Day 49 Embera Indian Village

Day 49 (February 28) – River Trip to Embera Indians

Today's escapade was a river trip on the Chagres River to the Indian village of Embera Drua.

The route that the bus took us was through a run-down area of the outskirts of Panama City. There was garbage strewn all over. Tio explained that these people didn't care about all the litter as long as it was out of their house. This was another area with a “welfare mentality”. They didn't want to pay for city services and didn't want to work either.

Tio also told us about their last dictator, Noriega, who is in prison in Miami. Panama, Tio said, has a law that when a prisoner in their jail turns 70 years of age, he is released. They don't want to see Noriega back in this country as then he would be freed since he is now 70. Many Panamanians are hoping he will be deported to France from the US where there are charges against him for money laundering. They don't want him free and rick living back in Panama.

After a short stop at the ranger station, the bus deposited us on the banks of the Chagres River. We got into dugout canoes with varying numbers of passengers in each. Two or three Indians were with each one. One in the back to run the electric motor and one or two in front with long sturdy poles to help get the canoe through the shallower water of the rapids ahead. We arrived at the village after a 40 minute, scenic trip.

In the common area, a large palapa, we were welcomed by tribal members. Tio translated from Spanish into English for us. We learned some of the village's history. It was started by two families – 8 people total who came from the south near the Columbia border area. They have been in this area for 18 years. The present population is 108 with 23 families. The chief is elected every 5 years. He is the one, the voters feel, that can best communicate with the outside world. Sixteen years old and up can vote.

They have a primary school in the village. Grades 1-2, 3-4, 5-6 are in the three rooms. The teachers are outsiders who stay in the village in housing that is provided and leave for the weekends. Teaching is done in Spanish. The villagers' goal is to have their own people as teachers and to this end, some of the older boys and men are getting more education. Some of the villagers are also learning English from the Peace Corps volunteer who is serving the village.

Her name is Amy and she is from Chicago. She has lived there about 1 ½ years and will be going home in June. It was very interesting to talk to her as she could answer our many questions. She has a computer for business and accounting that is run by solar panels on the roof of the school.

She is teaching them to handle all the finances of the village as well as having English classes in the evenings.

There are a couple of cell phones in the village but it is necessary to climb on extremely high hill behind the village to get the best reception. There is also, believe it or a not, a working phone booth in the middle of the village. Sometimes, Amy said, it doesn't work well, but most of the time it does.

Amy had a little propane stove in her little home, but the village women cook on wood fires. I was very surprised to see 2 little shacks with a flush toilet in each “some distance away”.

After the welcome, Tio explained how they make the crafts they have on sale for visitors. They do wood carving and bead work. But the most interesting was the basket making out of palm fronds. They are noted for this craft.

The reed are washed and allowed to soak 4 suns and 4 moons in lime water. That bleaches the color and allows them to be stripped into narrow strings. These are now a natural color – light tan. To get brown, the strands are soaked in a solution made from wood-carving shavings that are boiled in water. To get black, these brown strands are put in river bank mud for 2 days. Yellow dye comes from ginger root boiled in water. Red dye comes from young teak wood leaves boiled in water. Other colors are made by blending these colors. Making baskets is tedious work and may take up to a month working a few hours each day.

This village is located in the jungle and the people wear a minimum of clothing. Many of the men just wore a loin cloth. Some wore a short beaded skirt. The women generally wear no tops but for visitors they donned a beaded bra-like garment. Many of the Indians were painted with designs. After all the explanations and question-and-answer period, each of us was given a small wooden platter with breaded and fried tilapia which had been caught the night before. Also on the platter were several fried plantains. They were fried, dipped in flour and then refried which gave them a different texture. Both were very good. Then the men brought around huge wooden platters. One was full of sliced watermelon, one had cantaloupe, one had round pineapple slices. We could take what we wanted. They were also delicious. Tio had purchased the fruit in Panama City and brought it along. There were sodas and water to drink.

After the meal was cleared away, it was time for the traditional dances. Many of the village members, young and old participated. The music was drums and lively.

We were given an opportunity to shop at the little stands and many found things to buy. Each family had a little area to display their goods – and they got to keep the proceeds.

As for health care, the villagers first option is the medicine man who dispenses various cures made from elements in the rain forest. Secondly, they can go to a clinic about 15 minutes up the road from the ranger station after the boat ride to the docking area.

Tio told us that in Panama every school has a budget. 60% of it is spent on food as breakfast and lunch is provided free to make sure each child has 2 nutritious meals each school day. This is also true in the village school. There is no secondary school in the village, but if a family wants a child to get further education, it is possible for that child to stay with a relative down river and attend classes 2 days a week then return to the village until the next week.

The village people are trying to preserve their culture as much as possible but things have changed so much with contact and visitors from the outside world. They like to have the visitors as it gives them some income to buy the things they can't grow or make themselves.

They eat rice, yucca and cassava. They can grow three crops of corn a year in cleared areas. Fish is their man protein as hunting is frowned on now that their area have been incorporated into the national parque system.

At about 1:00 pm we were thanked by the elders and wished well. There were a few minutes to swim in the river for those who desired. Then we reboarded the dugouts and in another 40 minutes we were returned to where the bus waited.

I might have mentioned that some of our group got similar tattoos like the natives had. But they had to pay a small fee for the privilege. Not so for blonde Rita from Calgary. She sat in the first available seat in the front of her dugout. During the return trip one of the two natives in front sat down beside her. He was nicely tattooed-arms, chest, etc. During the ride he kept moving closer and closer. She tried to tell him - “abuela, abuela” (grandmother) but he was not to be swayed. She looked to her husband for some help but that was not forthcoming. As a result, at the end of the ride, Rita, relieved it was over, was sporting a nice area of her, upper arm with tattoo marks. If you still got it, Rita, you still got it!!

Then back to Panama City for a couple of stops. Then back to our rigs at Santa Clara. A delightful and interesting day!!


Rig #15, Carol and Ron