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Photo: (left) DJ Dala and Kenny Morgan
By Charles Gladden
Belize City, Thursday, August 15, 2024
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology (MoECST), in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism and Diaspora Relations and the National Institute of Culture and History (NICH), officially launched the Belize Music Project on Wednesday, August 14.
Belizean producer Ivan Duran is the director of the Belize Music Project, a project that aims to document and celebrate Belize’s rich musical heritage while reconnecting younger generations with their cultural roots.
“This is an important project that allows us to connect history with future artists and musicians. Why can’t we have the next Bob? Why can’t we have the next Rihanna? Why can’t we have the next Marshall Montano? Or whoever it is; we have talented people here,” said Tourism Minister Anthony Mahler.
“Belizean music has made an amazing and important contribution to the development of the country of Belize, and a very important contribution to the global music scene, especially as a form of world beats music. A lot of times we as Belizeans don’t understand if our music fits on the global stage – brooke dang, punta rock and all the other Belizean music genres,” said Bilal Morris, a Los Angeles-based documentary filmmaker/activist on Belizean music and sports.
Morris describes the musical artists who came before us as legends.
“We have to look upon our music artists as legends, those who came before us, because our younger generation has no idea of the great Belizean artists and the shoulders they stood on,” he said.
Education Minister Francis Fonseca said the project aims to preserve Belize’s rich musical heritage while fostering innovative forms of expression that combine tradition with future artistic endeavors by instilling a sense of cultural pride and identity.
The project was compiled through research, interviews and recordings of different musical forms. Minister Fonseca said now is the time to reconnect with our musical heritage.
“Now is the time for our current musicians and producers to reconnect with their roots; now is the time for our students to explore their musical heritage, whether in the classroom or on stage, on their phones or in museums. Now is the perfect time for the people of Belize to discover and embrace their unique musical story,” he said.
By 2025, the project will produce a 12-song album that honors Belize’s musical traditions with a combination of modern sounds.
The press conference was held at the Government Building in Belize City.
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