Wanted: Belizean archaeologists
On last night’s newscast I reported from the archaeology symposium on the latest discoveries at a site known as Actun Chanona. Today, I found out that there’s more to local archaeology than a familiar name.
Janelle Chanona, Reporting
Day two of the Belize Archaeology Symposium saw more experts present their latest findings on the ancient Maya. But with the room filled with mostly experienced professionals, it was not surprising that all sides agreed on the need to encourage the young people to get down and dirty.
Melissa Badillo, Institute of Archaeology
“Even if dah wah small piece a rock, you feel like dah gold you find already.”
Twenty-four year old Melissa Badillo is one young Belizean with her heart set on studying archaeology. A modern twist to the old profession was all the convincing Badillo needed.
Melissa Badillo
“I think that the tourism part was what interested me at first. But now because you get into it and you learn about all the different…everything about archaeology, it’s very, very fascinating. Once you get into it, you just kinda get stick into it and addicted basically.”
And Badillo is not alone…Belize’s burgeoning tourism industry has created thousands of job opportunities for enterprising Belizeans. According to local archaeologist Allan Moore, tourism and archaeology is smart money.
Allan Moore, Belize Tourism Project
“There’s a lot of guys out there that must know about tourism, just like they have to know about other aspects of tourism, the marine products that we have, the wildlife sanctuaries and stuff. So if forces them, so I’d say yes, they do have a number of tour guides and even operators who want to come in and listen to lectures and learn more, because it’s investment in their new job.”
“The visitor comes, they see the nice excavated area consolidated and they get the amenities, they get the information that we laboured to retrieved through excavation in their brochures and other articles or publications, so they get two pictures.”
So why isn’t everybody into archaeology? Well, as Moore quickly points out, all that glitters is not jade.
Allan Moore
“Be mindful of the romanticism though; it’s not as romanced as one would want to think about it. It took probably Dr. Pendergast many man hours of digging in rubble and inching his way before he found that famous Jade head.”
But if there is one thing Belize is really famous for, it’s for one hit wonders…hot on promises, cold on delivery…an attitude that has severely hindered archaeology’s integration into mainstream society.
Allan Moore
“If you don’t have the continuity, it’ll flop. We have started symposiums before, but if you don’t have the continuity, it flops. So hopefully with this symposium we can get to younger Belizeans, get research material available to all Belizeans, get into schools and give little mini research on the Maya and what’s happening.”
The Government of Belize has promised to support these types of initiatives. Case in point, the newly created Institute of Archaeology and the Tourism Development Project…in which millions of dollars have already been invested to improve the Belizean archaeological product. And Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mark Espat, is hopeful that such ideas will give rise to even more research opportunities.
Mark Espat, Minister of Culture
“Our archaeologists must also help us remember that the Maya are not the only ones worth studying. With increased emphasis on cultural and heritage tourism, there are many opportunities for more historical era research. Belize has old sugar mills, maroon colonies and colonial sights also worth examining. There are stories from slavery days worth telling and worth learning from, stories that must be told that are not yet told. It is the hope of our government that this conference is once step toward bridging the divide between those who know and those who want to know.”
The archaeology symposium continues on Friday.
