A Look Back at the C Virus
How the Pandemic Did Not Change Them
No. It did not necessarily change the lives of the Mennonites. If anything, it simply brought into sharp focus the practical way that the philosophical "mennos" deal with never-before seen challenges and fueled their independent spirit. They conquered wild and savage jungles and converted it into tens of thousands of acres of bountiful farmland that provides food for the whole country, not counting the industries that created jobs for hundreds of Belizeans. And then to cower and worry about a little cold where the majority of patients actually survive... Well, the idea was met with scorn by many Mennonites.
(Note: this article is not to scoff at or minimize the coronavirus. It portrays the attitude of the majority of Plautdietsch Mennonites. Click here to read the opinion of another blogger on the Mennonites vs Covid scenario.)
A little over a year ago, I remember it as though it happened last night, suddenly the government brought down a hammer blow of curfews, restrictions, quarantine orders, etc. On the one hand I was surrounded by people who were panicking and frantically buying over-the-counter vitamins and medications to attempt to combat the virus; on the other hand, people in the Mennonite culture who refused to believe that it really was as serious as the rest of the world claimed it was and derided those who did. So according to orders (Mennonite employers grudgingly complied with regulations within the company), my co-workers and I donned gloves, masks, and tiny bottles of alcohol sanitizer in our pockets. Everyone was required to keep his distance from colleagues and the cafeteria was rearranged to minimize the amount of employees inside the room. As time went by the Mennonites were some of the first to lower their guard and disregard regulations.
Customers waiting in line outside Farmer's Trading Center, last year, April 2020
During those first weeks, there was a scramble to buy basic items such as toilet paper, flour and alcohol. Since there were rigid restrictions for all public places, long lines formed outside grocery stores. Non-essential services shut down... but only the front door. Many Mennonite stores resorted to backdoor services and light deliveries.
As the government eased up on restrictions, the non-Mennonite employees sighed with relief. Caught between a culture who downplays the virus while the rest of the outside world goes crazy over it is no easy place to be in. Who should they listen to? Their Mennonite employers or the Belizean government? How could the Mennonites get away with sidestepping the rules while they, the Mestizos, Creoles, and Maya were constantly watched and harassed by police over masks and holding gatherings? But things seemed to return to normal towards the end of the year...
...Until the 2nd wave approached in November and again, the restrictions, regulations, etc., etc. The Mennonites were fed up with it even though this time, their communities were also affected with critical cases of the virus among the older folks. However, in spite of family members being gravely ill, they chose rather to resist the regulations than to give in and panic. Apparantly the police were also fed up with reports and complaints about the Mennonites which led to several confrontations just before the general election. Although washing hands and personal hygiene were actually encouraged by the Mennonites themselves within their colonies, masks and physical distancing remained more a matter of "I guess I have to" than a voluntary action.
When the new government took over in November, Mennonites held their breath. But the PUP government did not lift off regulations; they merely acknowledged it and did not attempt to change anything instituted by the previous administration. Yet there was a visible change in the atmosphere surrounding the regulations. Whereas before there had been forceful, almost military type of enforcement, now police appeared to have adopted a more casual view of violators. Certainly after December 2020, there were no more crackdowns, less arrests, and no more explosive confrontations.
And so it kept on...more disregarding of safety measures to the point where Mennonite communities have become a haven for those Belizeans who are infinitely tired of wearing masks and social distancing. From early this year until the present, local police have practically given up on patrolling the Mennonite colonies for Covid-19 violations. (There were unconfirmed rumours and other speculations of secret agreements between community leaders and police officials.) There have been 2 or 3 random arrests over the issue of masks, but otherwise, life among the Plautdiestch Mennonites is almost back to normal. Almost. Except for non-Mennonite customers who are shopping around with a mask on, you would think the virus never happened.
Maybe it never did... maybe it was all just a hoax, as most Mennonites tend to believe. Maybe it was a lab leak in an obscure Chinese facility. Maybe it was part of the Illuminati and the so-called New World Order. Maybe...
A. Mendoza
