Mennonites in Belize

  Instead of going into a detailed historical explanation, I'll simply offer a few tips and info on how to tell them apart and why they're different.                             Old Colony   Old Colony is the English translation of AltKolonie, so called because way back in Chortitza, Russia they were the first Mennonite settlers in that country thus when they migrated to Canada they were referred to as being "from the old colony". A second general name for them is "Russian Mennonites" although their Plautdietsch language is a dialect of Germany.  In Belize, Old Colony people live in the north: Shipyard, Little Belize, Neuland, Indian Creek. They are commonly referred to as "Shipiareños" or "Shipyard people" even though they might be from Little Belize or another community.   The men use white or sand colored store-bought straw hats purchased from the Mexican side. Pin striped and low-ton...

  Not much to see, yet a number of activities to do. Thousands have made memories there; unpleasant things have happened; beautiful weddings have taken place. Both Mennonites and non-Mennonites from miles around visit the park. Take a walk on the roads that run under tree lined avenues; practice your photography; try out your first canoe on the lake there; sit under a tree and spend a quiet time with your loved ones.   Located on Route 40 west, about 2 miles from Center Road. Simply find Linda Vista Lumber or Plett's Home Builders and you'll find yourself within view of this park. If you're in a SUV or pickup you can drive around in the park but if you're on any type of motorcycle you must park it at the entrance and get around on foot. Several years ago motorcycles were banned from the park for various reasons.(Bicycles are allowed) Perhaps I'm wrong, but one thing I noticed after the motorbike ban was put in place is that the amount of plastic garbage was...

  We were invited to an end-of-school program at EMMC, a non-traditional, non-conservative church in Spanish Lookout, located on the western side of the community. Although the program was held at EMMC building, the school itself is located farther away and does not belong to the EMMC. Rose Glen Christian is a private, non-traditional school with both Mennonite and non-Mennonite school teachers from different cultures.   The program began with the younger ones and moved up the ladder. A bit of singing was done by the children, a skit was acted out, a dance was performed, awards were given out; at the end they had the graduate ceremony but we did not remain for that.   A little description of EMMC building: unlike other churches, the seats are arranged in a semi-circle the long way of the building creating a mini arena. Honestly it looks to me like this method of arranging chairs creates more seating space but perhaps I am mistaken. There is a Sunday school area...

  This week was corn planting time for the Mennonite farmers of Spanish Lookout. I spoke to a Kleine Gemeinde farmer who owns a field right next to the village of Duck Run 3.   He said he prefers dry fertilizer over liquid, even though liquid does have certain advantages such as less refilling time, deeper and better soil penetration. We spoke of the different varieties of yellow and white corn planted by them. Pioneer, Dow, Syngenta, etc. are the names used here and imported via Midwest Steel Agro Supplies and other parties. In Belize, yellow corn is mainly used as feed while the white is used for human consumption such as flour, tortillas, tamales and so on. Another item grown by them is sorghum but only for livestock feed. Some have called it milo but that is inaccurate because the word refers to the grain  sorghum used in other countries to make powder drinks and dietary liquids, whereas this one is forage sorghum because it grows about 12ft tall and has more stal...

 The tiny, dusty village of Billywhite, 8 miles south of Spanish Lookout, is home to a small congregation of Holdeman Mennonites (Church of God in Christ, Mennonite). Well, today was the culmination of a 3-day youth gathering from youth members from different parts of Central America and the Caribbean, including some from the US and Canada. They all came together on Thursday evening, had religious and fun activities together every day until Saturday evening, and by Sunday night many were already packing up to leave.   The Sunday service is open for anyone and everyone to attend. First there were some congregational songs, then group songs by various youth members, a sermon, more singing, and then we were dismissed for the noon meal, which consisted of the usual rice and beans, stew chicken, and fried plantains.   They had an afternoon program too, but I did not remain for that. I did notice though, that there were several Kleine Gemeinde Mennonite visitors from Spa...

  The two conservative groups of Mennonites who use hats are the Old Colony from northern Belize and the Old Order Mennonites from central and southern Belize, sometimes mistaken for Amish. This article is not about why they wear hats or when the tradition started but simply to point out a few things about these hats and how it distinguishes these 2 sets of Mennos. Old Order Mennonites   In this sect, only the men and boys wear straw hats.(Women and girls use black bonnets or black kerchiefs.) A common hat for them is pictured below, with a little variety in the style here and there. It is rare to see these men without their hats. Those who are not in the church but still retain the traditions will wear faux leather hats, derby hats or none at all. Old Colony   These Mennonites from northern Belize, such as Little Belize and Shipyard, have a different style of head gear. Both men and women wear hats, with the women using either a black or white flowe...