Mennonites in Belize

  Businesess countrywide are feverishly working to set up stalls and booths at the Countryside Park, Spanish Lookout. Expo begins this Friday morning and ends Saturday evening. 2 years ago the record was over 23,000 visitors. We'll see what this year is.

    There's many Mennonite-oriented  and affiliated scattered groups and individuals throughout Belize who wear some type of plain clothing and a form of headcovering, the latter usually depending on the woman's personal conviction. Below are some of the varieties of head garments worn by plain-dressed, conservative minded folks. These are from all cultures and backgrounds, Maya, Hispanic, Plautdietsch, Kriol and used-to-be-Mennonites of any color of skin.    Some ladies use a multicolored scarf wrapped around the back part of their heads while others use a flowered kerchief  and tie it underneath the hair bun. Many of them wear one no matter what color or design because they believe the Bible commands them to keep a symbol of Godly submission, but there are those who wear it because they wish to be free of the rigid rules of their home church yet they feel they do not want to go all out and risk the displeasure of relatives and God.

                   The Kleine Gemeinde  They believe the headcovering is mandatory as found in the Bible; however, as time goes by it is being viewed more as a necessary garment required by the church after baptism than as a symbol of Biblical obedience. Some of them wear the covering without a clear understanding of exactly why they must wear it. Thus, while pre-teen girls do not wear any headcoverings, by the age of 15 or 16 they are considered to be of "joining age". Although they are not physically forced to join, the verbal and emotional pressure placed on them by parents and peers is more than enough to convince them to enter baptism classes ( this is the opinion of an ex-KG girl who spoke to me. ) From then on the black triangular, fall-back headcovering is worn, held with clips, until she decides to leave the KG church.                 Holdeman Mennonites     Beli...

  They are worn as traditional garments by some, as a symbol of church membership by others, and as a Biblical commandment by some. Styles, patterns, color and age of when to use it depends on the church's interpretation of it. Also, please note there is a difference between a bonnet and a veil . Both are a form of headcovering, but are not the same.                    Old Colony Mennonites                     Shipyard & Little Belize When at home, unmarried girls sometimes leave off their headcovering                     The headcovering is usually a white kerchief (veil) placed over the whole head and tied in the back, just behind the ears and a little below the hairline. Solid white, flowered white, and white with drops of colors. Married women switch to black after their wedding day. A thicker, bulkier one is used by...

  Two very big and important events are taking place in March this year in Spanish Lookout. The national business expo will be held at the Countryside Park, later the colony's 60th anniversary will be celebrated throughout the community. Tremendous amounts of money have been poured into upgrading the park and the 2-mile stretch of road leading to it. Expensive road marking enamel was placed the whole length, with yellow and white PLASTIC  reflective markers inserted every few feet, dividing the lanes, a first time for a Mennonite road. The work keeps on, hopefully they'll be done in time.

  What all creatures are raised by the Mennonites in Belize ? Keep on reading !!                              Cattle     The KG Mennonites are no longer the biggest cattle growers. Some of the liberal German speaking Mennonites and also the Old Colonists from northern Belize hold that record. Types of cattle raised are the common Brahmin, Holstein, Angus, Brangus, and recently Jerseys. The Brahmin are the most marketed since they require very little attention, and the bulls are prized above all for crossbreeding. Holstein are used for dairy farming and old cows are either sold to slaughterhouses or to Guatemalan butchers. Western Dairies in Spanish Lookout is the country's biggest milk buyer and is owned by the community, which means all dairy farms within the town can only sell their milk through it.   Dairy farms are not huge establishments like Mexico or Paraguay, but rather, many farmer...