We l look around Belize and we see many different cultures sounding us. One race that has become very dominant are the Chinese. In 1865, 480 Chinese immigrants were brought to British Honduras as indentured laborers. They went to work in the timber camps, by 1869, only 211 remained accounted for; 108 had died, while another 155 had sought refuge with the native peoples at Chan Santa Cruz. Many of the deaths were due to suicide in response to horrifying working conditions and the cruel and unjust treatment by the estate manager. Chinese have been migrating constantly, and the second largest batch came just before the outbreak of World War II, when they traveled to the United States from where they gradually trickled southward by land to Mexico and Central America. Today approximately 2% of Belize’s population identifies themselves as Chinese. The Chinese population continues to play an important role in Belizean society. Although the chinses population of Belize consider themselves full members of Belize society, they maintain a strong pride and appreciation for their unique culture and history.
Language
Chinese speak their own dialects depending on which region in China they come from. In Belize, there are at least four different dialects spoken. It is found that some Chinese have Spanish names like Quinto; names like this were adopted during their time spent in Mexico or Guatemala. A common misconception is that the names of Chinese shops are family names, when rather they are slogans that translate into hopeful business ventures. For example, Hop Sing means: “Let’s get together and make a success of it”.
Food
Chinese who live along the road and in the countryside where the land is arable grow crops like rice, corn, soybean, fruits and ornamental plants. Having developed unique styles of cooking, the daily activity that gives the Chinese most joy is eating. Those who restrain themselves from eating certain foods do so because of religion which restricts some from eating pork, beef, or no meat at all. Fresh vegetables, including Chinese pumpkin, cabbage, bitter lemon and turnip are popular. Potato, cassava, and beans are not eaten, while noodles are much consumed
Traditions
The most important festival for the Chinese is the Lunar New Year, which falls on the first day of the first lunar month – usually between late January and late February. Lion dances, accompanied by cymbals, drums, gongs, and firecrackers are a common sight during these festivities. Every year in font of different chines stored you can see the lion dance parade. Then they have a banquet this year it was princesses where 800 guesses attended both Chinese and Belizean. Each year on the chinses calendar is represented by an animal and this year is the year of the pig.
Religion
majority of Chinese, religion is a mixture of all the various Chinese philosophies. The older generation, especially the women, continue to practice an abbreviated form of ancestor worship, Taoism and Buddhism, while most of their children born in Belize have adopted Catholicism consequent upon their Catholic education. Other are either atheists or don’t have a religion.
Reference
Belize Ethnic Groups | East Asian. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.belmopanonline.com/belize-east-asian-culture
Chinese in Belize | History of Chinese Migration to Belize. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.belizehub.com/chinese-in-belize/
Belize – The Chinese Phenomenon. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.breakingbelizenews.com/2017/06/06/belize-chinese-phenomenon/
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