September 21st: Belizean Independence Day

Formerly known as British Honduras, Belize received its official name 1973. In 1964, after pressure from the Belize nationalist movement, the country was granted self-government by the British. But it didn’t gain independence until September 21st, 1981. This was largely due to the fact that Guatemala did not recognize Belize as an independent country but as part of its territory. Guatemala claimed that historically Belize had been subject to Spanish rule, while this was denied by the British, whose troops remained in Belize until 1994, two years after it was officially recognized by Guatemala as an independent nation.

Celebrations culminate eleven days of festivities that start on the holiday St. George’s Caye Day, the 10th of September. This small nation celebrates its cultural diversity, shaped by the natives, colonizers and slaves. For example, even though English is the official language, Creole is the most common spoken language, followed by Spanish.