“Surprise, surprise; we’re still here,” Mr Waight said as a large group of guests, staff members and their families, Chaa Creek’s owners and local villagers prepared for the procession to the ancient Maya temple of Tunichilen and an exuberant celebration to, as Mr Waight said, “Mark the end of one long cosmic cycle and the beginning of another.”

This is a time of great cultural significance, as one cycle spanning millennia ends and another begins with the completion of the Maya Long Count’s 13th Ba’ k tun. Forget sensationalism and misinformation surrounding 2012, Chaa Creek will be hosting celebrations that focus on the true nature of this epoch with factual information, cultural integrity and respect for the people of this vibrant civilisation who still make up a significant portion of Belize’s population.

In recognition of the ancient Maya’s belief that 2013 would usher in the dawn of a new era, the Lodge at Chaa Creek will be launching a series of new tours, packages and activities throughout 2013, according to activities coordinator Bryony Bradley.

“It’s pretty ironic that while some people on the other side of the planet are promoting doomsday scenarios based on the so-called Maya prophesies surrounding 2012, those of us living in the Maya heartland are preparing for 2013, just as the ancient Maya no doubt would be,” marketing administrator Larry Waight said today.

The Lodge at Chaa Creek’s resident Mayanist said that recent reports from a noted University of Texas scholar are an important addition to our understanding of the true history of the Maya. Speaking from Chaa Creek’s Natural History Centre, anthropologist Joe Awe said that he praised Dr David Stuart for an announcement he made June 28 that not only once again debunked Maya 2012 doomsday theories, but offed a unique interpretation of the significance of the December 21 2012 Winter Solstice date.

Drs. Mark Van Stone and Jaime Awe appear on national television to plug Belize National Institute of Culture and History’s first 2012 lecture, on 11 January. This is a 30-minute interview in which they discuss the so-called “Mayan Prophecies” and Maya civilization.

On Wednesday March 21st was the spring equinox in the final year of the current cycle of the Maya long count calendar, which ends on December 21, 2012. To commemorate the ending of the 13th Baktun, as it is called, the Institute of Archaeology hosted a night of camping, cultural presentations and history at the ancient Mayan city-state of Caracol in the Cayo District.

Preparations are underway for what is billed as Belize’s preeminent Maya celebration of the Winter Solstice of 2012 with the procurement of a large stone on which a commemorative monument will be inscribed to carry on an ancient Maya tradition, Chaa Creek owner Lucy Fleming said today.

It’s remotely possible the world will end in December 2012. But don’t credit the ancient Maya calendar for predicting it, say experts on the Mesoamerican culture.

Belize is the only country in Central America with English as the official language. The small country, measuring 180 miles long and 68 miles wide, is a popular vacation destination for tourists whose native language is English. But Belize is good for much more than just lounging in white sand while watching the shimmering teal waves roll in and out while drinks, ordered in English, are replenished. Behind the luxurious resorts and relaxing vacation packages, Belize is an adventure destination.

With the long awaited arrival of 2012, there is growing interest in the ancient Maya civilisation, and this is a double edged sword. On one hand, it is good to see this rich, highly advanced ancient culture finally getting the attention it deserves. Hopefully, this attention will turn into greater research opportunities leading to a better understanding of this enigmatic civilisation.

Chaa Creek will be hosting a year of events, activities, special tours, workshops and seminars to set the record straight while introducing the world to the marvels of the ancient Maya civilisation, Ms Fleming said, with the celebrations taking place on December 21 2011 kicking off a yearlong celebration of Maya civilisation, culminating in the huge Winter Solstice 2012 celebrations.

After years of hosting legitimate archaeological research within its 365 acre nature reserve and through its Natural History Centre, Chaa Creek Maya research coordinators said they are astounded by the revelations surrounding news of the so-called Comalcalco brick discovered in Mexico.
Some of the startling finds could indicate an ancient Roman presence in the region thousands of years before Columbus’s arrival.

The ancient Maya civiliza­tion’s many achievements include a written language, advanced mathematics, sophisticated surgery, and astrological calculations that continue to astound scholars… and the list goes on.
But for many people, the Maya’s greatest achievement is something loved all over the world today—chocolate.

We didn’t encounter a single human in our half-hour walk on shady trails from the park entrance to majestic Temple IV, one of Tikal’s major attractions. Armando was highly attuned to the sounds and movement of the jungle, walking ahead of us with his head cocked at an angle, listening hard. His familiarity with the calls of indigenous birds, the hiding places of insects, and which species were likely rustling the branches enabled us to spot inhabitants of Tikal that we never would’ve known were there—and in some cases, wish we hadn’t.

The ancient Maya civilization of Central America left behind a riddle: an intricate and mysterious hieroglyphic script carved on stone monuments and painted on pottery and bark books. Because the invading Spanish suppressed nearly all knowledge of how the script worked, unlocking its meaning posed one of archaeology’s fiercest challenges. Until now.

“With all the misinformation and media sensationalism building up around 2012, those of us living in the Heartland of the Maya want people to understand the Maya culture and history and make their own informed decisions about this important epoch,” Ms Fleming said.

“2012 is a year of huge significance for the Maya, and we want visitors to learn the real story about it from the people themselves, and while exploring Maya history and culture throughout Belize. We’re committed to putting this important epoch in its proper perspective while providing an in-depth, authentic Maya experience,” Chaa Creek GM Lucy Fleming said at a recent Maya workshop.