3 weeks ago
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The Smithsonian Magazine, a publication with over six million readers, highlighted Belize in a recent feature, further promoting the country to the world. The feature, titled “In Belize, Maya Descendants Are Reviving an Ancient, Sacred Ballgame,” delves into the revival of the sport of pok-ta-pok. The story highlights the game’s deep history and spiritual significance. It also highlighted the revival efforts of cultural advocate Felicita Cantun, as well as insights from Director of the Institute of Archaeology Dr. Melissa Badillo. Marion Alamilla, Media and Communications Officer for the Belize Tourism Board, said that the feature was the result of over a year of discussions with the Magazine’s editorial team.
Marion Alamilla, Media and Communications Officer, BTB: “During the US Tour Operators Association conference we visited, I believe, over a year ago, we met with the editor from the Smithsonian Magazine. That meeting opened the door to a conversation around how Belize aligns with the Smithsonian’s editorial themes. The Pok ta Pok game stood out as an especially compelling story because it did not only touch the cultural aspect of Belize but also has a strong visual and historical appeal, which is important for magazine coverage. And this magazine gives us exposure to 7.4 million monthly readers through the Smithsonian’s platform. The Pok ta Pok revival was a perfect fit because there’s something deeply moving about watching this game return to Maya communities. It’s athletic, it’s symbolic, and that human element, I don’t know if you’ve seen the feature through Miss Felicita’s leadership and her team’s passion really brought it to life for readers. So that’s really what was important. It was the history and it was making sure that we had additional support in the feature that gives you that local experience. And so because of that, this is really a part of BTB’s broader media strategy to really place Belize in respected values aligned publications that highlight depth and not just destination. So the Smithsonian helps reach a curious, educated, culturally engaged audience that we need to touch because these are the kind of features that build long term cultural value not just tourism numbers. So we just don’t want Belize to be seen, we want it to be understood. This story helps people appreciate that Belize is a living heritage, not just a beautiful place to visit.”
The feature also reached over 1.4 million followers when it was posted on the Smithsonian Magazine’s Facebook page.
English (US) ·