C.H. Roessingh

TRADITIONAL FARMERS OR MODERN BUSINESSMEN? RELIGIOUS DIFFERENTIATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN A KLEINE GEMEINDE MENNONITE COMMUNITY IN BELIZE

This article addresses the religious and entrepreneurial differentiation within Spanish Lookout, a Mennonite community in the Cayo district in Belize, Central America. In spite of the fact that most Mennonites live more or less on the edge of society, they have been able to establish a strong and stable economic position within Belize, although the different communities show a clear variation when it comes to social as well as in economic activities. Since their migration from Mexico to Belize in 1958, the Mennonites of Spanish Lookout, one of the modern communities, have developed a more differentiated economical system with commercial agriculture and agribusiness. The Mennonites maintain a remarkable transnational network, which consists of Mennonite communities and organizations in countries like Canada, the United States of America, and Mexico. These networks introduce innovations on different levels: from modern or better machines, to religious and social changes. The influences from Mennonites outside Belize on the social-economic system of the Spanish Lookout Mennonites, along with the developments within the community, will be the main focus of this article.

Small entrepreneurs and shifting identities: The case of tourism in Puerto Plata (Northern Dominican Republic)

This article focuses on the way small entrepreneurs in the tourism industry of the Puerto Plata region try to cope with contextual changes caused by the development of (mass) tourism. These entrepreneurs struggle with all sorts of problems, mainly resulting from the dominance of the large, multinational, all-inclusive resorts in the tourism industry. With the introduction of these large resorts in the early 1980s, the local entrepreneurs were hoping to obtain a substantial part of the income-growth derived from this new industry. As a result many locals shifted from their previous jobs to professions in the tourism industry. Nearly 30 years later, most of them are disappointed with the results, but because of the regions dependence on tourism they feel they have no way out. The Puerto Plata case is used to further explore the impact of tourism on the culture and identity of the small entrepreneurs.

Garifuna settlement day: tourism attraction, national celebration day, or manifestation of ethnic identity?

This article focuses on the way the government of Belize, a postcolony nation in Central America, has to maneuver between its aim to work towards a nation-state mentality and the existence of local ethnic manifestations, which emphasizes the internal diversity in this multiethnic society. The government and all kind of (non)government-related organizations in Belize promote Belize as an attractive tourist destination. In doing so it is important to promote the variation of possibilities that are available in the country. Ethnic celebrations are one of them. As a tourist attraction these ethnic-related manifestations do have an economic value not only for both the government and business organizations, but also for local entrepreneurs. The authors suggest that the government has three arguments to encourage ethnic-related manifestations. As a result, the ethnic groups are able to take advantage of their special celebrations to attract tourists. In addition, these events are also an opportunity for local entrepreneurs to sell their ethnic merchandise to tourists. Finally, these special celebration days are a possibility for the tourists to get acquainted with local indigenous cultures.

Hidden and unspoiled: image building in the tourism industry of Belize

This paper focuses on the way the Belizean tourism industry is coping with changes caused by diversification of the Belizean product. The image of Belize as a hidden paradise, unspoiled and with consideration for the natural environment has been built, for a large part, on the conventional dichotomy of (destructive) mass tourism on the one hand and (sustainable) small-scale tourism on the other. By focusing on cave tourism in Belize the authors explore ideas on tourism development and image building, with a focus on authenticity and sustainability. Different spatial and branding strategies for mass and small tourism are suggested.

Mennonite Entrepreneurship in Belize

While economic integration is expanding over the world, its influence appears to be less remarkable on ethnic communities. Entrepreneurs in ethnic communities tend to remain untouched by most developments in the outside world. Aldrich and Waldinger (1990) believe that an ethnic enterprise is a set of connections and regular patterns of interaction among people who share a common background or migratory experiences. In this chapter we will focus on an Anabaptist group, the Mennonites of Blue Creek in Northern Belize. Because of their common religious belief and shared migration history the entrepreneurs in this community can be described as ‘ethnic entrepreneurs’. The Mennonites in Belize can be easily distinguished from their nonMennonite neighbors by their religion, their appearance (not only their white phenotypic characteristics but also their way of dressing), their language (LowGerman) and their way of living. Being born and raised in a Mennonite environment makes the individual part of a strict community, in which almost every aspect of life, from the naming of children, to the use of modern technology, to personal appearance and lifestyle, is regulated (Plasil and Roessingh, 2006). From its early beginnings the Anabaptist movement enclosed significant differentiations concerning religious principles, ideas and opinions (Urry, 1989). Segregations like the Amish, Brethren, Hutterites and Mennonites derived from this movement and spread out over the world. The Anabaptists live according to their religious beliefs, in communities that are alienated from society. However, as a result of their entrepreneurial activities they are able to remain in business and be part of the economical system of their country. The impact of religion on entrepreneurship is a long debated topic that was first addressed by Weber. In his 1904–05 study The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism (2002), Weber introduced a link between socioeconomic change and religious belief. He argued that Protestants were in possession of all the conditions

The overseas Taiwanese in Belize: An exploration of a South-South development project in a Belizean context

Purpose - The paper aims to give an account to describe the way the South-South development programme is realized between Taiwan and Belize. Design/methodology/approach - The paper is the result of ethnographic fieldwork research combined with a literature study. Findings - The development of the newly industrialized country Taiwan can be characterized by a drastic transformation from an impoverished agrarian society towards an affluent industrial economy. Now, Taiwan is aiming to help other developing countries to walk the same path by drawing lessons from their so-called “Taiwan experience”. In order to transfer their experience, Taiwan has established an overseas development organization, the International Cooperation and Development Fund. This organization offers development assistance to countries of which Taiwan receives political recognition. Central and South America are the regions where most of Taiwans diplomatic ties exist. One of the recipients of Taiwanese assistance in this area is Belize, a small English speaking, Central American country in the Caribbean Sea, with a multi-ethnic, densely populated, relatively poor population. Research limitations/implications - Future research might examine the ways in which these Taiwanese farmers have integrated in Belize and how their entrepreneurial activities contribute in this process. Practical implications - After visiting Taiwans project sites in Belize and interviewing government officials, Taiwanese-Belizeans, Belizean farmers, and non-farmers, it was found that much of what the Taiwanese brought was indeed considered beneficial, although incomplete. The links between the Taiwanese development organization and the wider society, Belize, were not clearly developed at the time, not least because of the problems in communicating with the Taiwanese development workers(for instance due to language issues). It would be wrong to suggest, however, that Taiwans development project was only perceived as raising problems for it did have a positive impact. Originality/value - Although the first Taiwanese project in Belize was launched in 1989 it has until recently received little attention. This paper explores the social impact of this development project from the Taiwanese in Belize.

The Hoover Mennonites in Belize: A History of Expansion in the Shadow of Separation

We examine the migration history of the Old Order Hoover Mennonites located in the small, multi-ethnic country of Belize. The Hoover Mennonites live in the settlements of Upper Barton Creek, Springfield, Birdwalk, and Roseville. Characterized as one of Belize’s more conservative churches, the Hoover Church is also Belize’s most geographically dispersed Mennonite community. This paper brings together historical and present-day sources to account for and chart this dispersion. To describe what brought together this group between 1958 and 1984 and what drove their subsequent migration across Belize, we examine the religious and legal circumstances of the founding of their settlements. Observations and reflections on their most recent expansion consider how changes in immigration policy, desire for separation from worldly influences, and population growth contributed to an Old Order community that is doubly separated: from the world and from kindred settlements.

No Sunday Business: Navigating Religious Rules and Business Opportunities in the Shipyard Mennonite Settlement, Belize

Within the Old Colony Mennonite settlements of Belize, the relationship between religious and economic practices entails a constant navigation of the acceptable, where threats of worldliness come from technology and from contact with outsiders. This paper takes as its focus the business of a butcher in Shipyard settlement, whose daily work testifies to a navigation of both of these potential threats. This entrepreneur uses technologies of energy, transportation, and communication—operated in part by an outside worker—to extend the radius of his meat business. The tense environment of Shipyard’s religious diversity frames our discussion of these observations, leading us to reconsider our understanding of the Ordnung and its relation to business activity. To understand the entrepreneur’s skillful navigation of rules and opportunities, we use the term “social capital” (Bourdieu 1986; Portes 2010) to reflect on the paradoxical relationship between religious rules and entrepreneurial space—and to consider how the Ordnung can be seen as a spacious (rather than a constrictive) place for Mennonite entrepreneurs.