Caye to Success: A Biography of Antonio Lorenzo Vega, Sr.

By Mati Gomoll

This text contains the life and times of Antonio Lorenzo Vega Sr., of Caye Caulker, Belize. It documents the life of a man who raises himself from poverty through sheer hard work at sea. Suddenly, after leading his village to remarkable success, Tony suffers the loss of his career at the very hands of those whom he has elevated. Tony is handed a second chance at recovery when a steady stream of backpackers forces him to open up his property to campers. Besides managing his hotel, Tony continues to enhance his community through his leadership. Caye to Success also shares the inside story of the formation of Belizes first fishing cooperative with the public. It describes the times surrounding this happening and how Tony Vega Sr., led a group of about three dozen islanders to join him in forming this organization. Today, this cooperative makes it possible for lobster-lovers the world over to experience a taste of Belize with a simple visit to the Red Lobster Restaurants in the United States.

Reviews:

Kamela Palma
Chairperson
National Council on Ageing
Punta Gorda,
Belize,
Central America

December 2003
Caye to Success for me as a Belizean, tells the history of one of our islands through the life of a gentle man and one of our countrys visionaries. The book spans the years from 1916 to today and relates a story of struggle, survival and achievement as experienced by Mr. Antonio Vega Sr., his parents, his wife and his children. It tells a tale of Belizes own struggle for modernization as experienced through the microcosm of this particular small island as it comes to grips with the riches of the sea and the harnessing of those riches for the betterment of the Caye Caulker community and of our beloved jewel. Mati has undertaken what so many of us with parents whose histories have shaped our communities and our country should do. I admire the honesty with which she weaves her tale and I admire the fact that she has had the courage to write this book. It is my sincere hope that all Belizeans will read this book and be inspired by it as I have been.

^^^^^^^^^^^^

James A. Cox
Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129
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http://www.midwestbookreview.comCaye To Success

March 2004
Caye To Success is Matt Gomolls solid biography of Antonio Lorenzo Vega Sr. of Caye Caulker, Belize. Presented here is the remarkable success story of a Belizean leader who brought himself out of poverty through hard work at sea, his leadership in bringing success to his village, the dramatic twists that deprived him of his career, and his ultimate self-renewal as the manager of a hotel. A positive and optimistic story of can-do entrepreneurial spirit, Caye To Success is an inspiring biography and a highly recommended read.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Sep 24, 2003
• ISBN: 9781462824755

Mati Gomoll

Mati V. Gomoll was born at Caye Caulker, Belize on November 16, 1947. She is the third daughter of Tony Vega Sr., and she has been a school assistant and teacher since 1968. She graduated from Viterbo University, Wi. , then returned to her home country where she taught for several years. Presently, she resides in Lansing, Mi., with her husband and children. Besides writing the author’s other interests include traveling, reading up on Natural History issues, computers, and listening to classical music.

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Copyright © 2003 by Mati Gomoll.

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Contents

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

ABOUT THIS BOOK

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12

CONCLUSION

GLOSSARY

ENDNOTES

Dedication

This book is dedicated to Belizeans. Even though Tony Vega Sr’s story transcends any one nationality, the hope is that the Belizean people will benefit most from the material presented in this text.

In writing this book I became acutely aware of the lack of(Belizean) historical literature—both recent or past—which relates to those individuals who have significantly shaped the nation of Belize. Given the dearth of such literature, I hope that the emergence of this text will serve as foundation upon which others will additionally build the historical record of Belize and its people.

This book contains the true story of a fisherman from Caye Caulker, Belize—where in this story, the fisherman’s name may appear as A. L. Vega Sr., Antonio, Tony Vega Sr., and Tony, where the word ‘Caye’ always rhymes with ‘key ‘.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

MY FAMILY HAS instilled in me the joy and desire to preserve and to share our family’s history. I am grateful to my father Tony Vega Sr. for allowing me to publish his authorized biography. I thank my mother Lidia Alamina de Vega, my sisters and brothers for their support and endless hours of sharing and for allowing me to publish some anecdotes about experiences that are embarrassing. I especially thank my sister Maria for assisting with the editing of this book. I give credit to my husband and to my children for endorsing this book in all its stages and for providing me with a suitable environment in which to prepare for and write this biography.

I thank Mr. Jesus Heredia, Mr. Filemón Pariente, Mr. Leonardo Bobadilla, Mrs. Natalia Rosado-Verde for their outstanding support and contribution. I also thank the Rt. Honorable George C. Price, Mr. Bob Usher, Mr. S. Marin, Mr. Faustino Canto, Mr. Joseph Bradley, Mrs. Barbara Bradley, Mr. Allan Burns, Mr. Bel Castillo, Mr. Pedrito Rodriguez, and Mr. Bert Foreman for graciously meeting with me. I am grateful to Mr. Audberto Pariente for offering encouragement and advice and for permission to use crucial material from his manuscripts. Many thanks to Mr. W. H. Courtenay, for letting me use material from his decades-old files.

I thank the staff at the Fisheries Office in Belize City for cheerfully responding to my inquiries, the staff of the Cooperative Office in Belize City for granting me permission to reprint the group photo of the founding members of Belize’s first successful fishing cooperative. I am grateful to Ms. Susan Glenn—Harcourt Brace Co., The Wescott

Cove Publishing Co. Many thanks to Ms. M. Tyrrell, Mr. J. Wadsworth, and Mr. Ed McCarron from Stonehill College, for their recommendations. The following selection is also reprinted with permission: An excerpt from Vice and Virtue by Christina Sommers and Fred Sommers, Copyright @ 1997.

ABOUT THIS BOOK

THIS STORY IS the driving, irrefutable treatment of my favorite protagonist—my father—by circumstances first, and then, by a theme of jealousy. Woven in the time-line of his life are facts of significance that are associated with the founding of the first, successful fishermen’s cooperative in the country of Belize, and of a second cooperative five years later. Additional material portrays the rocky beginning of the premier cooperative in present day Belize, and the manner in which my father salvages it in the early years. The purpose of this text is to summarize a life; not merely depict a time-line of either of the two cooperatives mentioned. Notably, the fabric of my father’s life undeniably contains the success story, as well as the inside story, of one of Belize’s leaders and of one of Belize’s islands.

In order to preserve Tony’s life in its fullest relief, I have chosen to use the proceeding of a memoir and have applied this to my little biography.

The chapters are in chronological order of time whenever possible, but I have attempted to give the reader a certain level of variety-cum-continuity.

When I first begin to write this biography, and up until I conduct a taped interview with Tony, I do not (fully) know the reluctantly admiring account of the disgraceful circumstances surrounding his separation from The Northern Fishermen Cooperative, Society (N.F.C.). Neither do many others. In the summer of 2000, as my father sits beside me during one interview, one founding member’s wife who is puzzled that my father disconnects from the cooperative within two years of its becoming registered, asks: But Mr. Tony, why didn’t you remain in The Northern? This book answers her question.

Primarily, I feel it imperative to write this biography because my father’s life experiences contain Caye Caulker’s history. Much of the material gathered for the section of the book dealing with The N.F.C., Society, came ‘from the horse’s mouth’—the personal testimony of the founding members and other drama players of the times. All of their adult life, (except for Natalia), the founding members remain active in their Society until the present time, when they phase into semi-retirement, and/or full-retirement.

There is extensive data provided by Tony Vega Sr. through his formal writings on the subject of fisheries at Caye Caulker, as well as through his July 2000 taped-interview. In addition to these, there is some material gathered from interviews and manuscripts obtained from Mr. Beto Pariente—the Society’s first ‘Honorary Secretary’. There is supplemental information contributed by members of Tony Vega’s family, and from officials in the Fisheries and Cooperative offices. In addition, there are notes obtained from the submissions of a renowned Belizean attorney, Mr. W. H. Courtenay who aided Tony in the early 1960’s. Lastly, there are familiar aspects extracted from my memories of almost 30 years of living under the same roof as my father—and of living on the very island where a good many of the characters reside and who play a role in the backdrop of my father’s life.

The mapping of events covers a period beginning in the late1800’s and leads up to the present time. This portrays a preserved picture of the times which shape Tony’s parents, and consequently which shape my father. It is these limiting times that form my grandparents’ ideals, and cause them frustrations, in which Tony perceives a thread of opportunity.

Lastly, this book is about the survival of a human being who is challenged by chance and by a world teeming with man-made enemies. Although they slow him down, they also stretch his limits and bring out the best in him. The instrumental tools of Good Morals—Honesty, Justice, Simplicity, Humility, Grace—and a fair shake at a virtuous life,

are some of the elements that Tony employs as he passes through life. These enable Tony to achieve satisfying results in the many endeavors he attempts.

INTRODUCTION

THIS IS THE story of my father—a Spanish fisherman named Antonio (Tony) Lorenzo Vega Sr. who despite his harsh childhood (in the colony once known as British Honduras), squirms his way to middle-class by the age of 40. Shockingly, immediately after his noteworthy founding of the first successful fisheries cooperative in his country—at age 44—he finds himself struggling out of a second punishing climb from poverty. It takes him almost another 40 years to surpass this debacle.

In the beginning, as he searches for an improved way of life for himself and in one of his second or third splendid, fishing occupations, Tony forms theories that allow for substantial transformation in the local fishing industry of his time. His vision shakes the aged decades of inactivity. He emerges as a young fisherman into a world of ‘fishermen-stink-attitude’ by his society. This difficult way of life is further etched not only by the laborious methods utilized by the Belizean fishermen, but also by the frustrating conditions imposed upon the fishermen by the monopolizing Companies.

In the late 1950’s, while surrounded by many supporters, and assisted by a few Government officials, my father directs his enterprising abilities into forming a Fisherman’s Cooperative at Caye Caulker, in the country of Belize.

Historically, this is prior to the self-government era in this country (British Honduras as late as 1973). The latter has emerged through dealings between Spaniards and the British since the early 1700’s. Although the Spaniards are driven out of Central America shortly after1820, the British do not claim Belize as a colony until 1862. During these 40 years Guatemala begins to claim Belize as part of its own territory. Guatemala’s claim and its visible threats to invade—dot the years sporadically until 1991.

Interwoven into all of this, are the mysterious Mayas whom about seventeen hundred years ago, make Belize one of their three main sites of civilization. (The Kekchi, Yucateco, Mopanero, can still be found in Belize). Mayan architectures—once ceremonial centers—are built with non-wheel technology, and with axes fashioned from stone. The Maya’s traditional custom of slash and burn methods, and their wiliness in defying the English from controlling them for labor, must serve to frustrate and irritate the British log-cutters. All along, extensive efforts by the English to drive the Mayas out, succeed only periodically.

In 1957, Belize’s first political leader, George Cadle Price, wins all nine elected seats for the People’s United Party (PUP) and in November of the following year, he becomes Mayor of Belize. In this very year, the cooperative movement is spearheaded by Antonio (Tony) Vega Sr. Then in 1960, the Northern Fishermen Cooperative, Belize’s first successful fishery cooperative is registered.

Besides his parents and family, a significant peer group at each stage of his life, partly helps to shape the course of my father’s life. The early years are influenced by books, family members and close friends. His adult life is blessed with a growing family, a few more books, with acquaintances such as Fr. Ganey, Government officials such as Mr. Henry Usher, Mr. L. Sylvestre, Mr. A. Hunter, supporters from Caye Caulker, Belize City and a few foreign investors. This stage of his life is filled with a few interesting opportunities, but Tony is also shadowed by a few adversaries in his hometown.

Dramatically, through a first time ever ‘proposed fishermen’s cooperative’, and together with more than thirty, brave fishermen, Tony follows the recommendations by the Colonial Government in British Honduras. In early 1960, he applies for—and receives—a lobster export quota on behalf of the fishermen’s cooperative in his country.

As George Cadle Price, Belize’s first political leader, takes our country forward to self-government in 1964, then later to Independence, so does Tony Vega Sr. move the villagers of Caye Caulker, in 1960, from an economically fragile, bread-winning rut, to a very secure, superbly liberated, standard of living. A twist of fate, and/or a wrinkle in the fabric of human nature, causes the unexpected to occur.

Five years after seeking to register the Northern Fishermen Cooperative, Tony leads another group in Belize City, to start a second fishery’s Cooperative—popularly known as: The National. Significantly, Tony’s daring accomplishment in organizing these fishery cooperatives serve as models to other regions in the country of Belize.

A great contributor to the present strong economy of the Hicaqueños and other Belizeans in the 20th century and beyond, Tony Vega Sr.’s historic role is not to be overlooked. Presently, these cooperatives bring millions of dollars in revenues to Belize. This story does not end with the founding of the first (or the second) successful fishing cooperative in the country. There is an awful period containing Tony’s seismic shift of careers shortly after the inauguration of the 1960 cooperative which is at first overwhelming to Tony Vega Sr. and to his family. Tony’s open-mindedness in the face of adversity however, eventually places him on the crest of a new wave of fate which ushers in one more blossoming career.

After embracing the challenge presented by a trickle of backpackers now sketching a new profession for him, Tony returns to his hometown and begins to highlight this very outline from his own premises. He begins to run a hotel. After about twenty years of this, and amidst soft hints of success, Tony is asked to play the role of a character in a movie directed by the Australian, Peter Weir.

Around this exact time, his latest occupation—as innkeeper—starts to take off. Ever since, Tony busies himself in the running of his modest hotel. This story ends with Tony’s continuing leadership role within his family structure, and within his community. It ends with his thoughts and with his sage advice regarding the sustenance of the local marine ecology at Caye Caulker, Belize.

Map of Belize and its surroundings. Places navigated by Tony Vega Sr., 1932-1965

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CHAPTER 1

The Way It Was

MY FATHER’S LIFE begins on May 10, 1916, as the 6th and youngest child of Nemesia Alvarez (nicknamed Clem/Clemencia) and Bernardino Vega. He comes from an ancestry of Spanish and Mayan heritage. He is a tiny infant, who on the very day, when he turns nine months, is weaned from his mother’s milk, and is introduced to a diet of weak, sugar-sweetened coffee. His name is Antonio (Tony) Lorenzo Vega.

His Birthplace

Tony Vega Sr. is born at Caye Caulker, one of more than two hundred islands off the coast of Belize—formerly, British Honduras. By water transport, this island is about twenty-one miles East, Northeast of Belize City—the old capital, and in 1916, it is accessed by sailboat.

An ancestral relative, Luciano Reyes, (my mother’s maternal, great grandfather), purchases Caye Caulker for $300.00 in the mid l840’s and begins selling off lots. Luciano Reyes reaches Belize around the time that the War of the Races takes place in Yucatan. The bloody unrest in Mexico drives him south to Belize where he chooses San Pedro (eleven miles north of Caye Caulker) as his home. Regrettably for him, he loses the bid to purchase San Pedro. Luciano then decides to acquire Caye Caulker. Besides selling off many lots to individuals, Luciano also donates two properties to the villagers of Caye Caulker. One is the soccer field which is well used to this day. The other is the old cemetery located on the beach in front of Mr. Ramon Reyes’s hotel. The island, of Caye Caulker/Caye Corker, is the English equivalent to Cayo Hicaco (Cocoplum Caye) and which by the early 1900’s, accommodates several landowners.

During my youth, this three-plus-mile-long, sandy strip, is unevenly patched with mangroves on its coast—thickly on its North and South ends. The additions of mini mangrove islands are inadvertently begun on the windward side of the island when our neighbors toss their discarded conch shells about forty feet from their worktable erected in knee deep water, a short distance from the beach. At first there are two piles of conch shells, but soon, these connect and become one pile. Peeking iceberg style from beneath the surface of the sea, this entity becomes almost animal-like in its daily action. Constantly, it substantially collects and traps whatever the sea brings its way. This amorphous spot soon becomes an island to me and my siblings. Taking one or two of my father’s dories from under the almond tree in the front yard, we pole to this site making it our ‘foreign land’. For an entire year, my brother, cousin, and I take to diving for cowrie shells at this spot, eyeing the occasional conger eel in a cavernous hollow under the conch-shell pile, at this spot near home but beneath the sea. In time, we notice that this little island has one or two mangrove seedlings. The mangrove on ‘our island’ provides us children with the shade we crave on any given afternoon. Today, in 2001, this once favorite shady entity which until recently serves as a natural frigate and pelican showcase, is suddenly beginning to become nonexistent. With the disruption caused by Hurricane Keith in 2000, this spot is now transformed into a bundle of dried, grey sticks. Positioned at one corner of Vega Inn beach it appears to be valiantly trying to make a comeback.

Although Caye Caulker sports a large complex saltwater cave system, this is not discovered until fairly recently. About one mile east of this island lies the world’s second longest barrier reef.

In 1916, domiciles are mostly in the form of thatched-roof huts.

During my childhood, some islanders begin to build wooden houses. Several individuals with some means who reside in Belize City have either vacant lots or lots with (wooden) vacation-homes on them.

At this time, there is a Catholic Primary School at Caye Caulker. The month of May is the designated holiday period for Belizeans, and city dwellers may go to the island to attend a scheduled ballroom event or two, or simply head out there for a week or day trip.

There are less than five hundred residents at this caye when my father is born. Romping around on a dazzling, shimmering, island by day, and handling himself quite well under glimmering moon and candle or lantern glow, Tony grows up with a brother Domingo, (Tío Domo), and a sister Heriberta (Eri or Goddy), who live with him and his parents.

As a means of supporting themselves, the Hicaqueños engage in ‘lone-fishing’, producing mostly scale-fish. Growing coconuts for delivery to Belize City where a few buyers export them, or sell them locally, is not a lucrative business but is a minor option.

Around 1920, fishermen sell their product locally. In 1924, a Mr. Stibbs opens a lobster canning factory in Belize City. He starts buying lobsters from the Caye Caulker fishermen. Half-hearted and skimpy production prompts him to introduce the bully net (jamo), freeing the fishermen—who cannot afford gloves—from having to catch the spiny lobster with bare hands. With his innovation, Mr. Stibbs widens the circle of fishermen at Caye Caulker, who begin to catch a greater quantity of lobsters in a shorter time. The lobsters are then transported by sailboat to Belize City. Built just six inches above sea-level, Belize City—the hub of activity to this day—is bathed by the Caribbean Sea on its Eastern side.

Formerly, some Hicaqueños have further tried their hand at the once thriving Chicle business in Western British Honduras and/or in the Northern River area. Tony’s father Bernardino is one of those Hicaqueños. Additionally, he relentlessly trades one occupation for another. A hard worker, Tony’s father tries his hand at various occupations by working on land and/or on the sea. Lady Luck did not smile down on him, is the observation of many, when they refer to the honest, meek, though hardworking and penniless Bernardino.

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Bernardino Vega.

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A. L. Vega Sr., 1945.

TATITO (grandfather) BERNARDINO

It is at this Caye that Tony is lovingly reared by a hard-working family who seems always in the thick of economic catastrophe. As the head of a household, his father Bernardino is a one-man band for the village socials. Otherwise, he is a fisherman who is so desperate to improve his financial state, that he dares to explore a variety of other occupations in different areas of British Honduras, and sometimes even Southern Mexico.

A wedding here, a local dance there, and Bernardino’s services are surely required. At twenty cents an hour, he alone temporarily transforms himself into a band. With no other musical back up available, Bernardino must work extra hard with no rest in-between dance pieces. There is no chance for the crowd to dance only by drumbeat!

Born into a life of poverty, Bernardino somehow becomes sustained in this state all of his life. Additionally, his adult life is plagued with Parkinsonian tremors. Even so, at six years of age, he shows great interest in music one day, and informally attaches to the open-air, band-class in session at Caye Caulker.

Even before any form of musical training begins, Bernardino is invited to play his harmonica for a Mr. Castillo whenever this one—or his family—is celebrating an event. Mr. Castillo balances accounts with the young boy, by trading him a meal for his music. Noting his musical inclination, the band-instructor at Caye Caulker invites Bernardino to join the group of grownups in the band-class, and so my grandfather’s musical education commences formally. By age ten, Bernardino is a key player in the band, an excellent performer with the clarinet, cornet and saxophone.

Outside of his musical world, his life is tough and difficult while he’s raised by a single mother. It is not clear at what age Bernardino loses his father. It is only rumored that the powerful Idelfonso Vega, exhibiting a quirk of nature in the form of a notorious strong forearm, could predictably overcome any opponent because of this. The reason that he was believed to be so powerful is that his forearm was said to have one single bone instead of both the radius and ulna. Embarrassingly, it was also rumored that Idelfonso was a sort of local Don Juan who succeeded in seducing any woman in sight. Once, the husband of one such woman reacts so strongly that he invites Idelfonso to go hunting with him. Upon returning alone, the husband reports that there has been an accident and sure enough Idelfonso’s body is recovered shortly after. In this manner, Bernardino becomes fatherless.

One of Bernardino’s greatest obvious accomplishments is the acquisition of his property at Caye Caulker (still in our family), which he ‘earns’ with the use of a machete, after countless sessions of clearing properties for a landowner. Preceded in death by his brother, parents, and sister, he finds himself sole owner of the little piece of land where he raises his family and spends all his days.

Bernardino’s early years are briefly shared with his older, big-sized brother who takes him log-cutting in the swamps of Northern River. This oversized brother Rozendo, is contracted to cut down the Tinta tree (to be used for coloring), for export to England. Rozendo carries more logs than the average male; yet if his little brother stumbles too much, he picks this one up with his load and together with his own, he continues to the river bank. Inexplicably, the thirty-year-old Rozendo suddenly keels over one day and dies.

Before he is ten years old, dark, small-framed Bernardino finds a job with a Naz Marin who owns a smack, (vivero)—a canoe—type sailing vessel with a well. It becomes Bernardino’s job to sit on the hang guindola—a canvas strip used as a seat (resembling the seat of a child’s swing). This is tied with long ropes reaching strategically to the top of the mast—where it is fastened, just below the rigging. With some artfulness, the occupant of this hang guindola maneuvers this mini hammock from the windward side of a boat to the leeward side—as wind-conditions direct. This contraption accommodates one person and is solely used to balance the sail. (Some boats have two of these). Bernardino takes his position on the hang guindola upon departing from Caye Caulker and must permanently remain on post in order to aid the boat to arrive in Corozal, British Honduras’ Northernmost district.

There, Naz Marin sells the fish from his well, and is paid with gold coins which he tosses carelessly inside the upside-down hatch-cover of his boat. Naz Marin is known to be boastful. (It is said that when drunk, he is silly enough to use paper money and/or sliced bread as he tidies up after nature’s call)! Bernardino cannot help fantasizing and wondering about the mysterious quantity of heaped up gold coins. He does not dare to approach the hatch and touch these. He is always paid with five pounds of brown sugar—a boon for his grateful family!

As a young man, Bernardino continues to play and then write his own music. My father recalls that a Mr. Belisle from Belize City once comes to Caye Caulker to seek help from Bernardino. Mr. Belisle has composed a song but unable to write music he must seek help from someone in order to certify his ‘composition’. Bernardino is personally enlisted to write down the music notes. On this occasion, Tony remembers his father dedicating a whole day for this project. He recalls Bernardino painstakingly drawing the five lines necessary for the staff and key and so making his own music sheet prior to recording the music notes. Then with his clarinet he plays the tune directed and if approved by Belisle, he writes this melody down, note by note. Leaving and returning to his house throughout the day, Tony repeatedly hears his father say to Mr. Belisle: Tell me where I’m wrong . . . as he plays line after line, and before he proceeds to write down the corresponding music notes.

In conjunction with his musical performances, and in addition to cleaning properties for a landowner, Bernardino begins to do smalltime fishing. Once his married life commences, he attempts to enhance his role as breadwinner, by uprooting himself and his family from Caye Caulker for short periods as he looks for ‘a better job’. Every instance results in failure, forcing everyone to return to Caye Caulker empty-handed.

After the 1931 hurricane, my grandfather receives a small grant from the Colonial Government and with this he is able to build a small canoe. (Not being a person of significance or prestige, Bernardino does not receive a big handout as a few others). With this dory, he casts his mullet-net and is able to catch some fish.

The welcome introduction of another net—a jamo (bully-net) in 1926, enables him to catch lobsters with greater ease than before. The Jamo is the same type of net as used for sport fishing with the exception that the net is rounder. Both have a ring at the mouth. The handle of the net for sportfishing is straight, while the handle of the jamo is short and bent at a perpendicular angle to the rim of the net.

Bernardino walks into shallow water to fish. He may or may not utilize the water glass (magnifying glass) which allows him to see up to a distance of twenty feet. When he spots a lobster, he has two scoops ready. One jamo is used as scoop, the other for cover to contain the lobster as it bobs up. Attempting to use this method, under skilled fishermen lose many lobsters. Unlike Bernardino, some fail to anticipate the lobster’s natural backward move once it nudges into an object.

Drawing from his many memories, Tony Vega Sr. recalls Bernardino’s purchase of an old leaking dory. After the necessary repairs are completed, the addition of a flour-bag sail transforms this tiny boat to a sailing vessel thus allowing Bernardino to busy himself with shallow-water fishing. Tony is aware that in between personal fishing ventures, Bernardino is thrilled when a family invites him to join them on a fishing expedition. This invitation telegraphs to him the possibility of increased wages as he imagines a bigger catch in deeper waters. The fishermen at Caye Caulker usually go fishing with members of their own family. Infrequently, one crew member is unable to go, in which case, ‘others’ are recruited.

In addition to this alternative, Bernardino sometimes goes in a bigger boat—in one of the botalones1 , sailing along the Mexican Coast. At this time, this area along the Mexican Coast as far as Progresso—just short of Cancún—is free of Coast Guards. Sometimes, the crew is expected to fish for the hawksbill turtle. Belizeans do not particularly like to eat the meat of this turtle, but for a fee of $40.00 per pound of its spindle-shaped shell, the hawksbill turtle, one of the smallest sea turtles (about 35" or less) is caught, slaughtered, and its shell exported to England. (This tortoise shell is covered with a brown, translucent layer of a corneous gelatin which comes off during processing). The exporter may pay as little as $2.00 to $5.00 per pound to a fisherman for his ware!

At other times, Bernardino and the other crew members are asked to kill the White Herons. The white feathers which are found in small numbers on