Belize, a small country found in Central America, is rich in marine life and beauty. This is a great place to go Scuba diving in clear waters, tour Mayan ruins, and relax by the beach. Another beautiful aspect of Belize, though, is the diversity throughout the country. With less than 400,000 people in the entire country, there are many different ethnic backgrounds that can be found. This article introduces 3 of the ethnicities you can find in Belize. (Related: travel vacations, Belize vacation packages)
Creole
In Belize, a person who has African blood is considered Creole. In general, creoles are the descendants of slaves brought to Belize in the 18th and 19th century. This group makes up about 25% of the population in Belize, and their culture can be felt all over the country. Typical Creolean food consists of meat, rice, beans, and bread, but it is defined by its unique spices. The language that they speak is Belizean Creole, which is an English-based creole language; it is hard to estimate how many people speak the language, but in the last census in 2010, 44.6% of the people in Belize claimed to speak it.
Mestizo
About 48% of the population in Belize is Mestizo, which is a mix of Mayan and European descent. Mestizos usually speak both English and Spanish and their food is a mix of Spanish, Mexican, and Mayan; this includes empanadas, chimole, rellenos, and corn in every form. The combination of different ethnicities in Mestizo culture can be seen in their food, artwork, and music.
Garifuna
The Garifuna are descendants of Carib and Africans that were exiled from British colonies; they came to Belize through the South of the country, most of which were fleeing Honduras’ civil war, and settled along the coast of Belize. Their cuisine consists of fish, chicken, plantains, and cassava. Garifuna are known for their music, story-telling, and dances. They make up about 6.1% of the population.
Along with Creole, Mestizo, and Garifuna, there are also populations of East Indians, Arabs, Chinese, Mayan, and more. If you want to experience a wide range of different cultures, Belize is the perfect place to immerse yourself by eating new food, listening to music, dancing, and meeting new people. At Arik travel, we offer vacation packages to Belize so that you can experience different cultures.
