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25 YEARS AGO ON AMBERGRIS
CAYE BY ANGEL NUÑEZ
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The Shoreline of
Ambergris Caye
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O
ne hundred and fifty years ago the Mestizos settled on Ambergris Caye
after the Guerra de las Castas in Yucatan. (The Caste War or Class War). However,
just
over one hundred years ago in 1869 the entire island belonged to Mr. James
Hume Blake by virtue of his purchase at an auction sale. He bought the entire
island for 625 dollars Belize ($312.50 U.S). Later on, by virtue of intermarriages,
the beaches of Ambergris Caye belonged to two other families - the
Parhams and the Alamillas. And
still later on, by virtue of other
relationships and friendships,
other smaller portions of the island belonged to some of the
very Mestizos who were living
on the island and working for the
"Three Great Land Owners".
Some of this land was probably
sold to them at very low prices
or given to them in exchange of
special favors. The registry will
quite rightfully show the names
of all those property owners who
owned "cocals" (coconut plantations) along the 25 miles or so
of Ambergris Caye.
So 25 years ago Journey's End
and the Essene Way and El
Pescador and Casa Caribe did not exist on the map of Ambergris Caye. Rather
there were names like Tres Cocos, Habanero Mata, Robles, Punta Azul, etc. A
few knowledgeable San Pedranos have given me the names of these "cocals"
that dotted the coast 50 and 25 years ago. The map above shows how the
coast of Ambergris Caye looked.
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Commons 