By Breaking Belize News Staff: The National Kriol Council (NKC) has strongly condemned what it describes as exaggerated and degrading racial imagery on the cover of historian Assad Shoman’s newly released A History of Belize in Thirteen Chapters, calling on the author and publisher to explain the controversial artwork.
In a statement issued on October 9, during Kriol Heritage Month, the Council said the depiction of Black figures on the cover evokes racist caricatures historically used to ridicule and dehumanize people of African descent.
The controversy surrounds the book’s Sapphire Edition, launched on October 9 at Angelus Press. The publication is the third edition of Shoman’s influential historical work, first published in 1994 and widely used in Belizean educational institutions. The latest edition includes updated material addressing the environment, economy, Guatemala’s territorial claim, and human rights.
While acknowledging the historical significance of Belize’s Coat of Arms, which features two woodcutters, the NKC argues that historical symbolism does not excuse imagery it considers offensive.
“Our ancestors were not caricatures. They were people whose labour, resilience, resistance, knowledge, and cultural contributions helped shape Belize,” the Council declared.
The organization called on Shoman and the publisher to explain the selection of the cover and reconsider whether it appropriately reflects the dignity of the people depicted. It also urged cultural authorities to ensure greater recognition of Kriol identity and Maroon heritage in official historical documentation.
The controversy had already attracted public criticism following the book’s release, with members of the Kriol cultural heritage community questioning whether the artwork resembles blackface caricatures. Love FM
The Council maintained that preserving historical records should not mean perpetuating the indignities of the colonial past.
“Our ancestors deserve dignity. Our history deserves truth. Our heritage deserves protection. Our identity deserves respect,” the statement declared.
The NKC concluded with a forceful message: “WE WILL NOT ACCEPT ERASURE.”
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