The Independence Day in San Ignacio

Nothing is more amazingly celebrated in Belize than its Independence Day, especially in San Ignacio, Cayo District. It is celebrated in all corners of the country on the 21^st of September. For all Belizeans it is a very special and important date from our Belize’s calendar. On this day we all come out to cheer up the day having a big parade, playing Belizean music out loud, and dancing all around for the parade, because we are happy to be an independent country.

When it comes to September parade in San Ignacio it is awesome to go out and join in it. It is the parade we await all year until it arrives. Red, white, and blue are the three colors the country is dressed up with in all towns, especially for our Independence Day September celebration. On a celebration such as this, people from San Ignacio are well dressed up in our beautiful patriotic colors as they define the importance of our gathering for this Special day. The Patriotic colors make the day as cheerful as possible in our town while we lift up our National flag from the beginning of the ceremonial introduction until the end of the parade. In the ceremonial introduction of the parade we sing in honor to our country the National Anthem, and we also say our pledge to Belize raising our flags in the air. This ceremony is held at the San Ignacio Police Station. After the ceremony the Parade starts right at the entrance of the Hawkesworth Bridge that leads into Santa Elena, San Ignacio’s twin town. It continues its way all along the main highway, and bends by the Social Security Board in Santa Elena coming towards to the San Ignacio Board Bridge, and back into San Ignacio Town. It usually ends at the Macal Park in town. In the San Ignacio Parade for Independence Day it is a long line of truck and car floats behind a leading Police Car. The Floats carry people that throw sweets to people watching the parade. The children are always excited to be there.

Along the parade held every September in San Ignacio we carry big stereos on Floats playing Music out loud. Mostly Special Belizean Music is what we listen to or sometimes music that can make us enjoy while in the parade. Some common music like the Hip Hip Hooray is always played to listen. It is a song written by a Belizean and a song continuously listened to at every Independence Day. Music is also played for people who love to go singing along. Of course music plays an important role on our Independence Day celebration.

The dances that follow in the parade are a great entertainment to every person who comes along in the parade watching what is going on. There everyone sees the different group dances of young girls with their groups beautiful colors, and dressing codes. The dancing of these groups of young girls do not cease until the parade ends. Lots of people come from far to see the dances in this event happening every year. It means that they enjoy coming over to San Ignacio from villages such as San Jose Succotz, Bullet Tree Falls, Santa Familia, Spanish Lookout, Los Tambos, Duck-Run 1, 2, and 3, Santa Elena, Esperanza, George Ville, United Ville, up to Camalote, a village near to Belmopan City, and even some people come all the way from Belmopan City to join the parade, so parades in San Ignacio have been successfully carried out as a very special event to us until now in which everyone forms part of the event in memorial of our Independence. However, every large town of every district in Belize makes their parades in their own kind of way.

(This narrative of the The Independence Day Parade in San Ignacio was written by a Belizean native of this beautiful city in the Cayo District to share her joy and pride in this beautiful celebration with our readers)