Toledo Cacao Festival in Belize - Part 2

Toledo Cacao Festival in Belize - Part 2
By: Will Moreno
May 22nd, 2011

After an exhilarating opening night for the Toledo Cacao Festival in Punta Gorda Town, waking up to the waves crashing ashore and the birds chirping in the trees was truly a peaceful beginning. While getting ready for what we knew was going to be a long day, and reviewing all the activities of the day in the Toledo Howler. We quickly realized that the activities were spread out throughout the whole town and at different time intervals. We had to strategically plan how to be in attendance at most of the events, and we knew we could certainly not attend all the events.

We noticed the small town waking up and becoming alive with people who wanted to see more chocolate treats. The Events for the day, according to the timetable, started around 8 a.m. at the Fajina Craft Center, where we observed various Mayan Artisans displaying their lovely crafts of basket weaving, Mayan tapestry, wood carvings among other things all while wearing their traditional Mayan dresses. There were also individuals selling locally produced garifuna crafts, dolls and the famous Noni juice.

We then made our way to the Toledo Cacao Growers Association that was just one street over. They were displaying booklets and talking about the production and processing of the cacao pod into chocolate. We must make mention that it was great to know that the chocolate company that produces Green and Black's Chocolate buys their cacao from Belize. Cyrila's Chocolate was also displaying their artesian chocolates as well as their traditional Mayan chocolate drink, the 'Kukuh'. We could never associate the tastes of sweet chocolate with that of spices, but we have to admit that Cyrila's Chocolates has a spicy chocolate blend that we enjoyed very much.  Also in the vicinity there were food vendors offering tasty foods, for example, the Mayan version of a spicy chicken soup called 'caldo'. This delicious soup is made over an open fire or 'fyah haat' and made from home-grown chickens and a unique blend of Mayan herbs and spices.

Knowing earlier that we had very little time between events, we then made our way to the Texaco pier where the triathalon was about to get underway. On our way there we passed by the chocolate center where the many chococolate by-products were being displayed. Some other products that were being displayed were the copal soaps and oils as well as paintings. As we arrived to the Pier participants were stretching and getting ready for a 250m swim, before biking 6 miles and then running 2 miles to the finish line. Participants came from a wide cross section of the community including famous Belizean athletes such as Shalini Zabaneh, Jim Scott (general manager of Radisson Hotel), and youths from Belize High School in Belize City, who made the 4 hour trip just to compete in this event. The Triathalon showed the drive of the participants who pushed their endurance until the very end to get to the finish line and absolutely no one gave in to fatigue. All participants finished the race by crossing the finish line on their own determination and energy.

 
After a short lunch break, we resumed the tour of Punta Gorda Town and made our way near the airstip to Maya Bags. Maya Bags is an organization producing high quality, hand embroidered bags which are selling in major US stores such as Barney's New York among others. They also exhibit their bags and collectibles by local Mayan Artisans and have recently been featured in news articles abroad: Maya Bags. Looking at the finished products were great and even better to see how tedious the work was to create each and every bag. Some handles were intricately woven like baskets, while others were made of coconut shell rings joined together and some woven of fine threads. Each and every bag is definitely a labor of love.

 

Wanting to enjoy the rest of the day, we made our way back to front street where we came across a rythmic group of drummers and dancers performing for the crowds who stood in the streets of Punta Gorda. The group was that of Mr. Emmeth Young who has a drum school in San Pedro Columbia in Toledo. We stood by and watched the dancers swaying to the harmonious beats of the hand made drums. They entertained the crowds for quite a while with the wonderful drums and dances.

Knowing we had a long night ahead of us we went back to where we were staying and were very happy at the thought of having coconut water straight from the coconut itself. Coconut Water also called "Koknat Wata" is sweet tasting and very refreshing after a long hot day. It is said to have lots of nutrients and great for the health of your kidneys. After having the water, the cocunuts were chopped into halves and we ate the fleshy white pulp in the center which is very sweet and milky. We also tried a new fruit called the jackfruit that we had never tasted before. It smells like ripe plantains and taste like a cross between ripe plantains, papaya and pineapple. The fruit grows like a soursop with a spikey outer pod and inside it has a yellowish pulpy fruit which contains the seeds that can be boiled and enjoyed as a healthy snack.

 




The nights in Punta Gorda are very peaceful and cool however we were ready to dance and have a night of fun so we decided to go to Waluco's around 9:30 PM. From our understanding, Waluco's got packed as the night progressed. When we got there, it was very quiet so we decided to go to Reef Bar and were not disappointed with the old school music playing at the bar. After a while they let the band Chukuro and the Tribal Vibes start their Garifuna drumming. The band is led by Mr. Ray Arzu who teaches kids the art of drumming and has led them to win the coveted title for battle of the Drums 2 years in a row in 2009 and 2010. This night he has 2 juniors with him ages 9 and 10 showcasing their great talent with the segunda drum (base drum), the primero drums (lead drum)and the shakka (calabash rattles). When the rhythm is paired with cold Belikin beers, the feet start shuffling and the body starts moving with the rhythm. Getting on the floor and dancing was so much fun while moving to the beating of the drums. Mr Arzu definitely educated us about the difference in the Garifuna music. He told us that the Garifuna music was broken into six different rhythms. The first of those rhythms was the 'Paranga' which is a slow warm up followed by the 'Huguh Huguh' which is a slow rhthm that is usually used in the temples. He then told us about the 'Chumba' which is drumming music based on the dancers actions and the drummers have to match their every move. The drumming then changed to one that most Belizeans are familiar with and it was the 'Punta' which is a fast beat that is very synonymous with the Garifuna culture and the Garinagu people. Next there is the 'Wanaragua' beat which is a fast paced drumming beat usually used by the Jankunu dancers who dress like their colonial slave masters and danced around. Finally there was the 'Sambe' which is a drumming to call on the 'Sisters' for blessings. The beat continued late into the night as we shuffled to different drumming beats on the floor.

 

We knew the following day was going to be another fun day at the Cacao Festival at the Lubaantun Maya Ruin. Come back and visit our blog again and we will tell you all about day three of the Toledo Cacao Festival in Punta Gorda, Belize. You can also read about day one here: Toledo Cacao Festival in Belize - Part 1.

Toledo Cacao Festival in Belize - Part 1

By: Will Moreno
May 21st 2011

We were very excited at the idea of a road trip to a place that most Belizeans tend to forget because they say its too far away. Punta Gorda is a 4 hour drive away from Belize City traversing the Western Highway to the Hummingbird Highway and then the Southern Highway while passing many villages and scenic views along the way.  We were graced with the wonderful views of the majestic Maya Mountains, banana plantations, orange orchards as well as villages that are steeped in culture.

As we drove down the highway to our final destination in Punta Gorda it was very evident that we were no longer in Belize City and that the life in the villages along the road such as Armenia, Valley of Peace, St. Margaret's Village, Middlesex, Santa Cruz, San Roman, Bella Vista, San Isidro, Jacintoville just to name a few, was definitely different.

Driving past the villages we could definitely see the old wood- planked thatched homes being replaced by the new concrete construction with zinc roof.  Some were even perched atop the hills. We passed kids carrying jars of water on their heads as well as carrying water in gallon jugs tied with strings and strewn across the handles of bicycles, campesinos or ranch hands carrying firewood bundles on their backs for miles as well as piglets roaming the yards freely. Surely Belize offers a life that's different from anywhere in the USA, Canada or the UK. Belize is a wonderful place to visit or even to call Home.

Entering into Punta Gorda Town, we were greeted by the beautiful, breath-taking turquiose waters of the Caribbean Sea in an area called Cattle Landing which is just outside of the main town. The town filled up slowly with people from all over Belize and other parts of the world  who gathered to celebrate Toledo Cacao Festival 2011. This festival celebrates the cacao pod that produces a seed that was used during ancient Maya civilizations as currency, and of course, chocolate!
 
 The Toledo Cacao Festival started with a night of wine and chocolate at the Coral House Inn, where the main attraction was chocolate in all its glory. Belize chocolatiers such as Cotton Tree, Goss, Kakaw and Cyrila's were in attendance showcasing their refined and delicious blends of chocolates. If you happen to love sweet, smooth milk chocolates and creamy white chocolate, you might love Goss Chocolates. If you happen to love bittersweet, dark chocolates with unique blends such as mango or ginger, then you'll love Kakaw Chocolates. If you love a chocolate that's smooth and semisweet you will love Cotton Tree Chocolates and if you love artesian chocolates made in the Mayan fashion perfected hundreds of years ago, you will love Cyrila's Chocolates.

Radisson's Chefs prepared decadent dishes such as bananas foster with chocolate, coconut chocolate macaroons, chocolate cake and more. If you wanted even more chocolate to take your chocolate taste buds into ecstasy, they had a flowing, enticing and mouth-watering chocolate fountain.




 Old Masters Rum debuted their new blend, Na'Lu'Um Exotic Belize Cacao Liqueur, which was very smooth, sweet and sinfully delicious.

The evening's festivities ended with a dramatic and brilliant fireworks display that added to the intoxicating ambiance of a perfectly, chocolatey evening.

5th Toledo Cacao Festival in Belize, 20-22 May 2011

Punta Gorda, Belize 
Tuesday, 10 May 2011 13:15 | Written by Rob Hirons 
EcoClub
It's time to stimulate your senses and head down to Belize's beautiful deep south for the 5th Toledo Cacao Festival. Grown by Maya farmers, the Criollo and Trinitario cacao speicies have over the years naturally crossed to produce new varieties. These new strains along with Toledo's rich soil and the organic methods used by the local farmers have produced a bean with a rich, pungent chocolate flavour which is much sought after by chocolatiers.

The dates for this year's event are the 20th-22nd May 2011. The full schedule of events appears in the May issue of the Toledo Howler (download here). Inside you will also find an article on Making Chocolate in Toledo, which focuses on the Cotton Tree Chocolate Factory in PG. They will be open over the festival weekend, offering demonstrations and chocolate goodies. The factory is open the rest of the year too so don't worry if you miss a visit this time.

The festival always launches with the Wine & Chocolate Evening on Friday. This year the event will be held at Coral House Inn at the south end of Front St. near the hospital. Another special event will be the Cacao Fest dinners being offered at The Lodge at Big Falls on Saturday & Sunday evenings. Space is limited so call in advance for reservations. With mouth watering food, live music, sea and jungle tours, art & archaeology exhibits and more, the Cacao Fest is not to be missed.

Belize Kicks Off Maya 2012 Celebrations with New Museum Exhibit

Belize City, Belize – May, 2011
(Press Release)


As the official kick-off for Maya 2012 celebrations in Belize, the Belizean community is embracing a new worldly era by reflecting on the past at the Museum of Belize in Belize City. Providing a deeply enchanting and personal look at the Mayas’ work in creating famous Belizean jade masterpieces, “The People Who Carved Jades and Their Descendants” is an exhibit that was revealed in April in order to provide visitors with a deeper connection with Belize’s Maya culture, as people look to uncover the truth about the end of the 2012 calendar.

As the first of many celebrations planned for when the world starts anew on December 21, 2012, this exhibit serves as a bridge between ancient times and the future, and sets the tone for a full line-up of Maya-related events, tours, activities and festivals in Belize, scheduled throughout 2011 and 2012.

“Jade signified life to the Mayas, and we are proud to commence our countdown to the world’s rebirth in conjunction with this renowned exhibit,” said Seleni Matus, director of tourism for the Belize Tourism Board (BTB). “The Long Count Calendar fascinates people from all over the world, and we look forward to unveiling the calendar’s true meaning and the Mayas’ mysteries to all visiting scientists, academics and visitors.”

“The People Who Carved Jades and Their Descendants,” which is sponsored by National Institute of Culture and History (NICH) in conjunction with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), builds on and personalizes the already successful “Jades of Belize” exhibit by highlighting the Mayas who crafted extraordinary jade objects thousands of years ago.

As the epicenter of Maya culture during the Classic Period, Belize has retained its vibrant Maya community and strong influence throughout time, along with an array of ancient Maya temples, artifacts and more. Information on all of Belize’s most notable Maya sites can be found on the country’s official travel website, but examples include Altun Ha, which is just north of Belize City and is where the largest carved jade object in the entire Maya area – a Jade Head – was originally discovered. Lubaantun in Punta Gorda is a site rumored to be the place where Anna Mitchell-Hedges found the famous Crystal Skull, in 1926. And temples at Lamanai in northern Belize were occupied continuously for over 3,000 years, and are surrounded by a lush and beautiful jungle.

Highlights of upcoming Maya 2012 celebrations planned for 2011 include the 5th Annual Toledo Cacao Festival (scheduled from May 20-22), which celebrates the growth of Belize’s cacao industry since Mayas first discovered chocolate in 1000 B.C., while also showcasing the various ways that the Maya utilized the cacao bean, including ceremonial purposes, food and beverage. In June, Belize will hold the Lamanai Challenge, a triathlon featuring running, cycling, and canoeing, in which participates finish by way of canoe at the New River Lagoon at the Lamanai Archaeological Reserve.