Photo: David Ruiz, former Dean of John Paul Two Junior College and founder of CACHE

Community of Artists for Cultural and Historical Endeavors get together in Benque

BENQUE VIEJO, Cayo District, Sun. Mar. 3, 2024

The Community of Artists for Cultural and Historical Endeavors (CACHE) held its 20th Annual General Meeting (AGM) last Thursday, at the House of Culture Grounds in Benque Viejo. This event marks a significant milestone for the organization, which has been a beacon of cultural preservation and artistic expression in the Benque Viejo area.

The AGM was a pivotal event, with elections and the swearing-in of a new executive for the 2024 to 2025 period on the agenda. This transition of leadership is a testament to the democratic principles that underpin CACHE, ensuring a constant influx of fresh ideas and perspectives. Miguel Bonilla was elected as President of CACHE, and Avelin Barillas as Vice President. Samantha Castellanos will serve in public relations, and Fernando Boteo as incoming treasurer.

CACHE, an offshoot of the Cultural and Historical Association of Benque Viejo, was founded in 1991 at the Ba’lam Art Gallery.

“CACHE is practically a voluntary organization. Nobody gets a salary for what we do, and voluntarism is kind of an endeavor that is not very popular, especially in this day and age, and it’s been a battle, especially with the younger generation, to understand that community activism pays off in the long run,” says David Ruiz, a founding member of CACHE who now serves as a guide on the CACHE board.

He continued, “We have a memorandum of understanding with the Benque Viejo Town Council as trustees of Centennial Memorial Park, which we kind of built up from scratch in the year 2000 when the old cemetery became the memorial park, and we have also an understanding with the National Institute of Culture and History.”

The highlight of the AGM was a presentation by University of Belize history lecturer, Delmer Tzib, who explored the Central American Migration to Belize in the 1980s and 90s. This exploration of historical migration patterns sheds light on the diverse cultural influences that have shaped Belizean society. Tzib posits that the civil war in El Salvador had its origins in the latter part of the 1800s’ when there was a boost in coffee production. This led to a “… huge land distribution imbalance.” The oligarchy concentrated 95% of the best lands in El Salvador. Some 80,000 persons were killed during El Salvador’s civil war. According to Tzib, in Guatemala the situation was much the same, with 60% of the population earning $2.00 a day harvesting crops. The interruption of Jacobo Arbenz’s land reform led to 36 years of civil war.

“All of these things are impacting people”, says Delmer Tzib, which were push factors for migrants coming to Belize.

In the 1980s’, Belize adopted a humanitarian approach to migration with the first amnesty being declared in 1984. Delmer Tzib identifies 1989 to 1990 when “… there was a move towards the integration of migrants, an important factor for the development of Belize.” However, from 1993 to 1996 there was a restrictive approach to migration once more.

CACHE’s major project for the upcoming years is the establishment of the Edison Coleman House, a project that was started in 2017. CACHE will build the Edison Coleman House on the grounds of the House of Culture. The architectural plans had already been drafted, and so CACHE has entered the phase of fundraising and to create awareness of who Edison Coleman was.

“One of our strongest partners is the Belize Tourism Board, which is our golden sponsor and has had an annual contribution to the whole process. We also have the strong support of the Benque Viejo Town Council; so these leading organizations do take that responsibility of assisting us and giving value to the heritage here in our community,” says Nayeli Yacab, coordinator of the Benque and the San Ignacio Houses of Culture.

Benque Viejo Del Carmen now looks forward to the annual “Sawdust Tapestries” which will be held on March 29th. The processing for the Sawdust Tapestries began on Saturday of this past weekend in Belize’s most Western Town. Work on the tapestries will begin at midnight on March 28th, as it takes about 10 to 12 hours to make the intricate designs on the principal routes of Benque. To join the effort, you can call the House of Culture at 610-1084. Some 50 volunteers will be needed to color the sawdust, reports Nayeli Yacab.