Cara Westerberg Mattu, Development and Humanitarianism in an Unequal World, University of Liverpool (2021 Cohort)

This summer was exciting, nerve-wracking, and eye-opening. During August and September, I spent time in Belize as part of my fieldwork. My research aims to explore the joys, pains, and dreams of Indigenous Maya youth, with a focus on socio-spatial environmental, cultural, and political factors affecting the Maya-defined wellbeing and autonomy through participatory research. The concept and driving force behind exploring and documenting the ‘joys, pains, and dreams’ of Maya community members in southern Belize is a particular area of research that has been developed by the Maya Leaders Alliance and the Julian Cho Society. I am fortunate that the MLA and JCS are the organisations in support of my PhD as part of my CASE studentship. The MLA and JCS are Indigenous grassroots organisations committed to advancing Indigenous land rights, education initiatives, and supporting the wellbeing of Maya communities. Whilst excited, I was incredibly nervous for different reasons; from my irrational fear of airport security, to leaving my loved ones in the UK.

For the first month I was based in San Ignacio, a city in the north-west of Belize about 20 minutes from Guatemala. Aside from spending time adjusting to the hot and humid climate, national cuisine, and diverse cultures of Belize, I was part of collaborative participatory action (PAR) project co-led by Dr. Filiberto Penados of Galen University, titled, ‘Youth Action for Sustainable and Just Futures.’ The youth were from Garifuna, Creole, Maroon, Mestizo and Q’eqchi’ and Mopan Maya communities living all over Belize. The aim of the project was to create a space for youth to collaborate and critically “read the realities,” dream alternatives, and begin collectively enacting “new worlds.” A crucial aspect of the PAR project was a ‘training of trainers’ element. A core group of youth representatives from the various communities were trained in PAR theory and methods via interaction sessions. Afterwards, members from the core group led photovoice and arts-based envisioning projects with youth from a series of different communities. I took part in the sessions that ran from August onwards, which included visits to villages San Jose Succotz, Calla Creek, Seine Bight, Hopkins, Big Falls, and Laguna.

Accompanying the youth sessions was invaluable. I was able to gain experience (and methodological training) and see how participatory action research happens, including photovoice and arts-based envisioning sessions that I will be undertaking as part of my own research. I was also able to get to know and be inspired by Indigenous, Afrodescendent, and Mestizo youth, spend time in different villages, take part in making (and eating!) tamales.

Whilst staying in San Ignacio, I also visited the National Library and the National Archive Collection, which are located in Belmopan, the country’s capital city. There was a certain romance to searching within the collection catalogue, requesting the sources, and then being given 100-year-old sources to examine carefully! I also managed to fit in some sight-seeing – also an important part in finding balance in fieldwork. I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to join Dr. Penados’ family day trip to Mountain Pine Ridge, a breathtakingly gorgeous mountain range about an hours drive from San Ignacio. We explored caves (accompanied by many bats), had a picnic from a look out onto Rio on Pools rockpools, which we then swam in to finish the day.

After my first month, I moved down south to Punta Gorda in Toledo District, which is the base for the rest of the time I spend in Belize over the next year. I was able to go into the MLA/JCS office, which was a great experience as I was able to move the relationship I had established with a few of the members online into an in-person setting. Becoming a regular face in the office provided me with an opportunity to experience events happening on the ground in different communities. The nature of the work the MLA-JCS carry out means they are constantly travelling to different villages to provide technical support to communities and alcaldes (elected village leaders across 41 Maya villages). The dedication, time, effort, provided by the MLA-JCS and communities, alongside the rapid, continuously evolving demands pulling them in different directions show the incredible nature of their work. Inspiring to say the least, even if I did find it hard to keep up with at times.

It is a well-known fact that the research process is non-linear, confusing and will chop and change many times. I took three weeks in the field to re-think and re-plan for the next trip I had planned, readjusted to take place in January 2024. I have now taken the time to reflect, I realize this is the very nature of doing PAR, particular that which is in the service of an Indigenous grassroots movement. It is uncertain at times and, constantly evolving. My first time in Belize was challenging, unique, and a major learning experience. The highs, and the lows, were felt. It is important to be reminded that fieldwork is not easy, but nothing easy was ever worthwhile doing!