How does the story of the Maya at Tipú inspire me to continue building Belize as my homeland?

 Justin M. Vera March 19, 2019 https://forebears.io/surnames/vera

So, the above link is to a surname meaning website that I found after doing a bit of surfing on the web. I found out that approximately 786,731 people bear my surname, and that it is most prevalent in Mexico. It is the 689th most common surname in the world. I also found out that it originally meant 'truth' (from veritas, 'truth' in Latin). Another meaning is from ancient Spanish, referred to a little road o sidewalk boundary ("la vera, vereda"). So, to many that might be met with a resounding “So what!” Well, not exactly how I feel. Not only because it is my surname, but because I have always heard that my father was Mexican, but I never believed it. Before Belizean studies, moreover, before John Paul II Junior College, I cared very little for my specific ancestry. Mainly because I thought that there were no records being kept personally. So, I just never bothered with it. I was interested, however, in the history of us as a whole. Not really as a nation, but as a people, as humans. So, I would study relevant, or what I thought was relevant, things such as evolution, ancient civilizations, migratory paths, and cultural habits. So, some of the in class work is review for me, like the Popol Vuh, which I used to read when I was younger. After learning about Tipú, moreover, after visiting this historic place, I feel I have become more in tune with the countries’ past. I have passed by the place before when I went fishing once. But, I have no memory of how we got there. Now that I am older, and that I have more appreciation for topography, I really enjoyed the journey. I knew that more existed past the highway, but I never realized the scale. This story really has inspired me to continue building Belize as my homeland. In fact, I just can’t help but want to base one of my stories around the area. I am a writer, and I see most things I do as resource material for my next project. This case is no exception. I know that I now want to centralize my writing on Belize. This is something I kind of avoided, not out of shame for my country, but because I felt I did not know enough. The Maya have made me realize that this place is awesome! My next work, my next contribution to Belizean literature, will focus on Tipú. That is how I will build awareness of our ever-expanding beauty of Belize.