What is the culture of Ambergris Caye?

Some people comment that there is not just one culture in Ambergris Caye because it is a real melting pot of people and everybody brings in a little bit of something. From here in Belize, there are Mayans, Mestizos, Spanish, British, and we also have the influences of people visiting or moving here from Canada and the US. Other than England, there is not much other European influence here. There are a few German influences, but overall Ambergris Caye is a melting pot of...

Some people comment that there is not just one culture in Ambergris Caye because it is a real melting pot of people and everybody brings in a little bit of something. From here in Belize, there are Mayans, Mestizos, Spanish, British, and we also have the influences of people visiting or moving here from Canada and the US. Other than England, there is not much other European influence here. There are a few German influences, but overall Ambergris Caye is a melting pot of cultures from all over the world.

 

You can always find a clique or a niche of people with whom you can relate. Some people do not like the mixture of cultures in Ambergris Caye, and they only want to see all the Mayan ladies dressed up in their Mayan dress, which they do see, but they are only on the beaches selling the blankets and jewelry.

 

Ambergris Caye is also a melting pot of different religions. There are a lot of different churches on this tiny island. There is the Living Word Church, which we support greatly at Caye Bank. There are also Mormons, Catholics, and people who go to other churches. Everybody has their own place of prayer and everybody just mixes in together.

I have always thought of Belize to be a little bit devoid of culture. There is not a lot history because the country has only been independent since 1981, so there is not a tremendous amount of culture. There is no symphony, no opera, no theater, there are not a lot of these cultural elements that you might experience in some older nations like the US, Mexico, or Guatemala.

 

For the most part, the trait that most commonly comes to mind would be in regards...

I have always thought of Belize to be a little bit devoid of culture. There is not a lot history because the country has only been independent since 1981, so there is not a tremendous amount of culture. There is no symphony, no opera, no theater, there are not a lot of these cultural elements that you might experience in some older nations like the US, Mexico, or Guatemala.

 

For the most part, the trait that most commonly comes to mind would be in regards to their joie de vivre.  People love to live here so they are always up for a barbeque, a beverage, a get together, a party, etc. That “live before you die” kind of attitude, for me, is what really makes this place special. I think that is not just Ambergris Caye, but Belize in general. They are always up for that. That makes people a little bit nicer and more open. This is one of the main elements that drew me here as opposed to other places.

 

Here in Belize, you are seeing real Belizean people everyday and your interacting with them everyday. People are in no rush here. They don’t care about the hustle and bustle; there is no such thing in Ambergris Caye. We live at a different pace here. Things always get done but it is not at the same kind of dog-eat-dog world speed that we are used to in the US.

 

(Lobster caps on Lobster Fest participants in Ambergris Caye, Belize, picutred.)

The culture of Ambergris Caye is very diverse. From the local culture, we have the Garifuna, Mayan, Spanish, Mexican, Honduran, Nicaraguan, and a lot of other people from different places bringing in a bit of themselves with them.

 

From the expat side, the culture is mostly made up of North Americans and a sprinkling of people from the UK.  Each brings different parts from their history and it really turns into a cultural mosaic here. Everybody is...

The culture of Ambergris Caye is very diverse. From the local culture, we have the Garifuna, Mayan, Spanish, Mexican, Honduran, Nicaraguan, and a lot of other people from different places bringing in a bit of themselves with them.

 

From the expat side, the culture is mostly made up of North Americans and a sprinkling of people from the UK.  Each brings different parts from their history and it really turns into a cultural mosaic here. Everybody is contributing what they have grown up with and everyone is just working with it and learning and growing from it. If you would just show up to one of the many establishments here and just put yourself out there and talk to the guy sitting next to you, the next thing you know, you already know way more people than you did 5 minutes previously!

 

(Guest enjoying their long term rentals at the Grand Caribe, Ambergris Caye, Belize, pictured.)