Flowers Bank Festival will be awesome
The festival promises to be fun for the entire family; but it is also an educational event. Rhaburn is especially inviting students to attend and win prizes for answering questions about Flowers Bank and its history. And, through a partnership with the Institute for Social and Cultural Research, an important exhibit is also being launched at this year’s festival. According to NICH Communications Officer, Shari Williams, the aim is to offer a greater appreciation for the people of the Belize River Valley and they role they played in Belize’s history.
Shari Williams, Communications Officer, NICH
Shari Williams
“This weekend, besides all the festivities, we’re launching a very important exhibit called The River and its People. The exhibit includes stuff like the Mahogany Trade, stuff from the chicle trade as well as means of transportation down the river; for example, the pit pan dories and all the other stuff that people back in the past sued to use to travel on the river. The entire festivities are to honor the fourteen men, the Flowers Bank fourteen. History tells us that it was fourteen men from the Belize River Valley who tipped the scales in deciding whether or not we were going to run or we were going to stay and fight during the battle of St. George’s Caye. So the entire festival is to show some form of appreciation for these fourteen men. The entire exhibit, I understand, is right along the Belize River Valley so you can learn about the Valley while actually enjoying the river. We brought out eight students to study the history of the river so it’s right in line with the Social Studies curriculum. So if you’re not able to make it this weekend, we also want to extend an invitation to teachers and schools out there to bring out your children to the Flowers Bank area to view the exhibit and to appreciate the Belize River Valley and its people.”
Delahnie Bain
“So how long will this exhibit be there?”
Shari Williams
“The exhibit is a permanent exhibit. It’s always going to be there but this weekend is the first time we’re launching it and opening it to the public.”
A bus will leave from Pound Yard at nine in the morning and return between seven and eight o’clock to transport persons to the festival for free.
