Twin Towns get their own House of Culture
The twin towns of San Ignacio and Santa Elena now have a facility to promote cultural activities. On Thursday, a House of Culture was officially inaugurated for use by artists and artisans in the area. A number of personalities in the arts showed up for the occasion to encourage development of cultural expressions.
Sherylin Jones, Coordinator, of Houses of Culture/Museum of Belize
sherylin jones
“With unwavering support of the mayor, NICH management forged ahead with the development and implementation of a house of culture. NICH envisioned a house which would invoke all forms of cultural expressions. A cultural institution that would mold and guide future generations of enlightened minds, artists and artisans. While Cayo does not suffer from a lack of creativity, it did lack a space where residents would be able to express their artistic yearnings. Through arts, we express our history, our traditions, our thoughts. It helps us to see the world in a different way. SISE-HOC will represent a meeting ground, a home for talented upcoming artists who deserve encouragement and support for their expressions.”
diane haylock
Diane Haylock, President, NICH
“Indeed we treat artistic expression and appreciation as something we pay attention to if we have the extra time and money in challenging economic times and do not see it as perhaps an excellent way out of the poverty pit that many of our people are trapped in. we need to change this dynamic, we need to stop seeing culture as an expense, as a luxury, and see it as an investment in our people, an investment in our sustainable development, an investment in a better future and life for all our people.”
I applaud whole heartedly the implementation of this House of Culture, and I must give credit where credit is due, Good Job N.I.C.H. Marcus Garvey said, ” A man without CULTURE, is like a tree without roots”. As we move forward into another decade, and into the future the face of our National identity is rapidly deteorating, Casino’s/ Asian influx/ International Immigration/ Tourism,and other factors are influencing our way of life, culure is not only about Historic Photography,poems, skits, meaningless Political Intrusion,etc., Culture is the passionate heart felt divine feeling of an individual and his entire community, culture is Teachers, Police, Church,State,Homeless,Wealthy, Politicians, Criminals , Big and small businesses, Culture is the fabric of the Society, my point in Bitter Sweet is that in order to move into the future, we must develop a way of thought that is futurastic, we must stop Politisizeing everything..eg. Cayo Needed a new Library, we converted the Old Market into a Library, with pump and Pios of the town council, now we need a Cultural Center, we get the Old Library, This is the backward thinking that is limiting our potentials. I envision a Can-Ignacio with a modern complex, that can be used for multiple purposes, with a real” Concert Area/ a real sporting complex/ Resturants/ offices, professionally designed and built, something that will stand in stark contrast of old delapidated construction and announce our vibrant march into tomorrow and make us a society of forward thinkers and one of the mostbeautiful Cities in all of the Caribbean and Central America. Jah has given us the landscape, lets use our cultural awareness and visions to prepare for tomorrow, while walking across the bridge of yesterday. One love and nuff Respek. May Jah Bless Belize now and always.(68 to 2010 and Beyond)