PREFACE- Recently, tourists to Belize have been flocking to a southern caye for a unique ocean event. The unforgettable, mind blowing experience of swarming with the whale shark (Rhiniodon typus), largest of the shark family and largest fish in the world at over 40 ft in length, has stirred a lot of excitement in Belize. The magnificent fish, characterized by its huge size, wide mouth and distinctive pattern of spots, can be seen feeding amidst spawning snappers during certain months of the year.

But nearly eighty years ago, the legendary size and very existence of this monstrous fish was immortalized in a humorous poem by James S. Martinez entitled "Sapadilli Tam". The poem forms a part of a 1920 collection of his works entitled, Caribbean Jingles - Dialect and Other poems of British Handuras. James, the humble and self-educated son of a mahogany woodcutter, was a prolific poet whose simplistic style often captured and reflected the local atmosphere of that period of our Belizean History. Early British Honduran fishermen nicknamed the Whale Shark "Sapadilli Tam" because the huge fish was frequently sighted around Sapodilla Cayes off the Southern Coast of Belize.

"Sapadilli Tam"

You want to hear of of w'at I know,
About de fish day tark of so,
De one dat people use to see,
Outside o' Sapadilli Caye?

Now list'n don't y'u be supprise;-
I seen dat shark wid my own eyes;
Not only once but time a score,
W'en I was tradin' to Omoa.

De fust time dat I seen dat shark,
De evenin jus was getting dark;
De sea was smude, de win' was low:
De schooner "Jane" was driftin' slow.

Jus' den dere came in sight a sail,
(we t'ought t'was one) an' so we hail;
but it was goin' fas', it seem
as if it was p'opell wid steam.

But w'en it get to us quite near.
We all was full wid awful fear,
For now we could plainly see,
It was a monster of de sea.

He check his speed den round us swim;
But we did not quite care fo' him.
We t'ink how we could mek him go,
So overboa'd some pork we t'row.

He start at once de food to eat,
An' den we try to mek retreat.
For now de win' commence to blow,
We put de boat to' near de sho'.

An' so it was we get away,
As bes' respec' to him we pay;
An' pray ne'ermo' to have a calm,
W'en nearin' Sapadilli Tam.

Dere's some strange story dat I hear,
De trut' of dem I cannot swear.
But I am stric'ly now compel,
To give to you as how dey tell-

A dorey once was coming o'er,
Wid Waika from Masquiter Shore-.
Dey saw a caye (Dey t'ought 'twas one)
An' so dey went to it to lan'.

So we'n dey went asho' an' look,
Dey mek a fire an' start to cook;
But w'en de pot was bubblin' free,
De shark sink undeneat' de sea.

'Tis also tol' dat coc'nut tree,
upon his back some people see,
but dere is some mistake I fear,
for I had never seen it dere.

But many a time about dat sea,
W'en nearin' Sapadilli Caye,
De sailor heart would beat fo' fear,
Dat Sapadilli Tam is near.
ambergriscaye.com

NOTICES &
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The Sedi Elrington Controversy
Dear Editor,
Although I am totally against these Guatemala-Belize talks and find them "Masochistic"
To us as a sovereign people and country, I would like to weigh in on Mr. Elrington's comments. By not being concise he opened up a Pandora"s box and left room for interpretations, not only infuriating his people but sending the wrong message to the OAS in such a serious matter which could greatly compromise our position and cause irrevocable damage if it reaches the ICJ. This in my opinion makes him not competent for the tough job at hand.
Make "No Mistake about It" Sedi you are swimming with "Great Whites" disguised as Dolphins and they are experts in the art of swaying you over. Ingratiation is their forte.
They will wine you, dine you, praise you, befriend you, work on your Emotional Quotient and pretty soon you are SEEING their SIDE. A nice Belizean man like you is no match for these guys. You need to be the man I know you can be and apologize to the Belizean People for your inadvertent mistake and remove yourself from this game as you are simply not cut out for it. A smart man knows his limitations!
Words are extremely powerful and this Guatemalan contingent knows this fact. This is not a one man show. The Guatemalans get all the professional linguistic support and assessment from their best advisers before any press release is given. Their T's are carefully crossed and their I's are strategically dotted. Every word is carefully constructed, exacting and deliberate. This is the Big Leagues.. And this is why our Government needs to immediately make a press release clarifying Belize's position as a people in reviving that old Belizean slogan "WE NO WAH NO GUATEMALA"!
Our Belizean Contingent must therefore NOT lose sight of the FACT that these people want to take our country away from us and as such they are the ENEMY! This is not a social club; this is a Defining Endeavour being embarked upon, possibly ending who we are as a people and a country. Who we were and who we are to be, our history, our hopes, our children's hopes and dreams. Not to be taken likely..This Issue is BIGGER than all of you Collectively..for I can tell you with Certainty."YOU DO NOT SPEAK FOR ME AND MY FAMILY!"
I certainly don't believe you should loose your job however, instead put in an area where you can better serve your country.
Respectfully
Charles Payne

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