• ALEX RIOS
• MARIO ENRIQUE ZETINA
• LUIS GARCIA

This route or roadway which can be catalogued as a commercial and cultural one, has undoubtedly united and strengthened the kinship of the peoples of El Peten and Belize throughout their historical trajectory, taking root from the pre-Hispanic era - through the colonial period and arriving at what we are today.

It is noteworthy to make mention that during the pre-Hispanic era, the natural course or passageway used to mobilize from one region to another, especially for Peten and Belize, was done through our respective lakes and rivers. This route continued to be used during the colonial period, except when the waterways changed for a terrestrial option. It was via this same route that the Department of El Peten in contemporaneous times began to export the latex of "chico zapote" Manilkara zapota, known as "chicle" since traveling by land facilitated the transportation of this product from Peten to Belize.

Chicle exports from Peten to Belize which began in 1906 right up to the middle of the 20th Century, fostered a better understanding between the two peoples thus making the relationship more cordial and friendly.

To speak of commercial relations is like commenting on an odyssey since we must report on the hardships experienced by the 'chicleros' and the mule drivers who transported the merchandise from Peten to Belize and vice versa.

During that time of our history, the commercial hub or center of Peten was located in the island that forms the City of Flores which at the time required 3 to 6 days travel time between the Peten - Belize (B.V. del Carmen) points. The trip would start from San Miguel towards El Remate; the second day one moved from El Remate to Yaxha which at the time was a large settlement. According to older folks who knew the area, Yaxha was the ideal place to rest for different circumstances and reasons.

Taking off from Yaxha, one traveled to "Plancha de Piedra" which was sited where the present airstrip in Melchor de Mencos is located and thereafter to Fallabón - a site near where the present day Immigration and Customs installations are today located in Melchor de Mencos. In both areas, there were small hamlets or settlements of people living at the time

The final destination was to El Cayo de San Ignacio in Belize where the most important storage (bodegas) installations were located. Here was where the bountiful 'quintales' of chicle were stored. From San Ignacio it was transported via the Macal River to Belize City

Picture of a well stocked "Bodega" with Chicle

where the chicle was loaded unto ships traveling either to Chicago or New Orleans depending on where the contracting Company for the chicle product was located. In the case of the Wrigley Co., the product was shipped to Chicago and for the Envelomenp Co. it was sent to New Orleans in the United States of America.

The mule trains required of real prowess in the transportation of chicle as in some cases, due to the bountiful extraction or harvest of this product, up to 600 mules formed a train at any one time.

There are still older persons around who relate their adventures in this arduous yet exciting activity. In those days transportation was extremely difficult particularly so during the rainy season. This was very challenging for the "arrieros" (mule handlers) as well as for the beasts of burden. Bad weather delayed the delivery of the product sometimes by a number of days.

Chicle transportation from San Ignacio to Belize City took the route of the river where the product was loaded on the famous Cayo Boats at the Boat Wharf (immediately in front of the Western Club) traveling from the Macal River into the Belize or Old River and arriving in Belize City within an average of 10 days.

Old Cayo Landing or Boat Wharf in San Ignacio

The Belize or Old River played a key role in the commercial and cultural development of the people of Peten as on the return trip of the boats from Belize City to El Cayo, the cargo would include a number of merchandise manufactured in Europe which first arrived in Belize City and then transferred to the other settlements in Belize and the wider Peten region. The Boat Wharf in San Ignacio played the role of the Customs Department for loading and unloading merchandise.

Among the merchandise imported by El Peten, there were fine linen, cosmetics, religious images, cheese, wine, glass objects; large bottles covered by cattle hide to prevent breakage, chests, irons which were heated over the fire hearth or comal, preserves and canned foods. A highly valued commodity was the zinc roofing which up to this day still cover the roofs of the majority of homes in the island of Flores as well as houses located on the main road of San Benito, Peten. The size of these zinc sheets measured 4 feet in length so that they could be hauled by the mules. There was also much contraband of cartridges used on Winchesters and rifles which found its way to El Peten in those days.

This historic passageway also played a pivotal role to bring about cultural contacts, not to mention the bloodlines that exist between families of Peten and Belize as well as the presence of the Guatemalan marimba on Belizean territory. For example, there are several families in Belize who are masters in marimba music. Among them we have the Castellanos and Morales families of Benque Viejo del Carmen, the Martinez family of San Jose Succotz, and in San Ignacio we had the Moreno family who owned the famous Western Melody Marimba.

PICTURE OF WESTERN MELODY MARIMBA HERE

Interestingly, this Peten - Belize route had an historic connotation in the transportation of people, who from Peten would travel to the City of Guatemala via the Peten - Belize - Punta Gorda - Puerto Barrios route and from there board the train leading to Guatemala City. This was more convenient as in those days there was no vehicular road to the City.

In everything we do, there is a beginning and an end, so did the commercial and cultural Peten - Belize route of old times came to its end. As it was slowly replaced by the sound of airplanes hovering over the skies of Peten hence chicle found new routes and forms of transportation.

The end of the route, however, was not for long. Today it continues principally in the transfer of tourists and citizens who visit interesting and awe inspiring sites in both countries. Manufactured goods from El Salvador and Guatemala now flow on this ancient route on the opposite direction to Belize.

The kinship created through the historic Peten - Belize route continues. We trust that future generations enjoy this historic legacy and work every day towards making us better neighbours in an environment of peace and development.

(Translated from Spanish to English by Elias A. Awe)September 2005