978-1-4222-3285-9

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A Mosaic of Backgrounds and Languages

The Mennonites have made it a point to have their own schools, churches, and financial institutions in their farming communities. Their vegetables, dairy, and poultry are sold in stores throughout the country. Belizeans and tourists alike favor handcrafted Mennonite furniture. English the Official Language English, the official language, is spoken by nearly all Belizeans, except Central American refugees who arrived during the past decade. Spanish is the native tongue of about 46 percent of the population, and is spoken as a second language by another 20 percent. The Garifuna, Mayans, and Mennonites speak their own languages in addition to English and Spanish. The various Mayan groups speak their original languages, which can be traced back more than 1,000 years. Creoles speak an English-Creole dialect known as “Kriol,” which is similar to the Creole dialects of the English-speaking Caribbean Islands and southern Louisiana in the United States. Mennonites speak German.

TEXT-DEPENDENT QUESTIONS 1. What are the four main ethnic groups in Belize, according to the 2010 census? 2. From what countries did the ancestors of Belieze’s Mennonites originally come?

Where do most Mennonites in the country live today? 3. What are the two main political parties in Belize?