Nestled in a bight, Seine Bight is a flat, sandy coastal village about ten feet above sea level and stretches four miles along the Placencia Peninsula. It is one of the five Garinagu communities in the Stann Creek District, located about 68 miles south of Belize City, about 30 miles south of Dangriga, 19 miles from off the Southern Highway near South Stann Creek and 5 miles from Placencia.

Seine Bight Village has seen an influx of Spanish immigrants from nearby Central American countries in the past several years. The population has swelled in this small Garifuna village to about 1000 people; the primary school actually doubled its attendance in one year, reflecting the new Spanish influence in our village. The village is still predominantly a community of Garinagu who are devoted Catholics.

Seine Bight Villagers continue to practice traditional drumming, singing and dancing. Traditional dress is worn for the dances including unique masks and head dresses. Some performers may wear bells or shell beads that rattle when they dance. The performers will stage a dance with musicians at short notice at your hotel or your party.

You can go native at Sam's disco or Ms Ann's bar & restaurant, where there is dancing to punta and reggae, or Wamasa Bar, a Seine Bight nightclub with live entertainment on some weekends. You can have a Garifuna style dinner and be entertained by drummers & dancers. They will teach you how to dance to the local music. Garifuna folk music is the basis for the popular Punta Rock. Drink stout or local bitters, made by soaking special herbs and bark in strong rum.
Bitters has a special kick and it's legal.

Seine Bight artists produce many unusual and beautiful artifacts. Paintings of local wildlife, flowers, and fish, as well as village and holiday scenes are very popular. Some of the older residents still make straw hats, woven baskets, and trays. Many of the village women make dolls dressed in traditional clothing. Carvings of fish, lizards, scorpions, tarantulas, and snakes, as well as hand carved hair barrettes, bracelets, and napkin holders are some of the items local artists make. Many of the carved items are then hand painted. Paintings are done on coconuts, sea shells, wooden plaques and of course canvas. One local man crafts intricately carved sailing ships. While not all these items will be available at all times the artists are usually happy to show you their work.

Many traditional garinagu dishes are prepared and eaten every day in homes throughout Seine Bight. Local cooks prepare hoodut, darasa, fried fish, rice and beans, boilup, fried plantain, bundiga (also known as Matilda foot) and many other native dishes everyday. Many of the local ladies will prepare dishes of local food as take out and there are two local restaurants serving garifuna and creole food daily. Seine Bight ladies produce a local bread (shaped like a large bun) fresh daily. Other pastries such as "coconut crust" and "powder buns" are sold casually by several families. Traditional food relies on the use of local produce. Ground food such as yams an casava, bananas green and ripe, fish and lots of coconut are featured in Garifuna cooking. The flesh of the coconut is used in cooking as well as the milk and coconut oil.

Many local fruits and vegetables are eaten here, many of them unfamiliar to non-belizeans. Mangos grow throughout Seine Bight and during the season many varieties are available from the trees. Favorite varieties include blue mango, lady slipper mango, number eleven mango, and hairless mango. Other fruit trees growing in Seine Bight includes cashew fruits, coco plums, sea-grape, blackberry (not the american blackberry, the belizean blackberry grows on a tree), craboo (a small apple tasting fruit used in deserts and wine), custard apple, and soursap. Local vegetables include cho cho, cabbage, cowfoot, celantro, breadfruit and green banana.

In addition to several local style restaurants Seine Bight has several fine dining establishments including several American style restaurants, a Mexican style restaurant, a pizza/ice cream restaurant, and newly opened East Indian restaurant. Our new Spanish residents are providing us with small casual restaurants offering tasty Central American style meals with fresh tortillas, savory meat and vegetables, and barbeques. Blue Crab restaurant sincerely plans on offering gourmet Asian and Caribbean cuisine featuring seafood, beef, chicken, fresh fruits and vegetables again next season, as well as special Creole and Garifuna meals with advance reservations. We apologize to all visitors who were disappointed this season!

All christians are welcome at sunday service at the Seine Bight catholic church. Besides the Catholic Church there are two temples of the Dugu religion. Dugu is the native religion of the garinagu. Ceremonies are held to rid the family of evils such as bad luck or illness. Rites include singing, dancing, drumming, eating, and drinking. Visitors are welcome at the temples. Women should cover their hair with scarves.

Check out the article about the Blue Crab and the Placencia-Seine Bight area in Jan. 24th New York Times Sunday Travel section. It's availabe online at www.nytimes.com

To check out our story about hawksbill turtle in the moonlight in Placencia Breeze Dec 02 issues go to www.placenciabreeze.com