Panama - Emberá Village

The most unique thing we did in Panama was to tour a village of the local Emberá tribe. They're a friendly people still living with their traditional ways. There's an interesting history on the tour website. It's a little weird to step in to their lives as a tourist but the tourism helps them to continue living and preserving their traditions and culture for sharing.

We started with an hour drive from Panama City but it was filled with stories and information from our wonderful tour guide, Anne Gordon de Barrigón. She's American but married one of the tribesmen, so she knows a lot about them as an insider. We then loaded up in dugout canoes with outboard motors because the lake and river journey would take too long if we rowed. We're tourists so we don't have that kind of time on our hands... unfortunately. Who has the better standard of living? It does make you think.

  the welcoming committee

some U.S. coins in the necklace

carving a souvenir boat

lots of awesome baskets, carvings, etc. for sale to support the village

 houses are built on stilts to protect from animals and a flooding river

   

 toured around to see what all of the plants provide the village

 mighty leaf cutter ants on their well worn trail

 a great place to be for the day

always hoping for a good fish catch each day so it won't be lunch

  the cooking fire is on a clay dirt box on the raised building's wood floor

yummy fried fish from the river and plantains for lunch ready in leaf bowls

   traditional dance and music

just one of many craft tables showing off their artistic abilities

unfortunately all good things must come to an end unless you leave the modern world and join a native village like this

 their regular dugout canoes without the motors

the other tour canoe alongside us

 heading home

Why did we leave this paradise and go home? Oh, that's right, I love modern technology more than relaxing in a village without electricity or cell phone service!