Bearing Witness: Gender Violence and the Emergence of the Belizean Nation-State

• In Event: Refusing the Nation, Theorizing Black Belonging - Blackness in Latin America and the Caribbean, pt. 2

Description for Program

In the early hours of June 5, 1963, Nora Parham met her fate on the gallows, executed for the murder of her partner, Ketchell Trap. Her death marked a poignant moment in Belizean history, as she became the first woman in the nation to face state-sanctioned capital punishment. Nearly six decades later, a posthumous pardon was granted by the state, prompted by widespread calls for Belizeans advocating for her absolution, amidst a burgeoning movement against domestic violence. This paper delves into the tragic narrative of Parham’s abuse and subsequent death, situating it within the broader context of gender-based violence in the colonial/postcolonial Caribbean–Central American isthmus. Through a historical lens, I examine how gender violence intersected with the formation of the Belizean nation-state, exploring its ties to conceptions of sovereignty and nationhood. Furthermore, I draw connections to contemporary efforts of recovery and redress aimed at combating gender-based violence, revealing the systemic roots of such violence intertwined with notions of respectable citizenship and racial-ethnic hierarchies.

Author

• Nicole Ramsey, University of Texas at Austin