Belizean Literature: Past, Present & Future
“Books are packed with knowledge, they give you life lessons, they teach you about hardships, love, fear, and every little thing that is a part of life. Books have been here for centuries and contain the knowledge of our past, civilizations, and cultures.”
Did you know that there’s an entire day dedicated to books? World Book & Copyright day, also known as International Day of the Book, is a celebration of books and reading organized by UNESCO that takes place every year on April 23rd.
Why April 23rd? Here’s A Fun Fact; April 23rd is the date on which several prominent figures in world literature have passed away—that includes William Shakespeare and Miguel Cervantes.
Literature, and books in general, serve a broad range of purposes—from acting as time capsules connecting past and present to providing a momentary escape for fiction enthusiasts. And they’ve been serving those purposes for several thousands of years now.
The oldest known piece of literature dates back to around 3500 BC, with history’s oldest known work of fiction—the Epic of Gilgamesh—written sometime around 2100 BC. Books have come a long way since then, and the global history of Literature is as colorful and intriguing as the stories that make up that history. Belizean literature is no different. For several years now, our Belizean writers, both at home and abroad, have been spinning tales exploring themes and topics that run the gamut—from colonialism and independence to folkloric tales and fantasy. And so, in celebration of World Book & Copyright Day, here’s a quick glance at Belizean literature, past, present, and future.
The First of Many
Many people attribute the title of ‘First Belizean Book Ever Published’ to Zee Edgell’s renowned Beka Lamb, published in 1982. While there’s no doubt that books were being written long before that, Beka Lamb was the first to have been published in a post-independence Belize.
Edgell’s debut novel—which took her an astounding 10 years to complete—also holds the title of Belize’s first novel ever to gain international recognition, having won the Fawcett Society Book Prize in the same year that it was published.
After the publication of Beka Lamb, Edgell would go on to write four more novels along with several short stories. And her work would go on to inspire many Belizean creatives for years to come.
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Belize’s Writers & Authors
Though many might be unaware, the list of Belizean authors, writers, and poets is an extensive one. Throughout the years, our writers have created works both on their own and through various collectives that continuously add to our ever-growing literary world.
Many of those authors have contributed to local anthologies like the Belize Writer’s Series, Ping Wing Juk Me, and the Alchemy of Words. Others have independently published their own anthologies—like the Spokenword 501 Poets, who have created a total of three collections.
Names like Samuel Haynes, Evan X Hyde, Dr. Corinth Morter Lewis, Adele Ramos, Angela Gegg and Kalilah Reynolds may ring a bell for many a Belizean. And as the years go on our country’s list of writers, poets, and published authors continues to grow, especially with the rapidly increasing popularity of self-publishing books.
Just recently, Belize’s newest literary magazine, Bent Pin Press, released its first-ever anthology titled Issue No. 1 which features writers both established and emerging, including Tony Rath, Zee Edgell, Kory Alexander, Toni Acevedo Klassen, Arnulfo Kantun and several others.
While many skilled and prolific authors have yet to be mentioned, writer Ivory Kelly has done a spectacular job at creating a snapshot of Belizean writers, past and present, as she speaks on the current “literary renaissance” that our country is experiencing.
In her article, she mentions not only authors of the 50’s and 60’s but those contemporary creatives making contributions to the literary world today, like Kyo D Assassin, Ix-Chel Poot, Sean Taegar, Felene Cayetano, Ubaldimir Guerra, and many more.
Celebrating Belizean Books Today and Always
Here at home, World Book & Copyright Day is celebrated every year with Book Week—a week-long event full of live readings, poetry performances, and informative talks organized by the Belize Book Industry Association (BBIA) in collaboration with NICH and the Belize National Library Service and Information System (BNLSIS). This year, Book Week’s theme is “Celebrate Writing! Celebrate Reading! Celebrate Belize!” and the celebration will feature book launches, author talks, and open mic sessions taking place across the country on April 22nd, 23rd, 25th and 26th.
Written by Khalia Gentle