While many people talk about their cultural heritage, it's rare to hear someone mention their natural heritage. But, we here at Heritage Education Network Belize want to change that! Not only are the two important for a sustainable future, they are intertwined in so many ways.

So, what is natural heritage?

UNESCO defines it as:

We would expand that to include any and all landscapes and their features, animals, and plants that we inherit from preceding generations. This could be your parents’ garden, your great-aunt’s farm with a mosaic of agricultural and forested land, or the mountainous landscape of west-central Belize. 

In the past, people looked to their natural heritage for inspiration. In the Maya region, the architectural feats known today as temples or pyramids were ideologically associated with, and likely inspired by, mountains. For example, the famous archaeological site in Belize known today as Xunantunich was originally known as Katyaatz Witz in Maya, which translates to Clay Mountain.

Today, you can continue to look for creative inspiration from both your cultural and natural heritage. Not only is this a great way to connect with your identity, but it also makes a sustainable foundation for small business products. 

In and around the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, you can find souks filled with amazing Berber carpets, all with various colors and symbols representing the landscape: Berber natural heritage. This tradition has been kept alive for millenia, and people continue to purchase and value these famous pieces today.

When our goods and services have personal meaning, we become passionate about them. And when we are passionate about them, our customers become passionate about them, too.

Written by: Rebecca Friedel Juan, PhD