BULLET TREE FALLS

Elizabeth Pridgeon

Nestled just a couple of miles northwest of San Ignacio is the tranquil village of Bullet Tree Falls.  Until a decade or so again, the village was a simple Spanish-speaking community, unknown by many, and only even marginally on the map because of its unique access to the isolated Maya ruin, El Pilar.  However, in recent years the village’s strategic location yet peaceful ambience has attracted many new residents to the community, and various tourist facilities have since opened up, taking advantage of the ‘authentic’ feel of the place.

With a growing population, currently almost topping 4000 inhabitants, Bullet Tree has grown beyond nearly all recognition of its former days of a small hamlet-type settlement.  The village, it is thought, was settled by wood loggers who sought a particularly hard and durable wood, provided by Bullet Trees.  By the late 1800s, the village was also home to a handful of Maya families, who settled the precise location where a set of gentle rapids (or ‘falls’) cross the Mopan River for a convenient source of fresh-flowing water (hence the name Bullet Tree Falls).  Nearly two centuries later, further refugees from the Caste War in Mexico also ultimately made their home in Bullet Tree Falls, which generated the foundations of the village today.  The proximity of the village to the Guatemalan border supported the village’s substantial numbers of chicleros in the past, as they would travel across the region in search of gum.  However, the nearby border today frequently causes problems as contrabandistas often use the village access roads to smuggle illegal Guatemalan goods into Belize.

Bullet Tree Falls today has more of a transient population, with the majority of working residents commuting daily to work in San Ignacio and Belmopan.  Those who work further afield, either as public servants or in tourist-related industries, often only return to their home village on a monthly basis.  However, due to the growth of tourism within the village (largely due to the nearby El Pilar ruins), several residents now enjoy gainful employment within the village itself.  With over half a dozen bars, a couple of restaurants, various budget and mid-range hotels and guesthouses, guided tours, and the Masewal Forest Garden and Trail, various members of the community are directly involved in the tourism industry.  Furthermore, the El Pilar Cultural Centre – Be Pukte – is also housed in the village, attracting visitors with their unique model of the El Pilar Archaeological Site, and literature for sale alongside cafe facilities.

Villagers seem particularly proud of the development of their village, and the added opportunities it offers village residents, and there are various groups and committees established within the village in order to maintain an aesthetically pleasing environment.  The Bullet Tree Environmental Group formerly took responsibility for cleaning the river and the river-side area (with ‘rubbish’ being more a collection of branches and river sediment blocked by the rapids, rather than garbage disposed of by residents and visitors).  The Youth group has also proved active in the maintenance of a satisfactory village environment in the past.

Now, one of the most active groups within the village is the Bullet Tree Football Club, with both a male and a female team. Having started from scratch a year ago, the teams have fundraised and established a reputation for themselves as serious athletes, and now proudly boast full team kits to use at matches across the country.

Bullet Tree Falls is one of the several ‘gems’ of Cayo which make the district so popular with international tourists and Belizeans alike.  Just about every service that could be required is on offer in Bullet Tree Falls: from varied food outlets to grocery shops, from a tortilla factory to a butchers, from Creole bread sellers to a car wash.  The village also has a tree nursery, cultivating both native and introduced species, and is home to REMAR’s rehabilitation ‘farm’.  Around twenty ‘collectivo’ taxis serve the village, catering to these varied service providers, ensuring regular and reliable transport to and from San Ignacio.  Which means there’s no excuse not to visit Bullet Tree Falls, and experience the tranquillity of the village for yourself.

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