San Antonio is a village in the Toledo District of Belize. It is the largest Maya settlement in Belize, with a population of approximately 1,000 people, predominantly Mopan Maya.[2] About 88% of the inhabitants are Catholic, with 8% belonging to other Christian denominations, and 4% being non-denominational.[2] Along with 29 other mission parishes in the Toledo District, it is pastored by Jesuits from St. Peter Claver church in Punta Gorda.
San Antonio | |
|---|---|
 Roman Catholic Church in San Antonio | |
  San Antonio | |
| Coordinates: 16°14′40″N 89°01′25″W / 16.24444°N 89.02361°W | |
| Country |  Belize |
| District | Toledo |
| Constituency | Toledo West |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 1,204[1] |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central) |
| Climate | Af |
The village was founded in 1883 by Maya fleeing persecution in Guatemala.[3] This was a part of a larger migration which also included Q’eqchi’ from Alta Verpaz who settled further south in the Crique Sarco, Dolores, and later Sarstoon, Temash, and Moho River areas.[4]
Economic development came to San Antonio in the early 1950s with the founding of a credit union and cooperative that enabled villagers to market their own produce. Fr. William Ulrich, S.J., spearheaded this movement.[5]
San Antonio features several attractions, including San Antonio Falls, a stone church built in 1950, and ecotourism guest houses.[2]
Demographics edit
At the time of the 2010 census, San Antonio had a population of 1,204. Of these, 94.6% were Mopan Maya, 1.3% Ketchi Maya, 1.3% Mixed, 1.2% Mestizo, 0.4% Yucatec Maya, 0.2% Creole, 0.2% Caucasian, 0.1% Asian, 0.1% Garifuna, 0.1% Mennonite and 0.5% others.[6]
References edit
- ^ "Population Data – Census 2010". Statistical Institute of Belize. Archived from the original on 4 March 2014. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
- ^ a b c Nystrom, Andrew Dean, ed. (1997). Maya Atlas: The Struggle to Preserve Maya Land in Southern Belize. Berkeley, California: North Atlantic Book. p. 44. ISBN 1556432569.
- ^ Eltringham, Peter (2010). The Rough Guide to Belize (5th ed.). London: Rough Guides. pp. 230–231. ISBN 1848365128.
- ^ Burns, Sir Alan Cuthbert Maxwell (1949) Colonial Civil Servant
- ^ Woods, Charles M. Sr., et al. (2015). Years of Grace: The History of Roman Catholic Evangelization in Belize: 1524-2014. Belize: Roman Catholic Diocese of Belize City-Belmopan. p. 243.
- ^ Population & Housing Census
External links edit
- San Antonio at Wikivoyage
- Photo archive, early 20th century