Steven Sho

Amazing events are happening around the country this month including the Village Arts & Crafts Expo on May twelfth, the Toledo Cacao Fest on the weekend of the eighteenth, Hopkins’ Mango Festival at the end of the month and more. But one event that may not have turned up on the radar is the Feast of San Francisco de Geronimo (he-ro-ni-mo) that kicks off next week Thursday in the village of Pueblo Viejo in the Toledo District. And as the name indicates, the village is in fact one of the oldest Mopan Maya community in the southernmost district. But the primary school in the village is planning to put the village on the map with the fete that is filled with cultural traditions, activities and entertainment that warrants the attendance of local tourists. Steven Sho, the Principal of San Francisco de Geronimo stopped by our offices to tell us more about the event.

Steven Sho, Principal, San Francisco de Geronimo Primary School

“Like any other activities, we believe that Pueblo Viejo has reached to a certain point where we can have certain things to offer. The main highlight would be the deer dance and other activities. For example; for the school it will be the first time that we will be able to raise our school flag. So we are having a special ceremony on Sunday as a part of our opening ceremonies. So that will be one of the major highlights of the event. The culture in itself is unique in that the food, the dances, the activities that comes around—the people itself are all part of the culture as they live the culture. So I think just beside the dance, there are other things that you can go out there and see for yourself. Besides the culture, there are other activities for example where you can take you family—to the waterfalls, to the caves. Things like that could be part of the activities when you go to Pueblo Viejo.”

According to Sho, the funds will be used for the renovation of the school that caters to one hundred and fifteen students and a preschool. You can contact Sho at 6-2-6-9-9-3-9.

Channel 5