September 21, Independence Day
Today Belize celebrates 38 years of independence. On the night of the 20th fireworks are held in different towns across the country. Then on the 21st parades and marches are carried out countrywide.
Most schools celebrate the holiday one or two days before the 21st. Conservative private Mennonite schools such as the Old Colony, Old Order and Kleine Gemeinde do not observe the holiday. The non-traditional Mennonites do observe and celebrate it. Other conservative Mennonites such as the Beachy and Holdemans keep the holiday but do not allow festivities.
The following video is a patriotic parade held at Jireh Fundamental Education, a modern but private school on the southern edge of Spanish Lookout owned and managed by non-conservative Mennonites. At first they had the parade on the school grounds, then for a year or two they had a big march on Center Road through Spanish Lookout, but according to what I heard the "community" said something about this so now they have resorted to the school ground again.
I know some non-traditional Mennonites who see nothing wrong with having patriotic events publicly displayed in Spanish Lookout but, well, the "community" has other thoughts on this. Interestingly, the "community" sees nothing wrong with the EMMC (a non-conservative church) holding annual public fireworks inside Spanish Lookout to celebrate New Year's; in fact most of the "community" turns out in large crowds to watch how several thousand dollars of donated money go up in smoke in 20 minutes time. Of interest is the fact that some of the "modern" churches in Spanish Lookout attend the night parades held on the 20th even carrying their own singers and instruments but according to someone I spoke to, they weren't doing it so much out of patriotism but rather using the opportunity to reach out to people with the gospel.
But, each community and church has its way of doing things.
Most schools celebrate the holiday one or two days before the 21st. Conservative private Mennonite schools such as the Old Colony, Old Order and Kleine Gemeinde do not observe the holiday. The non-traditional Mennonites do observe and celebrate it. Other conservative Mennonites such as the Beachy and Holdemans keep the holiday but do not allow festivities.
The following video is a patriotic parade held at Jireh Fundamental Education, a modern but private school on the southern edge of Spanish Lookout owned and managed by non-conservative Mennonites. At first they had the parade on the school grounds, then for a year or two they had a big march on Center Road through Spanish Lookout, but according to what I heard the "community" said something about this so now they have resorted to the school ground again.
I know some non-traditional Mennonites who see nothing wrong with having patriotic events publicly displayed in Spanish Lookout but, well, the "community" has other thoughts on this. Interestingly, the "community" sees nothing wrong with the EMMC (a non-conservative church) holding annual public fireworks inside Spanish Lookout to celebrate New Year's; in fact most of the "community" turns out in large crowds to watch how several thousand dollars of donated money go up in smoke in 20 minutes time. Of interest is the fact that some of the "modern" churches in Spanish Lookout attend the night parades held on the 20th even carrying their own singers and instruments but according to someone I spoke to, they weren't doing it so much out of patriotism but rather using the opportunity to reach out to people with the gospel.
But, each community and church has its way of doing things.
