Independence Day 2004

Please don't take my picture this way.

It was the first time in about five years that we covered the Independence Day Parade and there were some telling differences. But first a little bit of history.

Prior to September 1981 when we achieved Independence, the Tenth of September was THE National Day. British Hondurans celebrated what some now affirm was a mythical battle against an invading flotilla from Spain in the 15th century. Others believe that while it was no myth, it was a skirmish and thus a battle of sorts. Still others believe it was a glorious and major battle where a few heroic Englishmen and their loyal slaves vanquished the mighty Spanish Armada. The British were running things in those days and the one thing history teaches us for sure is that those in charge write the accounts and history of the day. The debate on the Battle continues to this day.

Somebody fainted again?

Being a colony of England and later a self-governing dependency, all we had was the Tenth to stir up nationalism in a subtle way. That day was unrivaled and brought out full merrymaking with an elaborate parade full of floats, live music and citizens marching and dancing and everyone waving the British flag as that was the only flag we had. A Queen of the Bay was also created to mimic the ruling monarchy in England. This is a beauty contest complete with scepter, pageboys, an elaborate bowing competition, and an address of loyalty to Her Majesty (the real queen sitting in England).

The 70s saw a major push for independence and a gradual erosion of
the Tenth. The Peoples United Party launched its Peaceful and Constructive Belizean revolution. Colonial rule and some of its accoutrements, such as the Battle of St. Georges Caye began to be questioned. Some Belizeans began to see the Tenth as a divisive device used by the colonial masters to continue their long-standing and very effective strategy of divide and rule. Many Belizeans mainly Hispanic, Maya Indian and Garifuna, which together make up the greater majority of the Belize population, were beginning to more closely identify with THEIR roots, and those were certainly not aligned with colonial era slave masters and their slaves. The Tenth was under siege.

Scouts have experience in this field.

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