Special Treats for Christmas
How do you know that Christmas is around the corner today? It is easy, right? You see all the goodies and lights in the shop windows around town. In fact nowadays you see all of this as of the middle of November, even before the big Thanksgiving Day. Well it was not so 25 years […]
November Traditions
If you were born during the month of November 25 years ago, you would not be too happy. It was because there were some restrictions related to many traditions that we had 25 years ago. Most of the traditions were religious or spiritual because November is associated with the dead, spirits, and memories of the […]
No Kidding, A Giant Roamed San Pedro?
Indeed the month of November is a month to be respected spiritually because the “Animas” or souls of the dead do come out in procession and prayer hoping to meet a beloved family member. There are those who have a bone to grind with someone and they are not looking to greet peacefully but to […]
Visits From the Souls of the Dead
It is common belief in the Hispanic and Creole culture that after the body dies, the soul continues to live and for a time it roams around the earth looking for a resting place. That is why a certain family member of mine heard someone knocking on the windshield of his car only two days […]
Characteristics of a Fisherman
I know what the characteristics of a fisherman are because I am the son of a fisherman. My brother and uncles and other family members were all fishermen. I recall going to high school in Belize City in the 1960’s and my classmates used to tease that all fishermen stink. For a while they almost […]
When There was no Television
It is reported that Americans spend one sixth of their lives watching television. It is approximately 4 hours of television per day, so that if a person lives 60 years, he spent 10 of those years watching television. Indeed television is a great tool today, but something we did not miss in the 1950’s and […]
Tough Times 25 Years Ago
I was talking the other day with a good friend, Mr. Sanker, who is an avid reader of this column and he said, “You know what Mr. Nuñez, I really enjoy those articles because I can identify with them. I remember having to write those official letters to be able to formalize a relationship with […]
Father-In-Law Rejects “El Novio”
We have seen three romantic scenarios- one where the boyfriend requests permission to visit the girl at home, two where the father replies with an acceptance letter, and three where the fiancée actually starts visiting the girl at home. But what if the father-in-law did not accept to the relationship? Here is how it went. […]
Those Little Bikinis
You might laugh at this or doubt me, but ask anybody who lived in the 1950’s and you will verify the truth. Bikinis, swimsuits, and even G-strings are common everywhere today. I suppose they were made for the swimming pool or the beach, but you see them everywhere. No so twenty five years ago. Young […]
Visiting Your Girlfriend At Home (Courtship)
Two weeks ago Alberto wrote a formal letter to visit Angelita at home. Last week he got a reply from the father-in-law that he was accepted. Boy oh boy, is Alberto excited? He is no longer the enamorado (boyfriend) but her “novio” (fiancé). It was like a dream. Now he will be two long hours […]
Father’s Response to Courtship Letter
After Antoño writes his letter requesting permission to visit his girlfriend at home, he awaits patiently for the father-in-law to reply. During this highly nervous period, Antoño is at his best behavior. He does not drink, does not curse, nor stays out late at night. He dresses properly in his black pants and white shirt […]
Fighting For Your Girlfriend
Today it seems like anybody can get any girl anytime. Sometimes boys date girls for a long time and the parents do not even know. They really find out when the wedding plans are on the way. Not so 25 years ago. Back then a young man who was desirous of making a formal relationship […]
It Was the Tenth day of September…
These are the words I can remember of my childhood days as we sang the most popular song of the times in connection with the celebration of the Battle of Saint George’s Caye: “It was the tenth day of September, the ninety eighth ano domimi, when our forefathers won that glorious fight, the Battle of […]
Our list of Beauty Queens
By Angel Nuñez The excitement of the Costa Maya Beauty Pageant has come and gone but now just around the corner is the Miss San Pedro Beauty Pageant. This year Belize Celebrates in grand style as it will be the Silver Anniversary or 25th anniversary of our Belizean Independence I understand that Reef Radio is […]
Door To Door Selling
Before I start on this topic, I want to mention that I had a lot of fine comments on last week’s article on “Kasham”. Apparently a lot of people identify with it, and I learned that it was also a favorite candy down south as Norman Eiley told me that Creoles say that when one […]
A Few More Home Remedies
A new friend of mine living in the United States mentioned the other day on an email the treatment for a sea urchin sting and I recalled a few more home remedies that I had denied you. I will not charge any special royalties or late fees, but here they are just in case you […]
“Crayfish to Stone Dogs”
This is a popular saying, “Crayfish to stone dogs.” It is a saying meaning that there is an abundance of something. And there was a time when the spiny lobster or the crayfish existed in abundance around the waters of Ambergris Caye. First a little anecdote, which might not even be true but here […]
Making Toys vs. Buying Toys
It is a thrill today going to the stores and buying sophisticated toys for the children. There are the educational games and toys, the electronic toys, the expensive and bulky toys like motorized vehicles and cycles, etc. It is indeed a thrill shopping for toys today, not to mention the expense. Shopping for toys today […]
Hardships of the Present
There are many things that are considered as hardships or inconveniences today that were normal occurrences 25 years ago. They were part of our lives and occurred as normal, so nobody considered them as hardships. First of all if you were to wake up today and find out that you are out of butane gas […]
El Comisariato (The Commissary)
Some older folks might want to take me farther back in time perhaps in the 1930’s or 40’s, but unfortunately I do not go so far back. So for all practical purposes I shall write about the Commissary as the first or one of the first stores in the village of San Pedro. name […]
Shopping 25 Years Ago
A long with this article is an actual page of a shopping list used on October 14 probably in the year 1950. It was written by Don. Beto Gomez and his wife Lala Gomez, and it represents a shopping list that got them enough food materials to last them for a week or two. […]
More on Village Life
If you walk around San Pedro today, you would be amazed on how much things have changed in the last 15 years and much more on the last 40. Some people would probably get lost in San Pedro. But let us continue our walk around the village as we did last week, which was […]
Village Life, Simple & Easy
When we think of a village we usually think of a very simple way of life where you are awakened by the singing of birds and not of tractors. When we think of town or city life, we usually imagine the hustle and bustle of a busy place. Well, how did San Pedro fit in […]
Things of the Past Made of Good Stuff!
I am sure you have at some time said that those things that were made in the past are made of good stuff. Actually there are innumerable examples to illustrate this point and I will only use but a few local examples. You can think back on your past and come up with a longer […]
Let’s Enjoy More Sailing
Last week we learned about how to operate the rudder of a sailing boat as well as how to place the ballast in your boat. If you did not, well go back to issue number 16 and do so. Today I want to touch on something which I enjoyed tremendously when I was a […]