History exhibition opens at Government House
It may only be May but the September Celebrations Committee is getting a jump on this year’s St. George’s Caye Day festivities. Opening over the weekend was an exhibition that takes us back well before the much debated skirmish in 1798.
Old pictures, old documents, old photographs make up a pictorial exhibit of the history of Belize. The over seventy piece collection donated by the Baymen Bicentennial Committee was opened on Saturday at Government House in Belize City. It spans the years from 1650 to the early twentieth century. According to the researcher for the exhibition, Stephen Fairweather, the collection took over a decade to complete.
Stephen Fairweather, Researcher
“I started back in 1988 so I have almost eleven years researching the history. I spent that long because I was researching the truth and now that I have found it I have placed it where it belongs in the hands of the Belizeans.”
And the exhibit will remain permanently in the hands of Belizeans as it graces the walls of the former kitchen of the mansion, which was renovated for the show by the Belize Tourist Board. The collection has been viewed by Belizeans in Miami, New York and Detroit.
Stephen Fairweather
“What we have tried to do is show a focus on, not only on the battle of St. George’s Caye but on the History of Belize. So you’ll find in the exhibit something about Corozal, Orange Walk. In Orange Walk for example is when Canul attacked Orange Walk, and we have historical record. We also have record regarding the establishment of Corozal.”
These records, according to Fairweather, were found in London, Scotland and Jamaica.
Stephen Fairweather
“While I was going through the original documents I started to find various documents like drawings, proclamations which was understandable because superintendent had to report to Jamaica when he made reports he would send evidence. That is reason why we have maps of Corozal and what happened with Canul.”
But all this information is too much for the space allotted to the collection by the Belize Tourist Board.
Stephen Fairweather
“Unfortunately we do not have enough wall space to show every piece of the information that I have. What your seeing here is less than a third of what I have in my possession but, however, what we are planning to make a presentation to Corozal and Orange Walk and Ambergris Caye because we want to share what we have.”
This sharing is a part of the bicentennial anniversary of the Battle of St. George’s Caye. Arreini Palacio for News Five.
The exhibition forms part of the permanent Government House collection. For those viewers who are not familiar with the building, it was until 1981 the official residence of the British Governor of Belize.
