Belize: Traditional artisanry in local style

Belize, located in the northwestern part of Central America, is a country with beaches, rainforests, and even some islands. It is indeed a beautiful country with a diverse landscape. Local people are highly efficient and the local cuisines are a must have as they have a lot of staples, roasted, and traditional flavors. Sauces made here are also famous. Residents of Belize take pride in their culture and represent it in the form of different traditional handicrafts.

There are quite a lot of crafts being practiced here, but these are some of the artisan crafts that truly represent Belize.

Women of the Mayan community craft baskets in various shapes and sizes, even to this day. The good thing is that this craft is yet to be modernized which is not common with a lot of other traditional handicrafts.

Jippi Jappa, a plant that grows abundantly in the rainforests, is used to make it. For a normal size basket that is not too large, it takes up to 4 days to make. The base is made first and then it is weaved to a certain height depending on the size of the basket. You can still source the authentic Mayan Basket from Belize. Use Tuzmo to connect with local artisans.

Belize wood craftsmen offer some of the finest carvings made out of Belize wood. For furniture or any other household equipment, you will find some of the finest pieces in the local markets. Local craftsmen often do wood carvings of Mayan depictions and jewelry. Animals and statues are also commonly made. Handmade jewelry made out of wood, slate, and natural stone are unique pieces to own. These beautiful artisanries are a must have from Belize.

Most of us love swaying and enjoying the cool breeze on a comfortable hammock. In Belize, Hammocks are found in local craft markets and in high-end gift shops. Because of the tropical weather and beautiful beaches, this craft has flourished. These are made out of cotton, handwoven using looms, with unique patterns and colors. 

The Mayan community in Belize is particularly famous for it. They make hammocks with a triple loom and these are relatively heavy. Making a hammock the Mayan way is time-consuming and requires dedication. To enjoy summers, there is nothing better than having a beautiful hammock at home.

A rhythmic sound that makes you rhythm with the beat, that’s what a Garifuna drum does. These are handcrafted drums made by the people of Garifuna culture in Belize. The body is made of trunks of hardwoods like Mahogany, Mayflower, and Cedar. Deer, sheep, goat, or Cow skin is used to cover the top of the drum. 

Drums are of two types differentiated by size: Primero drum with a smaller diameter and Segundo Drum with a large diameter. As music is an important part of the culture, crafting drums is highly significant as they provide the beat to a song.

Belize is a beautiful country and a place of beautiful handicrafts. A lot of their crafts are still made in the original way. Apart from these major crafts, pottery and other traditional crafts also exist in Belize. Connecting to local artisans can help you in getting authentic Belize handicrafts that showcase the authenticity and dedication of the local artisans. You can connect to local artisans from various countries through Tuzmo.