Editing Belize (section)

====Belizean Hispanics====
The Hispanic population in Belize makes up about half of the population and consists of two main groups, the Yucatec Mestizos, better known as Mestizos, and the Central American Refugees and migrants. [[Central American]] immigrants from [[El Salvador]], [[Guatemala]], [[Honduras]] and [[Nicaragua]]
{{see also| Mestizo}}
The Mestizo are people of mixed Spanish and Yucatec Maya descent. They were the first to bring the Catholicism and the Spanish language to Belize after various failed attempts over the century by Spanish conquistadores. They originally came to Belize in 1847, to escape the [[Caste War of Yucatán|Caste War]], which occurred when thousands of Mayas rose against the state in Yucatán and massacred over one-third of the population. The surviving others fled across the borders into British territory. The Mestizos are found everywhere in Belize but most make their homes in the northern districts of Corozal and Orange Walk. In the 1980s a wave of Central American migrants from [[El Salvador]], [[Guatemala]], [[Honduras]], and [[Nicaragua]] came to settle in Belize. The Government of Belize with the help of the United Nations opened the nation's doors to Central American neighbors fleeing from civil war and persecution.

Due to the influences of Belizean Creole and English, many Mestizos speak what is known as [[Spanglish|"Kitchen Spanish"]].<ref name="ambergriscaye.com">{{cite news | title=Northern Belize Caste War History; Location | url=http://ambergriscaye.com/pages/town/holidays.html | access-date=21 February 2013 | archive-date=20 November 1996 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19961120201952/http://ambergriscaye.com/pages/town/holidays.html | url-status=live }}</ref> The mixture of Yucatec Mestizo and Yucatec<ref>{{cite journal | url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/3653717 | jstor=3653717 | title=Social Categories, Ethnicity and the State in Yucatán, Mexico | last1=Gabbert | first1=Wolfgang | journal=Journal of Latin American Studies | year=2001 | volume=33 | issue=3 | pages=459–484 | doi=10.1017/S0022216X01005983 | pmid=17657902 | s2cid=21033334 | access-date=2 May 2023 | archive-date=2 May 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230502184415/https://www.jstor.org/stable/3653717 | url-status=live }}</ref> Maya foods like tamales, escabeche, chirmole, relleno, and empanadas came from their Mexican side and corn tortillas were handed down by their Mayan side. Music comes mainly from the [[marimba]], but they also play and sing with the guitar. Dances performed at village fiestas include the Hog-Head, Zapateados, the Mestizada, Paso Doble and many more.
Just like Southern Mexico and Northern Belize the marimba and its music is an iconic and important traditional folklore instrument across Central America. Some typical Central American foods blended into the Belizean gastronomy are the famous Salvadorian pupusas, the famous Honduran baleadas, the gacho, tajadas, tostones and they have also influenced the form of the Spanish language in the South of Belize. In the short span of their mass migration to Belize, Central American immigrants have contributed significantly to Belize not only culturally but also economically.

The Yucatec Mestizo culture is unique and very different from the culture of those migrants and refugees coming form other Central American countries. Mestizos make up 37% of the population and Latin American Immigrants and refugees make up  15% of the population. Together the Mestizo and Hispanic population make up roughly 52% of the Belizean population.