Keeping Culture Alive: Emilio Thomas and the Art of Belize

Belize is more than just beautiful landscapes, it’s a vibrant blend of cultures, stories, and traditions. And at the heart of that cultural identity is art. From music and dance to photography and painting, the arts help us celebrate who we are and where we come from. One artist who’s making sure that Belize’s cultural heartbeat continues to echo for generations to come is Emilio Thomas, a talented musician and photographer with a passion for preserving heritage. In tonight’s edition of Kolcha Tuesday, News Five’s Britney Gordon takes us into Emilio’s world and explores how Belize is supporting artists like him who are keeping our culture alive.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

Since 2007, the Garifuna Collective has been doing something truly special, blending the deep roots of ancestral Garifuna rhythms with modern sounds to create a musical experience that’s both timeless and fresh. The group was originally formed to support the legendary Andy Palacio, and even after his passing, they’ve carried the torch, keeping Garifuna language and culture alive through music. Today, the Collective is more than just a band, it’s a movement. And among its passionate members is Emilio Thomas, a musician who’s been making music since he was just twelve years old.

 

Emilio Thomas, Cultural Practitioner

“I used to rap and sing in high school. I used to do drumming, like the marching band and then Garifuna drumming with my cousin Shawn Mariano in primary school. He is the one who introduced me to drumming. I play many other instruments because I don’t see the difference between them, except that they work differently and I love creating rhythms and experimenting. So I play like twenty something instruments, and every time I see the opportunity to learn another one, I do. So just to vibe along with it and play along with other people.”

 

 

 

When he’s not performing with the Garifuna Collective, Emilio Thomas is still making waves through music, photography, and a deep passion for culture. He’s the frontman of his own band, Project Inebesei, and behind the lens, he captures powerful moments that reflect Belize’s rich identity. For Emilio, it’s all about connection—using art to inspire others to engage more meaningfully with their roots, their stories, and each other.

 

 

 

Emilio Thomas

“People are always in need of something different in life. And so when you go into a space or people come into your space, they want to be inspired or give meaning to. The continuity of their lives and music can in inspire someone in the present in order for them to do something special for themselves and others. Because it starts from home.”

 

 

 

Being an artist isn’t easy. Most start out funding their own work, often for years, before seeing any real success. But Emilio Thomas stayed true to his passion, and it’s taken him around the world doing what he loves. Now, there’s new support for artists like him. The Institute of Creative Arts (ICA) has teamed up with UNESCO to help grow Belize’s creative sector. The goal? To make it easier for artists to follow their dreams and earn a living from their craft. ICA Director Kim Vasquez says she hopes this initiative will inspire more creatives to take that leap, just like Emilio did.

 

 

 

Kim Vasquez, Director, Institute of Creative Arts

“It’s looking at issues of preservation. Yes. But because there’s so much focus and so much emphasis. On linking preservation and the work that we have and the cultural heritage to economic activity. There is a need for us as partners, as government partners to come together to form a unified plan so that we can support the activities and support the goals and ambitions of the creative sector.”

 

 

 

It’s all part of a global initiative called the National Strategy and Roadmap for the Cultural Creative Sector, aimed at growing what’s known as the “orange economy”, that’s the creative economy built on art, culture, and innovation. Dr. Deborah Hickling Gordon explains that for this mission to succeed, it takes more than just talent. It requires balance and strong technical support from industry leaders to help artists not only thrive, but sustain their careers.

 

 

 

Dr. Deborah Hickling Gordon, UNESCO

“As the sector becomes more established and begins to grow, people will be able to see the advantages of becoming a part of the cultural and creative industries. And it’s not only as a creative, there is our technical elements. There are business elements. There are a number of ways in which people can become involved in cultural and creative industries. It is a three  trillion US dollar industry and we need to determine what is Belize’s piece of that pie, even as we retain the rich and robust culture of the Belizean people.”

 

 

 

As an artist, every day for Thomas is a new day to create. His latest exhibit, titled Portraits, views Belizeans as living pieces of art capturing the essence of their culture and heritage in a single photo. It is his hope that inspired Belizeans can one day bridge the gap between a creative passion and a career.

 

 

 

 

Emilio Thomas

“The work that I do, because I’m not just a representation of the music industry, but the culture and creative. Whatever we do is an art form. Even cooking. It’s creative work. Even how you do business is creative work. So my role would be to present the relationship among all the things that we practice in Belize and all the things or the possibilities of practicing things in a different way and practicing new things as we go along.”

 

Belize is growing and now is the time to uplift artists and creatives along with the rest of society, by safeguarding living heritage through art, traditions, expressions and the heartbeat of Belizean culture will continue to live on in generations to come. Britney Gordon for News Five.