Tempus (Oct 2016)
The Origins of the Belize Settlement
Abstract
This article explores the foundations of the Belize in the 17th century. It begins with the two “origin” myths that have proved so enduring in Belize regarding the mysterious figure of Peter Wallace on the one hand and the idea of shipwrecked sailors on the other. The article demonstrates that both myths are in fact fictions and that here never was an historical figure called Peter Wallace. Since the name “Belize” cannot therefore be derived from “Wallace”, the second part of the article explores the alternative possibilities and concludes that it is indeed derived from a Maya word. The final part of the article then considers the identity and location of the settlers who came before the establishment of the logwood trade
