September 10, 2012 - St. George's Caye Day in Belize


I read in one source that, during the battle of St. George's Caye, buccaneers, British settlers, and freed slaves were able to defeat forces from the Spanish navy, who had attacked in an effort to kick the Brits out of Central America.

I read in another source that British military officers from Jamaica (a British colony) trained and led into battle the “Baymen,” wood-cutters from Britain, who lived and worked in Central America, and that they also armed African slaves to fight against the Spaniards. Not freed slaves—men who were still enslaved. And not one mention of a pirate at all.

The first story (buccaneers-and-freed-slaves) was super brief and gave no source for its information.

The second story (no buccaneers-and-still-enslaved-men) was more likely, included far more details, and had footnotes with citations of its sources.

Sigh. I liked the freed-slaves-plus-swashbuckling-pirates story more!

At any rate, on this date in 1798, the British turned away the Spanish attack and more firmly established British colonization of what became British Honduras and later Belize.

Celebrate!

This holiday is celebrated by many in Belize with a beauty pageant, a parade, a tug-of-war competition, a children's bicycle race, a fishing tournament, and of course lots of holiday foods and beverages!

Learn more about Belize with this, that, and this other earlier posts.







Also on this date:



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