What It Takes| A ‘True’ Belizean
Sometimes, I wonder why Belize is marketed as a ‘melting pot.’ While it’s true that we have so many different cultures and people intertwining and making something unique to us, we still seem to shut certain people out of our ‘true’ Belizean ranks. My sisters and I were talking about this in regards to the new Miss Belize Universe. So much controversy surrounded her being from the U.S. that multiple people on Facebook made posts both defending and ridiculing her. This got us thinking; What does it mean to be a ‘true’ Belizean? What will it take for others to see you as such?
photo from https://www.ccfei.org/partners/belizean-september-celebrations/
Who is the authority on who is a ‘true’ Belizean? Is it me? Or you? Is it the political powers? What categories does one have to fall into to be considered a true Belizean? Do you have to speak the broadest kriol? Did you have to be born and raised in Belize? How about skin color? Does that factor in somehow? I remember a few years ago when Rebecca Rath became Miss Universe Belize, there were people online saying that she “wasn’t black enough” to be a true representation of the Belizean people. She comes from Dangriga, the culture capital itself.
photo from iTravelBelize.com
“But!” I hear you start to say. “But Destinee dah nuh fra ya! At least Bex mi grow up ina Belize!” And I hear that argument. I'd go as far as to say I understand it. I get that a lot of Belizeans don't want someone who didn't grow up here being the representation of our Country. Do I understand why? Not really. I never really understood where the hate for Belizeans that are in the diaspora came from. Is it because they haven't played on the streets with the rest of us children? I'm sure that at least a few of them have. Because they haven’t been chased by dogs or fell into a street-side drain? Again, I'm sure a few of them have. Why is everyone so mad at someone who had a different upbringing representing our country? It’s not as if they chose to be born where they were born. Now, I love that Lord Rhaburn song, “if yuh baan deh, yuh baan deh. Tell dem dat yuh baan deh” but is being born in Belize really what it takes to be a ‘true’ Belizean? Consider this. Someone born in Belize, and then taken to the States directly after birth. Are they considered Belizean? Many would think, ‘no they’re not.’ But! Is someone born in another country and then brought to Belize to grow up considered Belizean? Again, many people would think ‘no they’re not’
Photo from www.belize.com
So let’s go over what I just explained a ‘True’ representation of Belizeans to be. They have to be Black; must be born in Belize; must have grown up in Belize; and they’ve had to have some shared childhood experience exclusive to a Belizean. Does that sound about right? So then, the first category excludes around 50-75% of Belize’s population, the second and third categories take out around another 15-20% and the last category doesn’t really make sense to me, because there’s so many things to do in Belize that you’re definitely going to find someone with a different childhood experience from yours. So these categories have knocked out around 95% of Belize’s population. Leaving only 5% of people in Belize as ‘true’ Belizeans. But! there are some exceptions to these categories as well. I remember when Simone Biles first appeared on my TV, and everyone was in awe of what she could do. She won medals and I remember the entire country being so proud of her, because even though she was representing the U.S. she was Belizean.
photo from https://www.wsj.com/articles/rio-2016-just-give-simone-biles-the-gold-medal-1470866351
Except... Simone Biles doesn’t fall into most of these categories. She’s black, that’s apparent. But she was not born in Belize, nor did she grow up here, and she definitely had a different childhood than mine. The only thing tying her to Belize is her family. Yet, everyone claims her as Belizean. She also says she is part Belizean. Why has no one stopped her from saying that? Because she won things while representing a different country? Because she’s a celebrity? How superficial can we be to accept someone who won while representing a different country, but shun someone representing our own? We all claim Belize is a ‘melting pot’ of cultures and people, but when it comes time to actually be that ‘melting pot’ we tend to turn people away. Why are we so hung up on what it takes to be a ‘true’ Belizean? Does a Belizean not love the land and country they identify with? Do they not participate in the mix-match that makes up our culture? I’d argue that there is no ‘true’ Belizean. No ‘true’ representation of our country. Belize is forever growing and evolving. There are always new cultures coming into contact with each other and adding to the amalgam that is Belizean culture. To say that there is a ‘true’ Belizean is to ignore the unique experiences that happen in Belize.
When it all comes down to it, if you feel Belizean, then you are Belizean. It shouldn’t matter how many ties you have to the country, or whether you were born there and grew up there. All that matters is you love and identify with our country. Anyone should be able to join the ‘true’ Belizean ranks, because really all it takes is feeling like you are a Belizean.
Thanks for Clicking,
Chey❤️
