Independence Day Under Pressure: A Reflection on Belize's Heritage and Sovereignty

Sylvian Hyde
Sep 24, 2025
6 min read

Updated: Dec 22, 2025

September 21st is meant to be a day of joy in Belize: a day of flags, drumming, and the dignity of freedom. Yet, this year, in Punta Gorda—known in Garifuna as Peini—the mood was pierced by unwelcome intruders.

Local news reported Guatemalan naval vessels prowling near the Sarstoon River, maneuvering aggressively and attempting to block Belizean patrols. Belize’s Coast Guard commandant, Rear Admiral Elton Bennett, denied that Guatemalan ships entered Punta Gorda’s harbor but confirmed an encounter at the Sarstoon’s mouth before Belize’s forces continued to their Forward Operating Base.

This incident was no accident. It was a message. For those of us rooted in Peini, that message was deeply personal.

Peini: The Garifuna Heart

Punta Gorda is more than a frontier town. It is a Garifuna stronghold, a place where our language, drums, cassava bread, and paranda melodies are not mere museum relics but living practices. UNESCO has recognized Garifuna culture as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, yet here in southern Belize, it is heritage that breathes.

For me, this story is family. My great-grandmother, Lucille Melendrez, was a Garifuna matriarch and community leader in Punta Gorda. Her legacy is honored in the very streets: Lucille Melendrez Boulevard runs through the town she helped shape. Some remember her as a pioneer in Garifuna women’s political organizing, a voice for dignity in an era when both women and Indigenous people were too often silenced. Her leadership is the soil from which I grow.

When Guatemalan vessels intrude upon Peini’s waters, they are not simply testing Belizean sovereignty. They are threatening communities like mine, living lineages that tie land, sea, and culture together.

The Long Frontier: Mosquito Kings and British Protection

These confrontations at the Sarstoon echo centuries of struggle over this Caribbean frontier.

In the 17th through 19th centuries, Britain defended two Afro-Indigenous peoples along this coast: the Miskito (Mosquito) kingdom and the Garifuna. The Mosquito kings ruled from Nicaragua and Honduras with British support, resisting Spanish attempts to dominate the coast. When the Garifuna were exiled from St. Vincent in 1797 and resettled along Central America, their communities overlapped with this same frontier.

Together, the Miskito and Garifuna formed a buffer zone that Britain pledged to protect. Peini became the northern edge of that long frontier.

That history explains why, even at independence in 1981, the United Nations called on Britain to continue defending Belize, and why British troops remained in-country until 1994. Belize was never just land to be contested; it was a people to be safeguarded.

The Colonial Economy: Logwood and Mahogany

Belize has always been part of fashion’s story, though rarely acknowledged.

In the 1600s and 1700s, its forests yielded logwood, a tree that produced deep blacks, purples, and blues used to dye European textiles. Before synthetic dyes, logwood was one of the only ways to achieve a true, colorfast black. From aristocratic robes to military uniforms, from clerical vestments to luxury fabrics, logwood from Belize literally dyed the world in color.

By the 1800s, mahogany replaced logwood as the primary export. Hard, lustrous, and richly hued, it became the favored wood for luxury furniture in Europe, filling drawing rooms and palaces across the Atlantic.

Who worked these forests? At first, enslaved Africans. But after emancipation in 1834, free people of color, including the newly arrived Garifuna, entered the industry. Garifuna men labored seasonally in mahogany camps, hauling logs through rivers and swamps. Women provisioned the works, selling cassava, fish, and goods.

The Garifuna were not outsiders to Belize’s economic history. They were participants in the very industries that tied Belize to global luxury. If Europe’s wealth was once dressed in Belizean dyes and furnished in Belizean mahogany, it was Garifuna hands that helped cut, haul, and sustain that trade.

Sovereignty Today: Sarstoon and the ICJ

Guatemala’s territorial claim over Belize is now before the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Both countries have pledged to wait for a ruling. But on the water, patience is tested. Each intrusion at the Sarstoon forces Belize’s small but disciplined forces to hold the line.

Belize’s answer has been consistent:

Maintain daily patrols.
Keep the Forward Operating Base at the river’s mouth.
Document every encounter.
Secure support from allies; CARICOM and the Commonwealth have both condemned Guatemalan incursions and affirmed Belize’s sovereignty.

For those of us in Peini, these are not diplomatic abstractions. The Sarstoon is not faraway news; it is the next river south.

Why Fashion Must Speak

Some may ask: why does a fashion designer, a founder of a luxury brand, write about military incursions and sovereignty? Because fashion is never neutral.

For centuries, fashion houses have drawn inspiration from marginalized cultures, from patterns, colors, and motifs, while doing little to defend those same cultures when threatened. HYDE GROUP was founded to reverse that. We do not appropriate; we carry. We do not borrow beauty; we embody memory.

Fashion has also drawn endlessly from war. Tailoring itself owes much to military uniforms. Trench coats, bomber jackets, khaki fatigues, pea coats, and combat boots all became staples of global fashion after being born in battle. We glorify the aesthetic aftermath of conflict, but rarely do we stop to ask: what would it mean for fashion to play a role in preventing war?

Belize once fueled fashion by supplying raw commodities, logwood dyes, mahogany timber. That was an age of extraction. Today, Garifuna culture offers not raw material but creative leadership, heritage, and story. The difference is authorship.

If fashion can celebrate the look of wars long past, it should also have the courage to help prevent the conflicts of the present. Fashion, if it is to have integrity, must not only celebrate culture but also protect it.

Kingship, Continuity, Resistance

In my book, The Divine Indictment: Whiteness vs. Humanity, I declared myself His Majesty Paramount King Sylvian J. Hyde I. Some dismiss this as symbolic, but I embrace it as a declaration of moral authority: sovereignty is not granted by states alone but claimed through duty, heritage, and defense of one’s people.

Belize’s independence, Peini’s survival, and Garifuna continuity are not separate stories; they are one. Kingship, as I claim it, is not about crowns or palaces. It is about standing forward when culture, dignity, and memory are threatened.

On Independence Day, as Guatemalan engines churned the Sarstoon, Belize’s answer must still echo:

We remain. We belong. We will not yield. Fashion will not only celebrate beauty; it will defend the soul of heritage.

The Legacy of Our Heritage

The essence of our identity is woven into the fabric of our daily lives. The Garifuna people have long been the custodians of a rich cultural tapestry, one that embodies resilience, creativity, and a profound connection to the land and sea. This heritage is not merely a backdrop; it is the very foundation upon which we build our future.

In the face of modern challenges, we must continue to honor our ancestors by preserving our traditions. The rhythms of our drums, the flavors of our cuisine, and the stories passed down through generations are vital. They remind us of who we are and where we come from.

As we navigate the complexities of contemporary existence, let us not forget the lessons of our past. The struggles of our forebears serve as a beacon, guiding us toward a future where our culture thrives. We must ensure that the Garifuna voice is not only heard but celebrated in every corner of the world.

The Call to Action

Now, more than ever, we must unite in our commitment to protect our heritage. This is a call to action for all of us. We must advocate for policies that safeguard our cultural practices and support initiatives that promote Garifuna art, music, and storytelling.

We must also engage with the global community, sharing our narratives and inviting others to experience the richness of our culture. By doing so, we can foster understanding and appreciation, ensuring that our legacy endures for generations to come.

In conclusion, as we reflect on our past and present, let us embrace the future with hope and determination. The journey ahead may be fraught with challenges, but together, we can forge a path that honors our heritage and uplifts our community.

Sidebar: The Long Frontier

1600s - 1800s: Mosquito Coast kingdom, backed by Britain, resists Spain.
1797: Garifuna exiled to Roatán, spread into Belize.
1600s - 1700s: Belize exports logwood dyes → deep black and purple for European textiles.
1800s - 1900s: Mahogany exports → European luxury furniture. Garifuna labor in forestry.
1981: Belize gains independence; UN calls on Britain to defend it.
1994: British troops withdraw. Belize stands guard alone.
2025: Belize confronts Guatemalan aggression on Independence Day.