Why new documents help us understand what happened 218 years ago

Dr. Angel Cal

Other collaborators in the project include the Belize History Association which is the formal host of the lecture; the Institute for Social and Cultural Research; the Belize Archives and Records Service; and the Universidad Intercultural Maya de Quintana Roo in Mexico. But does having independent confirmation change anything? Doctor Cal says the confirmation gives us more reason to celebrate this coming Saturday.

Dr. Angel Cal, History Lecturer, University of Belize

“In the end, is this important to Belize, and what does it change? I think what it does say, is that from the historical point of view, it is very clear, that we did have a major confrontation; it ended up with failure on the part of the Spaniards; it ended up with their retreat, and it was the last attempt to dislodge the British from Belize, at least militarily.”

The work continues on translating and transcribing the Spanish documents, which covered official reports, ship inventories and other items. Doctor Cal told us that other questions about the Battle, such as the alleged role of the original Black Carib ancestors of the modern Garifuna, will hopefully be answered. All the findings are expected to be put into a book which is to be published in two years’ time.