1. The Belize Travelcast
  2. Episode 24

The Origins of Belizean Culture

Joe Awe 40 minutes  (1)


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The people of Belize are often referred to as a melting pot of cultures. For such a small country, Belize’s population is very diverse. In this episode, we discuss the origins of Belize’s cultural groups. Our guest is Joe Awe, Anthropologist and Chief Cultural Evangelist from NINE Belize Eco-Cultural Tours. Joe is one of the foremost experts on Belize's cultures. In this two-part discussion, Joe gives us a very thought-provoking lesson on the history of Belize's melting pot.

This two-part episode is an in-depth discussion about the history and diversity of the people of Belize. Our guest, Joe Awe, is a Belizean sociocultural activist and naturalist. He is one of the most renowned experts on indigenous cultures in Belize. His initiation into tourism started in 1997 working with the School for International Training (Vermont) where he was a part of educational tourism – at that time fairly new in Belize. He later was hired to work as a guide at the Lodge at Chaa Creek, where he helped with the resort’s development for 12 years. This is where he truly fell in love with tourism and the art of telling the Belize story.

In part 1, Joe discusses the origins of the name Belize, the idea of the melting pot, and a brief history of the early colonization of Belize.

Nine wants to show the world our country in varied ways. We want for people to be immersed in all the richness that this country is. Our people are consistently being trained and immersed ... moreinto the fabric of the cloth that is the country that we want to share with the world so we know.

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Belize Ground Shuttle is a professional shuttle company operating daily shared shuttle service for travelers between San Ignacio, Placencia, Hopkins and the Belize International Airport ... more(BZE).
Stay tuned for part 2 of this discussion coming soon to your favorite podcast player. In part two the discussion will focus on the people and cultures in present-day Belize.

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Guest Picture

Joe Awe

Born and raised in San Ignacio, Belize, Joe Awe is one of the most renowned experts on indigenous cultures in the country. His initiation into tourism started in 1997 working with the School for International Training (Vermont) where he was a part of educational tourism – at that time fairly new in Belize. He later was hired to work as a guide at the Lodge at Chaa Creek, where he helped with the resorts development for 12 years. This is where he truly fell in love with tourism and the art of telling the Belize story.

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Great commentary! Thanks Joe
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Samuel B
Glad you enjoyed the episode. Don’t forget to listen to the second part now available.
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