Bunz” The Master Baker Selling His Goodies

Lloyd, or “Bunz”, as he is affectionately known, is the master baker who for years has sold his most delactable hand-made pastries around the island. Believe me, they are second to none!

“Bunz’s” masterpieces include yogurt cake, coconut chocolate cake, fudge brownies, and a host of other mouthwatering bakery delicacies too many to mention. And they are quite reasonable.

“Bunz” walks around the island with his basket of goodies around 3:00 p.m. daily. Look out for him. Guaranteed, you will not be disappointed!

More photos by this photographer HERE.

Femi’s Cafe: Home of Great Smoothies!

Femi’s Cafe & Lounge, home of wonderful smoothies and flavored coffees.  More great photos from this photographer HERE.

CocoPlum Gardens, Gourmet Cafe, Art Gallery & Spa

CocoPlum Gardens is a gourmet cafe, art gallery and spa.  It is located near the airstrip admidst beautifully landscaped gardens.  More photos from this photographer HERE.

Ms. Julia, The Juice Lady!

Ms. Julia makes fresh fruit juice at her roadside stand on Caye Caulker, Belize throughout the day. All day long locals and tourists alike drop by her stand to pick up some cold juice, a bag of bananas, or even vegetables. For more fabulous photos by this photographer click HERE.

Meet The First Students Of Ocean Academy

Caye Caulker Opens Its First High School
(School Press Release)

Ocean Academy, a Non-Profit, Community High School will begin its first day of school on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 for approximately 28 appreciative Caye Caulker school children who otherwise would have had to move away from their families or undertake a daily commute across the sea to their respective schools. For the first time in history, Caye Caulker will be able to offer secondary education to the children living on the Caye thanks to the collaborate efforts of long term residents Heidi Curry, Joni Miller and Dane Dingerson, who are the founding members of the school.

The vision of Ocean Academy is to provide an excellent secondary education to any child: in other words it is “a school for all those who are in need of an education on the island of Caye Caulker.” The school will open with three levels: First Form, Second Form and the newly developed innovative Bridge Class. Bridge Class is aimed at capturing “at risk” children, those who have failed Standard 6 and/or the PSE or those who have been out of school for over a year but would like to return.

The Chairman of the Board of Directors is Joseph “Skippy” Fuller, and the residing members of the Board are Heidi Curry, Joni Miller, CCRCS Principal Enelda Rosado, Noelie Kuylen, Alberto Villanueva, Abel Novelo and Dane Dingerson. Ocean Academy’s teaching staff includes a highly educated team made up of both Belizeans and foreigners: Heidi Curry, Joni Miller, Andy Marin, Destino Roggema-Fuller, and Sarah Requena, all of whom are proud to call Caye Caulker their home.

On Sunday August 31, 2008 at 10:00am, an official inauguration and ribbon cutting ceremony, attended by Minister Manuel Heredia as the keynote speaker, will be held at Ocean Academy Community High School on Caye Caulker, Belize. It is expected to be full house, as over 450 residents signed a letter to the Ministry of Education and to Minister Manuel Heredia in support of Ocean Academy High School being allowed to open its doors this September 2008.

  An entire village is celebrating, but none more than the students who will form the first class of Ocean Academy EVER!  Meet these history making students below…

Yvon and Yvonne are twins whose mother, Rosel, has worked as Head Cook at Amor y Cafe for the past ten years.  Boty Yvon and Yvonne will be attending Ocean Academy.

                                         Stephanie

           Shadine (pictured sitting with her cousins).

                                      Ramon

                                        Mercedes

                                         Mariana

                                          Mariela

                                           Marcus

                                       Lilly

                                         Carlos

                                            Artie

Congratulations to all the new students on starting high school next week.

Official inaguration ceremonies will be held on Sunday as planned.

For further information about the school, please click HERE.

Letter To The Editor

August 25, 2008

Hi Wendy,

First, I hope that it is still Wendy that I am contacting regarding the Caye Caulker Chronicles.  I remember some time ago, it was you that was working on this.  I must first tell you that I have admired your dedication to your craft, so to speak.  I also greatly admire your true love for your home…our home, the beautiful island of Caye Caulker.  I have been a long-time reader of the Chronicles and have gotten quite a few laughs from some of your pieces.  Keep up the good work, this is sometimes the only connection I still have with my island home.

I wanted to just send a quick comment regarding the piece you recently did about the COHA article and your thoughts about women and what you referred to as femicide.  I will be the first to admit that throughout history, women have often been abused, and the justification has often been what you rightly refer to as the issue of women being somewhat subservient. 

You made some comments, though, in the article which I would like to humbly disagree with you on.  That is the issue of Christianity and what it teaches.  First, I will make a very bold statement.  That is, Christianity doesn’t teach any such thing as was pointed out in the article.  Religion teaches those.  There is a difference between Christianity and Religion…a big difference.  Religion teaches those things you commented on.  Religion is all about enslaving its followers/believers.  Religion teaches rituals and things that must be done in order top achieve some greater standing in life.  Christianity, on the other hand, is about the freedom from those things that Religion has emphasized.

Here’s a good, albeit humorous example.  I remember when my sister and I were going to high school and were living with my aunt in the city.  Every now and then when we would go back in from a weekend at the caye, my aunt would always ask us if we had gone to church that Sunday.  The first time or two we told her when we didn’t only to be commanded to go to Sunday night mass at St. Joseph’s.  We did once.  Thereafter, whenever she’d tell us to go to mass that night, we would walk through the gate on one side, walk out the other and walk down to Tux Fried Chicken and get ourselves a plate of chicken.  The sad thing is my aunt still believes that one MUST attend church every Sunday.  That is a simple example of how Religion causes one to be enslaved to a belief.

Religion has taught that I could not be a genuine and sincere churchgoer if I wore torn up jeans to church and had tattoos all over my arms.  Religion has taught that women should not come to church wearing make up, or even have short hair.  Religion has taught that if I, as a male, wore an earring then surely I was a heathen.  Christianity, on the other hand has freed me to know otherwise.  Christianity is about you as an inner being…a soul.  It is the Christianity in me that has made it so that some of my best friends here in the US are gays.  Religion would have me condemn them.

I truly enjoyed the piece you did, as I enjoy so many of the articles on the Chronicles.  Again, I just felt somewhat compelled to offer a humble and respectful disagreement on the basis of Christianity and Religion.  As I said earlier, there are huge and significant differences between them.  Hopefully I did not come across as bashing your article, as that is not my intent.  I am a Christian and I make no apology for that.  Having been a theological student and having come from a “religious” culture, I know what that lifestyle did for me and I now know what true Christianity offers me.

A Friend & Fellow “Hicaqueno”,
D. Eks Faktör™

The Church / State School System: The Mind Rape of Belize

The Church / State School System: The Mind Rape of Belize
by Wendy Auxillou

A few days ago, I read a very interesting article published by COHA (Council On Hemispheric Affairs) in which the discussion centered on regional femicide and how that came to become an accepted part of our culture. For those that do not know, femicide refers to the killing of women.

While MY article is not specifically about femicide, it IS about mind rape, particularly, the mind rape of our Belizean women.

I read a recent Reporter editorial that made me seethe in anger and I wanted to respond to it. In this respect, I would like to share a few excerpts from the COHA article I read with you. The COHA writer was not referring specifically to Belize, but rather Guatemala, but the cultural issues remain the same.

As a Belizean woman ”educated” in the woman-bashing religious school system that forms the basis of our Belizean education (and our modern cultural way of life), I make it my personal crusade to educate women whenever possible of the mental shackles forced upon our minds and our psyche by the church / state system of education. Christian religious doctrine as taught in the schools in Belize categorically demeans a woman’s femininity and to the point that a Belizean woman is forced to suppress every facet of her sexuality which she should instead be celebrating. If she does not, she faces ridicule, or exile by the status quo. I will try to point out how and why this is done as I go along. As a mother of female children, I am more determined than ever that my own offspring will not be shackled by this brainwashing masquerading as “education” which seeks to undermine their worth as human beings simply because of their gender.

Most Belizeans are taught religion in school, but we are never taught how religion actually came to become a part of the Belizean educational system and eventually Belizean society.

I think that if more Belizeans became aware of the cruel and downright inhumane ways by which Christianity was forced down the throats of the original Central Americans, the Mayas, of which we are their offspring, and the reasons why this was so, we as a people would not be so quick to accept its demeaning doctrines as our own. So, fellow Belizeans, take this as a little history lesson.

According to the COHA report (to which I referred above):

“The feminine subordination witnessed in contemporary Mayan population, began in 1524 with the arrival of the conquistador, Pedro de Alvarado. The Spanish subjugated the great Mayan empire to their rule “with the sword and the cross”. … The stable, traditional rule of the Maya became replaced by the hierarchically structured social classes of the Spanish, completing a hierarchical pyramid where the native Maya composed the bottom base and the Spanish-born elite claimed the apogee.” — (COHA report)

As is mentioned above, before the arrival of the colonizers to the region, the Mayas already had their own systems of governance in place. Upon the arrival of the Europeans, “religion” became the basis upon which the subjugation of the Mayas, (and the Africans they brought along to work for them), was based. Faced with the threat of death if they did not convert to Christianity, the Mayas and the Africans chose life. And that, my fellow Belizeans, is how Christianity came to Central America and eventually became a “normal” part of Belizean society. It came by the tip of a sword. It did not come willingly and it did not come because it was demonstrated that the Christian way of life was a superior way of life. It became a way of life because if our ancestors did not embrace it, they would be killed by the people who eventually went on to colonize them. Christianity was espoused as the preferred way of life because it served the purposes of the colonizers (”superior” people) well.

Religion is a political tool which the colonizers used to keep their subjects complacent. Christianity teaches poor people to be happy with their lot in life because supposedly there will be riches for them eventually after death supposedly in a place called “heaven” (something which no one has ever come back to prove is true). If the servants / subjects are taught to be happy being poor, that they should not fight, etc., public uprisings for whatever reason would be less. This puts the colonizers more in control of their “subjects”. With the idea of “riches after death” poor people would not give trouble in THIS life while they were alive. It served its purpose so well (keeping the downtrodden un-rebellious and in check) that it was quickly introduced into the school system in then British Honduras. Christianity taught in the schools assured that the doctrine of subservience was spread far and wide to every corner of the country.

It should be no surprise then, that one of the doctrines taught by Christianity is that women should be docile, subservient and lacking in sexual desire. This is the brainwashing Christianity uses to control women. Christian doctrine also teaches that the male is dominant in society. There are no female priests in the Catholic religion. There is a reason for this and it is also political. Men don’t want women competing with them because then they will lose their alpha status in society, and so Christianity continues to work well for them. The method used to achieve this is guilt. If you are a woman who enjoys sex, men point to religion and tell you that you should not. If you want to bear children without being married and this works for you, men point to religion and tell you that you should not. Find anything that will make a woman independent and mentally free and men can find a passage in the bible that will make her feel guilty about being that. This type of guilt tripping / brainwashing worked back then, and it continues to work its magic even today in modern Belize, thanks to the church / state educational system endorsed and supported by the Belizean government. The Belizean government is merely an extension of the Belizean oligarchy. The Belizean oligarchy replaced the colonizers as the “elite” people in Belize when Belize became an independent country. They want YOU to remain docile, guilt-tripped and subservient, so they see no reason to change the status quo and teach you any differently. But they teach their own children differently, no matter that they go to church and knock their chest in public.

Via the joint church/state educational system, this political doctrine is disseminated successfully far and wide throughout Belize. If Belizean women do not follow the “rules” created by Christianity taught in the schools as being unequivocally “right”, we are degraded, demeaned, ridiculed, cast aside, and rejected by the status quo.

The writer of the COHA report went on to observe:

“Decades of constant degradation have turned women into complacent recipients of unjust treatment. Women, mostly of the lower classes, are brought up as servants to their fathers and male siblings. Boys are given the luxury of education, while the girls must tend to the family. In the lower and middle classes of … society women completely embody the traditional role of servitude. Even in the higher classes, women take on the role of “trophy wives” instead of that of the role of an independent woman. Since childhood, women’s goals are to become wives and mothers, and are never given the opportunity to pursue their own path in life. Therefore, by consenting to their subservient roles, women allow themselves to be seen and treated as objects, instead of individuals. This exempts from guilt those who violate women’s rights, as they have never seen women as human beings; but are instead only violating an object. Consequently, the country is left with a society that highly values men and their actions, while it ignores the potential accomplishments of women.”

Belizean women, wake up. The COHA report is referring to us!

It is my personal belief, that Christianity and religion are the biggest mind rapes modern Belize has ever known. They are the architects of the diminished status our women currently hold in Belize today.

As soon as this is published, you will quickly hear howls from the Belizean establishment and the oligarchy that controls the media rushing to debunk COHA’s thesis and this article, but their job is to preserve the status quo for their own reasons. I am not a part of the oligarchy. So I view things differently.

Misogynous teachings referred to as “religion” perpetuated through the church / state school system to generation after generation of our Belizean students (even today as I write this), literally ensures that Belizean women will continue to be subjugated and abused in modern Belizean society.

A shining example of this misogynous brainwashing slyly in play is a recent newspaper editorial by Harry Lawrence in the Reporter newspaper of 08/24/08. In his article, Mr. Lawrence narrated the story of one Tanisha, a fourteen year old female who he described in his article as a “child having children”.

So? 

Then came the clincher!

Mr. Lawrence, displaying his skewed religious brainwashing so popular in Belize nowadays, sought to blame Tanisha, (and by extension, Belizean women) as the architects of crime. It’s because of “children having children”, chirped Mr. Lawrence, repeating a tired and shop worn piece of nonsense I would bet was first uttered by a man.  THAT is the reason that crime is spiraling out of control.

BAM si deh!

In one fell swoop, Mr. Lawrence has made Tanisha, and by extension all Belizean women, the scapegoats for crime. It is your fault, Belizean women, that there is crime in Belize!

Well, Mr. Lawrence, I am here to tell you that it is NOT because of “children having children” or even because of ANY Belizean woman having children that crime exists. While Belize City is the crime capital of the country, there are countless villages in Belize where teenagers having children is an acceptable societal norm and there are no crime waves there. I realize that doesn’t bode well with your religious doctrine of persecuting women who do not toe the line but deal with it! We don’t all live by your skewed rules. Our female wombs do not birth criminals because you desperately want it to be so. Wheel and tun again!

It is interesting to me that Mr. Lawrence made no mention of male predators, many of them family members, that take advantage of the young female children entrusted to their care, as a cause of crime. No, no mention of that. He made no mention of man beating woman in front of children. No, no mention of that either. He made no mention of men raping women and children, or of absentee Belizean fathers who would rather spend money on weed, cigarettes, liquor and gambling than feed and educate their own children. He made no mention of the fact that because of the religious school system that he so fervently supports, that pregnant Belizean female children impregnated through rapes by predator family members are kicked out of schools and discriminated against, essentially assuring they will not be educated and therefore not able to adequately care for their children. He made no mention of the personal responsibility fathers have failed to display towards their children. He made no mention of the role models that Belizean men are failing to be to their children. He made no mention of the incredible intolerance his favorite religion displays towards people who are “different”. He made no mention of the fact that our system of governance is so flawed that it assures poor people will continue to remain poor and downtrodden not because they want to be, but because the system keeps them there. I could go on and on, but I am sure that by now you get the gist.

I find it truly shocking that the only explanation for crime that Mr. Lawrence could come up with is that Tanisha has a womb and was therefore bearing children.

As a Belizean woman, and a mother of female children, I find this theme extremely offensive and disturbing! But Mr. Lawrence is only mouthing off what the status quo really thinks.

As tragic as Mr. Lawrence’s editorial is, the bigger tragedy to me is that most Belizeans in every echelon of society, male and female, have at some point or another passed through one of these mind rape “religious” schools ensuring woman-bashing will continue to linger on as a normal way of life in Belizean society indefinitely.

And I will take a stand for Tanisha. Tanisha, you did nothing wrong by having children. A woman’s womb does not a criminal spawn. SOCIETY does that to the child. The same society in which Mr. Lawrence lives, socializes and goes to church.

And therefore this article is dedicated to you. Head up and chin up, girl! Belizean women fight for the betterment of their children despite the overwhelming odds society has stacked against them. And sometimes we do succeed. I, and my children, are living proof.

Ocean Academy To Be Inaugurated Aug 31st

Ocean Academy, the new high school set to open on Caye Caulker on September 1st, will hold its official inauguration on Sunday, August 31st at 10:00 a.m.  The keynote speaker will be the Minister of Tourism and Area Representative for Belize Rural South, the Hon. Manuel Heredia.

According to school principal, Heidi Curry, First Form is full with a total of fifteen students.  Bridge (which is a preparatory class) and Second Form (Grade 10) are getting steady requests and are filling.

The school, the first of its kind for Caye Caulker, is set to begin its first school year on Monday, September 1, 2008, when it opens its doors to the first wave of students EVER.  First day of school will be a student orientation day.  The official first day of school with full day of classes will be September 2nd. 

Ocean Academy will begin its first year with First and Second Formers (Grades 9 & 10).  Next year it hopes to incorporate Third and Fourth Formers (Grades 11 & 12).

The school is unique in that in its manifesto it aspires to teach its students many water based skills associated with island living beneficial to the tourism industry.  Classes  such as scuba diving, windsurfing, snorkeling, etc. in addition to the core subjects, will form part of the curriculum.

Lita Turns Sweet 16

Lita Marin, daughter of Novel and Lilliana Marin, celebrated her Sweet 16 in grand style on August 8, 2008. Here are a couple of pics from her big bash! The girl looked like a royal princess, as she should, because she is.

Lita Marin & Her Escort Edwin Cassanova!

Lita’s lovely & wonderful escorts.

Lovely and beautiful princess she is!

“What a blast it was!” … says Lita … “We all had fun & enjoyed ourselves!”

(Note from Lita: Just wanna thank everyone who attended my party! It was off the hook.. Love always, Lita Marin)

Belize Diving Services Up For Sale

Belize Diving Services, the longest established dive shop on the island, in continuous operation since 1978, is for sale.

According to the listing, “More students are taught to dive at BDS than any other dive shop in Belize.”

BDS is a well established, well respected dive shop.

The current owners have operated the dive shop for twelve years.  Asking price is $1,450,000 US.