The Cultures of Belize: The Mennonites

September 29, 2024
by Larry Waight +

From the Garifuna to the Chinese to the Kriol, Belize is a country that’s home to a diverse melting pot of different cultures and traditions — but few arguably seem more out of place in the larger cultural milieu than the Mennonites. Most of Belize’s immigrants are the descendants of people of color who found themselves pressed or coerced into labor for the sake of a ruling white minority, but the Mennonites are unique in that they fled from Russia first into Canada, then to Mexico, and finally south to Belize in search of a country that would let them practice their beliefs in peace. And while they found it in Belize, the modern Mennonite community is more complicated than a straightforward history would have you believe. A mix of customs old and new, these isolated and ethically devout religious practitioners have changed Belize while also finding themselves changed by their new home.

The History of Mennonites in Belize

Mennonites have been seeking out a new home to practice their beliefs in peace practically since their development as a religious organization. Born from a branch of Christianity known as Anabaptism, Mennonite philosophy is rooted in the belief that baptism should be chosen consciously rather than performed on infants — but it was their unwillingness to participate in a religious state and their unwavering dedication to pacifism that made them enemies of the Protestant and Roman Catholic states in which they lived. Despite facing persecution, their staunch pacifism led to centuries of fleeing rather than directly resisting the dogma of the states they belonged to. Many moved to Russia initially and then began to migrate to the Americas. Mennonites first arrived in Pennsylvania in 1663. They would eventually spread further: north to Canada beginning in the late 18th century and from Canada into Mexico during the 1920s. The Mennonites’ reliance on agriculture and independence from outside religious and government influence would drive these migrations whenever their newest homeland became too crowded.

In the 1950s, the government in Belize — which was a colony known as British Honduras at the time — reached out to the Mennonite communities in Chihuahua, Mexico, with a mutually beneficial proposal. Local resistance to colonial practices and economic failures blamed on institutional greed led to the formation of Belize’s first political party: the People’s United Party or PUP. In 1957, Belize Premier George C. Price met with a delegation of Mennonites and offered Mennonite immigrants land, partial exemption from taxes, and religious freedom in return for helping bolster Belize’s flagging agricultural sector. The undeveloped Belize had plenty of lands to give and was struggling to transition from the labor industry, and they offered the new arrivals a community in the form of Spanish Lookout. The first wave of migrations brought somewhere between 1,500 and 3,000 Mennonites, and smaller migrations occurred from Pennsylvania and El Salvador in the decades since.

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Mennonites in Belize Today

Less than 4% of Belize’s population identifies as Mennonite, but they continue to play a prominent role in the agricultural industry. Their organic approach to farming has adapted well to both modern shopping trends and the sustainable tourism that’s a prominent part of Belize’s national identity, and they’re one of the country’s largest producers of poultry and eggs in addition to offering fresh dairy products and a range of produce. The Mennonites have also developed an impressive reputation as builders, and their wooden furniture is quite popular in the region.

Customs and Language of Mennonites in Belize

While the original wave of Mennonites that arrived in Belize from Chihuahua, Mexico, were among the most conservative sects, the communities are far more diverse today. There are roughly 12,000 Mennonites in Belize, and it’s believed that nearly 20% of these are converted from the local community. And when you take into account other waves of Mennonite migrations from diverse populations throughout the Americas, you’re left with a decent amount of diversity from one Mennonite community to another. Mennonite communities in and near the wild and natural Cayo District tend to be more conservative and eschew modern conveniences entirely, although the original settlement of Spanish Lookout has adapted quite a bit, and members of the community drive cars and make use of most modern conveniences.

There are 15 major Mennonite communities in Belize — and while they may vary in terms of tradition, there are some things that stay the same from one to another. Mennonites take great stock in maintaining their own banks, schools, and churches independent from outside the community. For the most part, the Mennonites live their lives apart from the larger settlements in Belize — and almost all speak a Mennonite German dialect known as Plautdietsch in their everyday lives. Despite that, they continue to be an important part of the diverse cultural makeup of Belize.