The number of cruise visitors has increased geometrically since the opening of the Tourism Village. As many as 300 thousand visitors will stop off in Belize this calendar year. With each visitor spending an estimated ninety US dollars in the country, it's created an entire service industry built to serve the cruises. And, perhaps as an illustration of how far the tourist dollar does trickle down-some unlikely entrepreneurs have seized upon the money making opportunity in a big way. A cluster of no more than ten girls from neighborhoods in the Southside of Belize City have opened hair braiding operations just outside of the Tourism Village. I found out that more than just offering a service to tourist, these gals are giving them something to remember:
Indira Craig reporting,
Indira Craig
Sun-baked skin and the memory of a romantic tropical getaway were once the only things a contented tourist would hope to take back home from a great vacation. But now there's a fashion trend that loops through tourist hubs from the Bahamas to Jamaica to Cancun that's now become an essential part of the tourist experience. Buoyed on the hulking hulls of the cruise ships which steam through Belize weekly, this fashion statement has found a happy home in the heads of high sea riders.
Tourist #1
It just looks awesome, I love it. You can always get a good prize for something like this, costs next to nothing, it's awesome.
Indira Craig
So is it a part of the vacation look?
Tourist #1
Yes, definitely a part of the vacation look.
Tourist #2
I saw a lot of people on my cruise ship with their hair braided and I liked it a lot and I really wanted it.
Indira Craig
Is it really popular?
Tourist #2
Yeah! People, when they come back from vacation a lot of people have their hair braided. It feels good, you know they're just pulling my scalp, but they're just braiding it, it's not that bad.
Indira Craig
But that mildly uncomfortable feel of scalp pulling is all a part of this very intricate craft, which requires deft finger work and a steady head. Honed to perfection by many years of practice, it's one of the first techniques that young girls learn.
Braider #1
My mom use to braid my hair then when my mom passed away I started to braid my little sister's hair and I braid my own hair to go to school and everything.
Braider #2
Well, naturally from small, growing up something natural I know how to do I just put my talent to use.
Indira Craig
An almost innate talent, but one that they have had to modify because now they're working with very different heads of hair than what they had at home.
Braider #1
Like ten minutes our kinda hair like but like these people hair it takes like twenty five to thirty minutes for them.
Indira Craig
What's the difference?
Braider #1
Their hair is straighter and our hair is a little nappy.
Indira Craig
From nappy to North American, that talent has turned into a genuine income earner as tourists are lining up and paying anywhere from 15 to 35 US dollars a head to get that trendy tropical vacation look. It's a winning alternative for these women whose job options are limited. But braiding hair has given them the opportunity for self-employment in a field where they are highly skilled.
Braider #2
Well this is better than any other job because when we out here braiding hair we make like a week pay in one day and we can't complain about that, because when you work out there is only like 80-90 dollars you're getting for the week. Out here we're making like a hundred something dollars for the day so every one is pretty much pleased. We just buy our beads and try to invest in different things like I bring coconuts, sarong and stuff like that to sell you know souvenirs for them to take back. You know, you just have to put your talent to use like I said, right, and it will be good.
Indira Craig
And for these young ladies, job satisfaction is at an optimum - because they're not only providing a service, they're giving these vacationers something special to take home with them - an adornment that shouts: "I've been on a Caribbean vacation."
Indira Craig
What do you think their reaction will be?
Tourist #2
I think they're going to think, wow, she was on vacation - she went somewhere tropical or something like that - enough to get her hair braided and stuff. I think they're going to be jealous or something that I was away.
Tourist #3
Everybody will love it, they will. They'll want to touch it, I'll probably keep the beads forever!
The Tourist Village management charges the girls a monthly fee of twenty-five dollars just to work on the street in front of the village - a street that last time we checked was still the property of the City Council.