A Camalote Man’s Journey Back Through Poetry

In the quiet village of Camalote, one man’s journey proves that sometimes, the words we write in our darkest moments can light the way forward. For Oliver “Shiloh” Wiltshire, poetry became more than an outlet, it became a second chance. After years away from the path that once defined him, those forgotten verses would help lead him back, inspiring a new creative mission rooted in faith, struggle, and resilience. Tonight, News Five’s Paul Lopez brings us his powerful story in this edition of Belize on Reel.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

It was the late, great Bob Marley who once said, “You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only option.” For Camalote resident Oliver Wiltshire, those words couldn’t ring truer. Life has thrown its fair share of challenges his way, and through it all, he found solace on the page. For more than thirty years now, poetry has been his refuge, an outlet for pain, reflection, and ultimately, perseverance.

 

Oliver “Shiloh” Wiltshire, Founder, Shiloh Productions

“I am going to take this promise land and establish a prosperous plan. Build a house in tribute to the almighty one, tearing down the works of Babylon. I am not ashamed. I am not scared. This is my ambition. This isn’t no secret weapon. I don’t event like to hear the word weapon, but it seems like that is what a lot of man reckon.”

 

 

 

A former semi-pro athlete, high school teacher and village council chairman, Wiltshire lost his way for almost a decade. It was revisiting those poems, written during moments of struggle and reflection, that ultimately set him on a new path.

 

Oliver “Shiloh” Wiltshire

“After I gone astray all my writing and passion was under my bed for almost like ten years. It was when I started to look back into myself and pull out these writings and start to read them, it was then that I said the reading speak to me, in terms of my experience.”

 

 

 

Poems Wiltshire penned years earlier would later carry the messages that helped save his life. And now he is on a mission to bring those writings to a global audience. Part of doing that means transforming his poems into songs.

 

Luke “JR Rebel” Banner, Member, Shiloh Production

“Stepping on the promise land to build a righteous plan, a house for the almighty one that is the vision, tearing down Babylon work with spiritual precision. I am not ashamed, no fear in my direction. Ambition strong, this isn’t no secret weapon. I don’t like to talk about weapon, but that is what some men reckon.”

 

 

 

Wiltshire has now teamed up with Luke “Junior Rebel” Banner to turn those poems into music. Junior Rebel left an indelible mark on Belize’s music industry fifteen years ago as a member of the popular duo “Instruments of Love”. Like his current business partner, for Rebel this is a return marked by growth and fresh perspectives on life.

 

 

 

 

Luke “JR Rebel” Banner

“Coming back unto the scene is a more focused, more mature, writing wise, mentality wise, views towards the music wise, much more mature and confident and excited to what I can deliver when it comes to music.”

 

Asaad “DJ Dice” Patnett, Music Engineer, Shiloh Production

“This is one of the songs that we mastered last week. So, whatever vocals he want to practice he can hear it, even if it is the background he wants to hear. So, he can get into the vibes. I need him to get in the vibes so we can get the song perfect.”

 

 

 

Asaad “DJ Dice” Patnett has also embraced the vision. Growing up in Camalote Village, he was exposed to Wiltshire’s poems from a very young age. And now he is the mastermind behind the engineering and marketing at Shiloh Productions.

 

Asaad “DJ Dice” Patnett

“I really thing it is something unique. That is why I actually get into this to help these guys. When they brought the vision to me I was like, this has never been done before. And I know these two guys for years. I am younger than them but “Lits” the chant these poems to me I dah lee young bwai, you understand. It is not today I the hear these poems.”

 

 

 

And if you are wondering where Wiltshire gets his inspiration, the answer is from life experiences and books, lots of books. This well‑worn Bible has inspired him for decades, alongside lessons drawn from religious texts and the works of Belizean authors. In the end, those poems, stored away in a simple cardboard box, could amount to more than thirty volumes.

 

Oliver “Shiloh” Wiltshire

“That is my ultimate goal to get this message out of the book and through music and literature and poetry and things like that so that regardless of your religion, political affiliation, regardless of your nationality or race, this is a book all those different sects can relate to.”

 

 

 

The project is already underway, as the team works to secure support to upgrade their studio equipment and fully bring the vision to life. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.