Echoes of Triumph: Belizean Narratives

By Gustavo Ramirez

The rich and exciting history of British Honduras unfolds slowly through the plot and fascinating characters of this book. Narratives include a tale of high seas adventure. The author traces the journey of Maya who fled Mexico in mid-19th Century to settle in Northern British Honduras. He provides live views of 20th Century Colonial British Honduras through the eyes of loggers, chicleros, and multiple generations of his own family. He vividly describes the horror and destruction of Hurricane Hattie of 1961 through his eyes at the age of nine.
The author also traces his mother’s life, from poor beginnings to a highly successful end. He describes her painful struggles while living in British Honduras by tracing her life from childhood through 2 marriages. He celebrates her well-earned fame as a musician, singer, and radio personality in Belize.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Aug 9, 2021
• ISBN: 9781663226556

Gustavo Ramirez

Gustavo Ramirez is a retired Belizean Educator. He lives with his wife and sons in Washington. In the 1970’s he studied at the University of Wisconsin and earned Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Education. Since 1978 he has worked as teacher and guidance counselor in high schools both in Belize and the United States. He grew up in Belize, and he loves to trace the history of Belizean families.

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Copyright © 2021 Gustavo Ramirez.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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ISBN: 978-1-6632-2657-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6632-2653-2 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6632-2655-6 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021914809

iUniverse rev. date: 08/05/2021

Lydia,

Thank you for an exciting legacy.

"Buenas tardes chiquitines Beliceños,

hoy les vengo una vez más a cantar."

Lydia de Ramirez

CONTENTS

Author’s note

Acknowledgements

Foreword

PART 1

JOURNEY TO BRITISH HONDURAS

A Call

Apostolic crossing

Arrival

Ka’nsah/Laborer

Tectonic Shift

Flight

Aftermath

PART 2

20th CENTURY BRITISH HONDURAS

Reunion

Macaw Bank

Transitions

No Guarantee

Survival

Aftermath

PART 3

PRE-INDEPENDENT BRITISH HONDURAS

Hurricane Hattie

Blossoming

Aftermath

Epilogue

Mexico to British Honduras Flight Route

Belizean Artist

Cast of Characters

Index Of Places

Glossary

Photograph Credits

Bibliography

AUTHOR’S NOTE

I relate these narratives to honor family le gacy.

Story lines in Journey to British Honduras and 20th Century British Honduras are based on recollections of narratives that my parents shared with me in the 1950’s.

Story lines in Pre-independent British Honduras are based on my recollections of life in British Honduras during the 1950’s, 1960’s, and 1970’s.

I use Kriol, Spanish, Latin, and Yucatec Maya words and phrases throughout the book for dramatic effect. Some of them may be incorrectly used or translated to English.

Yucatec Maya grammar is not reflected in Maya phrases and dialogues in Journey to British Honduras.

Glossary provides English translations.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I thank editors at I Universe for helpful suggestions and technical support. Reed Samuel’s assistance to format this book was invaluable.

These narratives are triumphant echoes of my parents and forebearers. I am forever indebted to my parents Lydia and José who often shared the history of their lives and that of our forebearers with me. Their foresight to repeatedly share these narratives within our family saved them from extinction. My parents are key contributors to the information used in this book.

Credit for story lines in Journey to British Honduras belongs to my father José Ramirez. He first told me the story of how his forebearers reached Corozal. He grew up in Louisville’s Maya community in early 20th Century. Like his parents, grandparents, and great grandparents he spoke Yucatec Maya fluently. He greatly influenced my interest in Maya history and culture.

Credit for story lines in 20th Century British Honduras and Pre-independent British Honduras belongs to my mother Lydia Ramirez nee de la Fuente. Her hard work, strength of character, emotional resilience, and passion for music inspired me to share with the world her many struggles and much-deserved success.

I could not have completed these narratives without love, patience and unending support of my wife Sandra. She and my wonderful sons, Gus and Raf, provided superb technical assistance and advice. Their valuable suggestions and patience are priceless.

My brothers and sisters Helga, Dora, Otto, Hjalmar, Alfonso, and Richard inspired me to share good times growing up in British Honduras.

I owe a profound debt of gratitude to my deceased brother Alfonso. He originally encouraged me to write this book.

Helga, my sister, shared with me many of her memories of growing up in British Honduras in the 1940’s and 50’s. Parts are reflected in Book 2.

I thank extended family members who provided helpful information.

Last but not least, I acknowledge Sisters of Mercy who exemplified leadership and moral strength more than half a century ago at Holy Redeemer Boys School in British Honduras.

FOREWORD

W hen we reco rd adventures of families that precede ours we break the cycle of passing down their history orally from one generation to the next. Almost all Belizeans who were born over a one hundred years ago no longer are alive. The rich history of most of their lives and those of their parents and grandparents has all but disappeared. Very little of it, written or recorded, is found today. Faded photographs or obsolete personal belongings of Belizean forebearers from two hundred years ago may still exist. Unfortunately, there are few written accounts of their exciting lives and adventures that accompany these artifacts.

It is helpful to learn about the founding and day to day development of British Honduras. The rich history of its pioneers’ many struggles and hard-earned accomplishments provide valuable life lessons.

As we modernize culture and structure of Belize it is good to embrace the country’s past. We preserve the historical value of British Honduras when we honor the legacy of its multi-cultural pioneers. Let us keep Belize’s exciting beginnings alive as we advance through the 21st century and pursue exciting new paths,

My siblings, extended family members, and friends at home and abroad constantly encouraged me to record and share the genealogy and colorful history of my maternal and paternal families. During my childhood while I was growing up in Belize City, my parents often retraced for us exciting paths of our forebearers. As a result, throughout my life I amass as much data as I can find about previous generations in my family.

I am grateful to older family members and friends who often remind me of names and special dates and occasions to honor living and deceased family members. My passion for compiling family genealogical information always grows. When my older brother, Alfonso, was alive he would jokingly refer to me as the family’s keeper of the gate.

During my childhood, going as far back as preschool days, my parents would tell us unforgettable, jaw-dropping, and exciting tales of adventure about themselves and our forebearers. When we were very young my brothers and I would sit on the floor in front of them, enrapt and in awe and as we listened to exciting adventures that they shared with us about themselves, their parents, and grandparents.

It was usually at night that my parents would treat us to amazing stories of days long gone by. Humor, fear, panic, excitement, and amusement barely describe our stimulated reactions each time we listened to many suspense-filled adventures of the youth of our parents and their parents and grandparents several generations before.

Some adventures were believable. Others had obvious creative and imaginative segments not too subtly interwoven into them. Nonetheless, they ignited a fire deep inside of me that has never stopped shining. I want to shed light as far back as possible regarding generations of my family and many other families who came to British Honduras and lived there long before we did.

How and where did they originally live? When and why did they migrate here? Where from? How did they reach here? Did they like living in this country? Who are their living descendants today? Do I know them? Where might I find photographs or mementos of theirs? Were any of them famous?

It is unexciting or boring to pore through long histories or extensive family genealogies. I slowly unfold parts of the rich and exciting history of British Honduras through the plot and characters in Echoes of Triumph. Historical events remain unchanged in the book. However, like my parents before me, I introduce dramatic characters throughout these narratives.

I commit to keeping alive ties that bind us to our past. It should never fade out of sight. Present and future generations might keep this commitment or perhaps surpass mine. Tales of hope, trials, and bravery of forebearers provide ancestral wisdom. Despite vast differences between present and past generations, there probably are similarities between their echoes of triumph.

Let us define ourselves through the exciting history of our families before us. Let us seek insights into what they had to overcome to survive and be happy.

Enjoy your own families’ triumphant echoes from the past. Appreciate their thirst to create happiness for themselves and for you today.

May you draw not only inspiration but strength from their echoes of triumph.

PART 1

JOURNEY TO BRITISH

HONDURAS

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1798 – 1828

A CALL

Then He said to His disciples, the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore, beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.

Matthew 9: 37-38

I n 1798 Ano Domini, Santiago Felipe Ramírez de Alvarez is born into a noble and wealthy family in the Province of Burgos in the District of Castile, Spain. At the early age of nineteen, already he studies Canon Law, Art, and Languages at the prestigious University of Salamanca. He is highly accomplished for his age, commandingly handsome, yet unassuming or pretentious. His masculine, well-built and impeccable figure is the envy of many students. A large part of his magnetic charm shines through penetrating and brilliant dark brown eyes that sit elegantly above sculptured cheekbones.

Santiago Felipe comes from a widely recognized Spanish family. He lives alone in a large luxurious flat in a 16th Century dormitory at the famous university where Miguel de Cervantes and Fray Luis de Leon once studied. Above the main door to his flat are gold leaves that are boldly emblazoned with Universitas Studii Salamanti. The large opulent bedroom where he sleeps boasts several large glass windows covered by rich purple velvet curtains. Across from his bed are two large mahogany dressers and matching desks.

Each morning when he draws the curtains open, Santiago Felipe looks out onto a magnificent courtyard with a large fountain surrounded by marble benches where students sit to study in the evenings under the shade.

He studies every night in a spacious library that adjoins his bedroom. In that room hang various oil on canvas paintings. His favorite ones are the ‘Flagellation of Jesus’ and ‘Francis with an Angel’. Natural artwork, ‘Cesta de Flores’, hangs directly above the large ornate desk across from his bed. The floors throughout the entire flat are covered with many hand-woven Persian rugs. Dark red-velvet cushioned chairs are scattered throughout each room.

Late one night while Santiago Felipe studies at a desk in the spacious library next to his bedroom, and reads the Latin version of The History of Rome, he hears a soft voice that seems to echo from the very pages of the open book in his hands, My children across the ocean need you. Be my evangelizer. The poor, not the wealthy, need you.

Immediately and unhesitatingly he realizes that the message is a sacred call from God. He vows to complete studies at the university as quickly as possible, and thereafter follow a sacred call to evangelize. After he graduates he will dedicate his entire life to bringing hope and salvation through Jesus Christ to people in faraway lands.

That very night he decides that his purpose in life is to light fires of Faith in the hearts of the poor. The very next day he starts to study everything that he can find about poor and indigenous people in New Americas. He reads everything that he can find about Spanish America and discovers that he greatly respects Maya. Unlike him, they live detached from material possessions, except what they need to live every day. Although he was born into a noble and wealthy family, and never needs for anything, he never liked to have servants wait on him. He will live amongst Maya in Mexico. This is where he is needed most. This is where he will missionize to carry out a sacred call.

Santiago Felipe Ramírez de Alvarez goes on to complete three more years of intense studies at the University of Salamanca. In 1824, he graduates Suma Cum Laude with a master’s degree in Roman Canon Law and Languages. Immediately thereafter, despite his family’s many objections and fervent pleas, he severs all ties with them and gives up a noble and wealthy heritage as well as a prominent future in Castile, Spain’s land of castles.

Undaunted, and totally against family fervent and vehement objections, he quietly enters a seminary unknown to them to pursue intense studies in theology. He abandons all worldliness and material possessions and undergoes rigorous religious studies for two years. At the end of that time, he enrolls as a novitiate in a small seminary not too far from the University of Salamanca. Finally, he dutifully takes religious vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

During the ordination ceremony the Catholic bishop asks him, What religious name dost thou wish to take?

Santiago Felipe Ramirez humbly responds, From this moment on I wish to be known as Friar Juan de la Cruz in honor of Saint John of the Cross.

Juan de la Cruz was a 16th Century revered Carmelite priest and Doctor of the Catholic Church. Friar Juan de la Cruz yearns to replicate the lifestyle of his namesake. After he takes solemn ordination vows he will live the rest of his life in extreme poverty.

After his ordination, Friar de la Cruz shaves his head and erases from body and face any semblance of attractiveness or wealth. He joins a small order of Franciscan Friars and goes to live humbly in a small abbey South of Burgos that is made up of twelve friars.

Friar de la Cruz lives piously in a small and peaceful abbey made up of six rooms, a small kitchen, and an open area where the friars say mass every day. Two friars sleep in each small and simple. Each room has two wooden beds, one per friar, and a small crudely made wooden desk for them to share. A small wooden crucifix hangs above the desk.

Friars each own two brown religious habits, nothing else. They dedicate themselves to a life of simplicity which includes daily fasting and long hours in prayer. In the afternoons they leave the monastery on foot to spread the word of God in nearby rural villages.

At the abbey, everyone follows rigid and unbending daily routines. Along with the other subservient friars, Friar de la Cruz rises before the crack of dawn each day, prays with them for a full hour and they celebrate mass. He and his brother friars lead a humble life.

Breakfast consists of monastery-baked bread, tubers and vegetables. After each simple morning meal, Friar de la Cruz ventures out into the abbey’s large garden and gathers up whatever tubers, such as potatoes, and vegetables he finds. He brings them into to the monastery; and proceeds to laboriously chop large stacks of wood for another hour to use as fuel in the monastery’s rustic ovens. Some of the chopped wood is also used to keep a small fire burning and the wooden abbey warm during freezing winters.

Along with other virtuous friars Friar de la Cruz prays and toils each day from morning until noon. Every day, up until noon, the friars labor in the monastery gardens to hoe, plant and harvest a variety of vegetables and tubers. They consume a light noon meal of vegetables and potatoes. Right after they eat, they leave the monastery to wander throughout neighboring rural hamlets and villages to preach the holy word of God.

Friars encourage townspeople to pray and follow paths of righteousness. By late evening, Friar de la Cruz and his brothers return to their small and poor monastery to eat a small, measured supper. They pray for two hours and go to sleep on crudely-made wooden cots. The friars repeat the same routine every day.

Less than a year after he enters the monastery, the strong urge to pursue his original call to evangelize totally overcomes level-headed Friar de la Cruz. He longs to fulfill the call that he originally received to be an evangelizer to the world. In his heart he knows that Maya across the ocean desperately need him more than villagers in nearby rural areas. He must live and missionize among them. From deep in his heart he feels the better way to serve God is to live in a world not restricted by monastic life.

Increasingly, restlessness overpowers him. Day in and day out, the urge to follow in the footsteps of Saint Francis of Assissi, founder of the mendicant Franciscan order, grows deeper within his soul. It is abundantly clear to him that his destiny is to preach to Maya across the ocean.

Late one night, as Friar de la Cruz prays intensely beside his bed, a vivid and glowing figure of Saint Paul the Disciple slowly approaches him. The friar is totally mesmerized and blindsided when he feels Saint Paul slightly tap him on his shoulders and whisper in his ears, My fellow disciple, leave the monastery to pursue the sacred call that the Son of God gave you many years ago. The figure disappears as suddenly as it had first appeared.

From that very moment the friar knows that beyond a doubt he will travel to New Americas to missionize.

He defends his aspirations to himself, Franciscans vow to spread the good news of salvation throughout the world. Like Saint Francis, I too gave up family wealth to live in solidarity with the poor who need me.

Over and over he reminds himself that many years ago, God called him directly to live with indigenous Maya of New Americas and be a catalyst for Christian change. He will live in the new world, not in an abbey.

The next day Friar de la Cruz begs humble but approachable Friar Superior Santa María de las Animas of his monastery for permission to leave the monastery in Spain and go to live as a mendicant preacher among Maya in the new world. It is God’s holy will that I testify in His name for the salvation of His people. Grant me permission to leave the monastery to live with, baptize, and instruct Christian virtues of salvation to new world Maya.

Friar Superior advises him that the Provincial Chapter of the Franciscan Order of the District of Castile, not he, approves requests for friars to leave monasteries and missionize outside of Spain.

After much prayer, and with the permission of Friar Superior, Friar de la Cruz submits a short and direct letter to Minister General of the Provincial Chapter of Ordo Fratrum Minorum, OFM of Castile.

August 1, 1828

Council of Ordo Fratrum Minorum

Provincial Chapter of Castile

Eminent Minister General

I, Friar de la Cruz, servant in Christ, humbly seek permission to cross the ocean to live with and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to Maya in New Americas. In accord with the teachings of our founder, Saint Francis of Assissi, I seek your permission to spread the good news of redemption overseas.

Regula Primitiva encourages us to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and walk in his footsteps. Mark 15:16 tells us to go into the world and preach the Good News to everyone, everywhere.

Risen Jesus guides me to share good news of Salvation. I humbly beg your approval to leave the monastery and go live with Maya in Mexico to preach redemption through Jesus Christ.

Like all Franciscans, I live totally detached from material possessions and solely by the labor of my hands. I seek your approval to leave Spain to live with others of different tongues and cultures.

In the Name of Our Savior Jesus Christ,

Friar Juan de la Cruz, Order of Friars Minor

Shortly after he submits his humble request to Minister General OFM Province of Castile, Friar de la Cruz receives a formal response and rejection.

Council of Ordo Fratrum Minorum

Castile, Spain

Frma Fde credo et confíteor ómnia et síngula quæ sancta Ecclésia Cathólica propónit

Friar de la Cruz,

After earnest consideration of thine request to go live in New Americas I unhesitatingly deny thy request. I recognize thine impassioned and fervent desire to fulfill the mission of Saint Francis of Assissi and spread the Good News of Salvation. However, New America Maya practice Catholicism but blended with heathen beliefs such as polygamy and idol worship. Thou are not yet qualified to preach to peoples of different tongues and cultures. Continue to preach and minister to locals ere I reconsider thine request.

Thine earnest Faith is in the right place, but for now live in prayer, obedience and penance. Grow in virtue and in spirit. God will guide thine further undertakings. In virtue of holy obedience, I command that thou unquestionably accept this decision.

In the Name of Most Holy Redeemer Jesus Christ,

Minister General of Ordo Fratrum Minorum

Province of Castile, September 30, 1828

When he reads the letter, Friar de la Cruz is downhearted. He is disappointed and distressed by such a quick rejection of his sincere request. Minister General OFM Province of Castile does not approve his request to leave the monastery to live in New Americas.

Nonetheless, he is determined, and refuses to abandon what he recognizes to be a sacred destiny. He realizes, though, that despair and frustration quickly trap one into self-pity. So, he embraces the most powerful weapon to ward off such feelings: live each day with an even stronger passion to fulfill his holy cause.

Thereafter, almost each month he submits a letter of appeal to Minister General OFM. In each fervent appeal, he expresses how important it is that he live amongst and help indigenous Maya of New Americas. He will help them stay on paths of Christian righteousness. He will live humbly amongst Maya and share the good news of salvation with them.

In the meantime, Friar de la Cruz labors hard at the small and poor abbey where he lives humbly and in constant prayer. He and his brother friars dutifully plant and harvest food for themselves to survive. In addition, every afternoon they go out to neighboring villages and rural areas to preach to locals.

Friar de la Cruz is certain, though, that his call is not to only labor for food that perishes, but to also bring food of eternal life to Maya across the ocean. Each day he tells himself, My sacred destiny is to work in communities of Maya people in the new world and share good news of salvation with them.

Unfortunately, each time he submits a letter of appeal to OFM, Province of Castile, an unflinching Minister General responds with the same disappointing rejection, You are not yet ready nor qualified to live among and missionize to Maya across the ocean.

Friar de la Cruz continues to labor strenuously every day in the large garden at the monastery. Each afternoon, along with his brother friars, he wanders through nearby villages to preach salvation to whomever will listen to them. Still, every day he prays earnestly that Minister General will allow him to fulfill his sacred destiny. Day in and day out he delves deep into his soul for inspiration. How does he convince an unwieldly Minister General OFM that he is ready and qualified to live in an unknown world across the ocean?

Meanwhile, he continues to live humbly at the abbey and perform menial tasks that are part of his daily routine. In the afternoons, along with other friars, he wanders through several rural villages in Southern Castile to practice solidarity with the poor. He encourages them to live in paths of righteousness as set forth in the Holy Gospels.

Every night he prayerfully begs God, Inspire me to show Minister General that I am qualified to live amongst and preach to Maya in New Americas. Help me to carry out your mission of evangelization. I, like Maya, do not live for material possessions, but for you.

Friar de la Cruz strongly believes that life in a totally unknown world should pose no problems for him. He is assured by strength of Faith that he can bear whatever yoke may confront him there. First, though, he needs to prove to Minister General OFM that he is worthy to be an apostle in a new world.

He prays morning and night, "Father, I severed ties with my wealthy family