In a landmark move to celebrate the country’s centuries-old diverse cultural legacy, Belize’s National Celebrations Commission has unveiled the first three recipients of the newly established Creative and Cultural Excellence Awards, recognizing decades of extraordinary contributions to national literature, cultural heritage protection, and indigenous knowledge preservation. Scheduled to roll out additional honorees in the weeks ahead, the inaugural awards shine a well-deserved spotlight on three icons who have dedicated their lives to elevating and sustaining Belize’s unique cultural identity.
The first award, the Zee Edgell Award for Literary Arts, goes to beloved poet and author Margaret Reynolds, a literary trailblazer whose work has centered empathetic storytelling and nurtured a new generation of Belizean writers. Reynolds shared that her journey with the written word began at just nine years old, when she first started experimenting with poetic form. “My writing should increase your view about how others feel. It is basically leaning towards teaching you to be empathetic,” she explained, reflecting on her decades-long creative mission.
A founding member of Belize’s iconic 501 Poet Society, Reynolds helped launch the collective’s first public showcase in June 2013, an event that drew an enthusiastic crowd and sparked connections with emerging young poets that solidified her commitment to growing the national literary scene. Speaking to the honor of receiving an award named for celebrated Belizean author Zee Edgell, Reynolds noted Edgell’s extraordinary ability to immerse readers in her narratives: “Zee Edgell, she’s a painter with words. Her writing, it brings you in. So when I heard about the award, I felt really good.”
The second honoree, Master Drummer and long-serving cultural ambassador Emmeth Young, takes home the Leela Vernon Award for his tireless work safeguarding and amplifying Belize’s traditional cultural practices. Young, who got his start as lead drummer for the late Leela Vernon’s renowned Ebolites Dance Company, says his work is rooted in a core belief: “Culture is very special and unique and culture is what drives a community. If you don’t know your culture, then you are totally lost.”
Young credits Vernon with instilling in him a deep understanding of personal and cultural identity, saying her mentorship shaped his lifelong mission to pass traditional knowledge to younger generations. “She gave me a lot of knowledge about myself, about culture, and the importance of culture. I love to share the cultural knowledge, whether it’s drumming, cooking, farming, fishing. Those are our traditions of the village that need to live on. And by teaching the youths, this is the only way that it’s going to live on, so that’s what I do,” he shared.
Completing the trio of inaugural honorees is Felicita Cantun, a Yucatec Maya leader and educator who receives the Don Elijio Panti Award for her decades of work protecting and advancing indigenous knowledge and keeping ancient Maya cultural traditions alive for future generations.
Created to uplift Belizeans whose ongoing work shapes, preserves, and passes down the nation’s distinct cultural identity, the Creative and Cultural Excellence Awards fill a longstanding gap in national recognition for cultural stewards across the country. The National Celebrations Commission has confirmed that additional award recipients will be announced publicly in the coming days. This report is adapted from a transcript of a televised evening newscast, with Kriol language content transcribed using a standardized spelling system for accessibility.