BELIZE MARIMBA FOLK MUSIC

BELIZE FOLK MUSIC - THE JUNGLE WOOD MADE MARIMBA

The Annual Maya Mountain Folk Music Festival Trust, of Belize

The MARIMBA started in Belize about 1890. It was a favorite of the Wild West of Belize and the jungle camps. For logwood cutters and chicleros. Especially at Christmas time Festivities, when they would drink, party and dance. The instrument is made of jungle hardwoods and manufactured by hand using machetes and ear. The keys are adjusted in length to the note and also in width, unlike metal instruments of similar type. The resonant boxes are also tuned in lengths and size to each note. Adjustable lead plugs usually fine tune the harmony. Sticks with chicle gum for percussion mallets are made by hand. Orchestra size instruments can accomodate up to 12 players in the heyday of Marimba. Today, four players is the norm. The sound is rich, deep and warm and the music delightful to the ear. There are in 2005 only three Marimba bands now playing in Belize for Weddings, Village Fiestas and occasionally at tourist hotels. The old players are dying out and the Maya Mountain Folk Music Festival is attempting to try and get a new generation of players among the youth to learn the instrument and keep it alive. In nearby Guatemala, the once popular National Marimba bands have been replaced by the Mexican style Mariachi bands.

Maya Mountain Folk Music Festival Trust, Belize CLICK HERE TO order E-MAIL

The FOLK MUSIC FESTIVAL IS CHARITABLE NON-PROFIT AND OPERATES ON DONATIONS AND WITH VOLUNTEERS. WE WELCOME DONATIONS FOR PRIZES FOR NEW YOUNG MUSICAL ARTISTS PARTICULARLY, as a means of encouragement. CD sales go to operating the FESTIVAL.

This CD of Belizean Marimba Musical memories is folkloric and a small niche in the history of Belize. We don't expect many collectors of such unique wonderful music. But if you collect such things. Here it is, for as long as supplies last. A single CD is available for $25 USA plus $4.50 shipping and handling. For a dozen CD's of Volume 1, we can reduce the price to $20 each. For two dozen CD's or more, the price will be $15 each. Each CD is made one at a time as per order. There is no inventory, or mass production and sales are few. Please have patience if you are a collector of MARIMBA music.

In this area, we will include any links related to our business or that we think will interest our customers. We may also provide links to other interesting websites you may want to visit.

2005 Annual Maya Mountains Folk Music Festival schedule CLICK HERE!

Details of the $1400 prize for a TEENAGE MARIMBA CONTEST in 2005. CLICK HERE!

A local band from the Village of San Jose Succotz. The oldest member is 92 years old and has been playing for 78 years. CLICK HERE!

To learn more about the Wild West of Belize CLICK HERE!

About the spiritual beliefs of the Maya villages in Belize. CLICK HERE!

There is more than one site of GOLD in remote parts of Belize. CLICK HERE!

A Folk Music CD of the historical MARIMBA MUSIC

Volume 1, a selection of Marimba memories from times long past.

The Annual MAYA MOUNTAINS FOLK MUSIC FESTIVAL is held each December in Hillview, a suburb of the twin towns of Santa Elena and San Ignacio. These country towns are at the end of the opening of the Macal River Gorge and are an ancient trade route into the Guatemalan interior. Mayan pyramids dot the hilltops through the hill pass, from the broad Belize River plain to the Peten District interior of the ancient Fuedal Mayan Kingdoms of Guatemala. Logwood, forestry, chicle have been the traditional products of this Wild Western area. Today a growing tourist trade of adventures into caving, river canoing, Mayan temples keep a very small cadre of tourist guides busy. Most other activities are to do with ranching and farming. The area is the site of a very large Mennonite farming community below the Yalbac Hills. The twin towns, and a number of small villages lie in the foothills of the Belize Alps about 70 miles away as the parrot flies.