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On my first day in Panama, I visited a remote indigenous village in Chagres National Park with New Leaf Panama Tours, where I spent the day meeting the community and taking photos for the promotion of an upcoming tour to this village (which will be available to the public here in February 2022!) This is my experience, and a detailed account of the upcoming tour. Panama is one of my favorite countries in Central America, because of its unique and vibrant indigenous culture. It is home to seven different indigenous groups spread across the country, whom are willing to share their beautiful culture with foreigners. The Emberá- a river faring people who take great care in protecting the environment and believe everything has a spirit- are one of the seven groups. I was invited on an New Leaf Panama tour that wasn't yet out to the public this January and got to visit a remote Emberá community that has just started to dabble in tourism. On the day of the visit, Tereza (the owner of the tour company) and our Embera guide picked me up from my hostel and we hit the road to Chagres National Park, stopping only at a small roadside stall to buy some fruit and candy for the village children. It took us about an hour to get from the heart of Panama City to the entrance of the national park, but in reality it felt shorter than that as we talked and got to know each other, full of anticipation at the experience to come. From the moment I met Tereza, it felt like we'd known each other for ages already. She told me incredible stories of her childhood growing up in the Canal Zone to American anthropologist parents who lived in deep in Darien- the roadless rainforest that links Central and South America- for 7 years with indigenous people. With my background in political science and extensive experience travelling and working with several nonprofits in the Global South, I'm able to distinguish authenticity from exploitation quite easily, and from the very beginning, Tereza's respect and understanding for indigenous culture was apparent. She maintains a family-like relationship with all the communities she works with, always bringing candy and clothes for the kids and keeping up with all of their lives. All New Leaf Panama tours are sustainable, as they promote cultural preservation and part of the cost of all tours to indigenous village goes straight to the communities. Upon reaching the national park, two members of the Emberá community greeted us, and helped us put on life jackets before we piled onto a long wooden boat with a motor on the end and zoomed down the beautiful Chagres river, which is part of one of the most pristine national parks in the Central American subcontinent. There, the trees dot the riverbanks and stretch towards the sky, and the sounds of tropical birds fill the air. We were welcomed on the riverbank by the entire community, who were dressed in their traditional attire with their bodies painted. The Emberá speak their own language (Emberá) to each other but they speak Spanish to outsiders, which they learn in school. They shook our hands and led us up to the village, where we introduced ourselves and listened to one of the men speak about the community's customs and lifestyle. He told us how the families from this village are originally from the Darien province, but were pushed away by paramilitary fighting in the 1960s, which is when they started settling along the Chagres river. After the Torrijos-Carter treaty was signed and the United States relinquished control of the Panama Canal, a series of governmental changes went into effect. Amongst these changes were national park restrictions, which greatly affected the indigenous populations. The government allowed all indigenous communities to remain in Chagres National Park, but actions such as cutting down trees and hunting were banned within its confines, which made it incredibly difficult for them to live traditionally. Despite this struggle and countless more faced over the decades, the indigenous communities living in Chagres National Park have always persevered and found ways to survive in the face of extreme adversity. For example, the ancestors of this particular Emberá community helped train astronauts such as Neil Armstrong and the United States military in jungle survival. But in our rapidly changing world, it has become increasingly difficult for the Emberá to make a living while also retaining their autonomy and their customs. Similarly to a lot of other indigenous groups I've met around the world, both climate change and globalization are prominent threats, and younger generations are being pushed from their ancestral lands into urban cities in order to find work. This community told us how they are turning towards sustainable tourism because it allows them to preserve their culture, share their tremendous knowledge with foreigners and make a living. And at this rate, it is the only thing keeping centuries-old traditions from dying out entirely. After listening to the history of the community, one of the women brought us fried fish and fresh plantain chips wrapped in banana leaves, and we shared the fruit and candy we brought with everyone. Some of the girls took Tereza and I into one of the huts and dressed us up in colorful cloths called paloma, which are worn by Emberá women as skirts. The girls smiled at me curiously, asked where I was from and what my name was (we found out that one of the girls in the village was also called Yasmine), and were wonderful models, posing together for photos and giggling when I showed them the result. The fabric of the paloma is so bright and beautiful, and there are lots of different designs. Tereza asked the girls in the village how many paloma they each have, and they couldn't give us an exact number. They did confirm it must be around 100 though! Visitors to the village can purchase their own paloma if they'd like, which makes a great souvenir or gift for yourself or a loved one. We looked at all the beautiful handcrafted creations- from bracelets to bowls and wood carvings of rainforest animals. I bought a bracelet and a keychain. One of the women explained to us how the bowls were created by dying fibers with different plants depending on what color was desired, and then weaving them into intricate designs. The creation of bowls can take months. It was simply amazing witnessing how the community uses their resources as much as possible, fabricating such beautiful creations with products sourced directly from the environment. Buying beautiful, handmade products from local people is one of my favorite things to do, and it is one of the best ways to support them. Then, everyone began to dance and play traditional instruments. Some of the children pulled Tereza and I into the circle with them, in a swirl of laughter and music. After dancing with everyone, we got our skin painted with temporary tattoos which the Emberá use for special ceremonies and celebrations. The ink is derived from a plant called jagua, which grows in the rainforest and is also used for its medicinal properties. After our tattoos, we hung out with the community for a bit along the riverbank and then bid everyone farewell before swimming in a secluded waterfall that is only accessible by boat. After our refreshing dip, it was time to begin the drive back to Panama City. I've been on many tours all over the world, and this was by far my favorite one because of its authenticity and the interaction with the community that felt so genuine. We all danced together, shared fruit and candy and talked to each other about life in the village, things happening back in Panama City, school and more. Something I stray far, far away from are the tours that operate like an assembly line and do more harm than good, but this New Leaf Panama tour offers a type of tourism much different than that- one that benefits both the client and the community. The tour is small and sustainable, allowing both the Emberá and foreigners from around the world to simply be part of each other's worlds. The experience being out in the national park with the community is one I'll never forget. Out there in the jungle, the rest of the world just melts away. The concepts of consumerism and societal pressure cease to exist, and life is slower. I've learned so many valuable lessons there that I'll carry with me always, from the importance of family, to the benefits of living off the land connected to nature, and power of being proud of your identity. The Emberá have such a beautiful culture, and it's a gift they want to share it. I hope you'll go visit them one day. Open your heart and mind, and let them welcome you to their home along the banks of the Chagres river. You won't regret it. Disclaimer: My visit to this community was part of a media trip hosted by New Leaf Panama Tours. I did not receive compensation for writing this post. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.
9 Comments
Elena
2/1/2022 03:29:52 am
Must be great to get to know the locals in such a genuine way and quite interesting as well. I would love to do a tour like this as well!
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Marianne
2/3/2022 11:29:08 am
This looks like it was an incredible time! Love having cultural experiences like this when I travel with my kiddos. Its great hands-on learning that will leave a definite impression!
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2/3/2022 05:50:55 pm
What an incredible experience you had! It's really cool that this tour is available to learn more about this culture, community, and traditions. These are the kind of experiences that make a trip memorable!
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What a fantastic experience! It is so cool that you really go to chat to everyone and see how they live. These kind of tours can seem quite voyeuristic, so it is great to see one that is managed so well and doesn't take away the dignity of the people you visited. I love the paloma colours! Did you buy one to bring home with you?
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2/22/2022 11:46:23 am
What an amazing experience for you. Thank you for sharing. The pictures are awesome as well.
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AuthorYasmine is NYC born, world raised storyteller who shares the stories of the people and places of the world. Categories
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