The Mennonite Communities of Belize
Beyond the bright coral reef and clear waters that amaze tourists lies an entire community that you would never expect to find in Belize. Mennonites came to Belize in the 1950s after leaving Mexico.
Spanish Lookout, the most visited Mennonite town in Belize, looks more like a farming area in the Mid West than Central America. Driving through the sprawling farmlands, it seems as though you’ve been transported to another world.
Since their arrival, the products of the Mennonite farms have become staples of Belize. Most of the dairy, meat, and wheat supplies in the country come from Mennonite farms. Mennonite farms produce well over three-quarters of the dairy and poultry products in the country.
Western Dairies, perhaps the largest dairy company in the country, is Mennonite owned and run. At the Spanish Lookout branch of the store, you’ll find Mennonites dressed in overalls and long dresses, ordering with Kriol accents. Perhaps more interesting than the community itself is how this seemingly random group of conservative, Christian Germans wound up in a small country like Belize.
The Mennonite groups in Belize vary wildly, from driving to riding horses, but they all arrived in similar ways. Before coming to Belize, these Mennonite communities could be found in Mexico. However, with military requirements impeding on their pacifist beliefs, they decided to move. Despite the change in location, their theology and culture remained virtually unchanged. You can still find some Mennonites riding on horses and buggies, and nearly all of them don long dresses, suspenders, or coveralls. The majority of the group speaks Plautdietsch in addition to English, and a bit of Kriol.
Though they play a large role in Belizean society, the Mennonites stick out. 95% of the group is white, compared to the 80% of Belizeans who are people of color. Their clothing differs greatly from the majority of the population, as they wear long dresses, pants and shirts, even with temperatures upwards of 80°F year-round. Mennonite architecture looks more like what you’d find in America than the rest of the country. Yet, the houses and towns are less than 150 miles from some of the most beautiful beaches on the planet.
When they first arrived in the country, the Mennonites attempted to live completely separately from the rest of the population. After working hours, all non-Mennonites were shunned from Mennonite areas. Through the years, as the need for labor increased, more and more people were allowed into the Mennonite areas.
Even though Spanish Lookout is often viewed as the cornerstone of Mennonite society in Belize, it’s the second-most populated Mennonite community. The largest community is Shipyard, where you’ll find significantly more conservative Mennonites. In recent years, many Mennonites have migrated out of Shipyard, due to threats of violence and religious conflict. Even so, the population of Shipyard has continued to increase since the arrival of Mennonites.
With a population of over 10,000 people and a pronounced influence on the country, the Mennonites of Belize are an important part of the vibrant, multicultural country.
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