A Visit to the Indigenous Embera Tribe near Panama City and the last few days in Panama

I felt a bit guilty arriving back at Panama city at 4am as we needed to wake Rita up to let us in. Luckily she wasn´t too grumpy with us so I slept a bit better until midday. I didn´t get up to much at all that day besides sorting out some admin stuff. In the evening it was time to party with Angelica´s friend, Santiago or Santi for short. We went to a nightclub called Pure which was all white couches and blue lighting. The music was a pretty good mix of Reggaeton and commercial chart stuff and the crowd seemed very cosmopolitan... luckily I had my one and only collared shirt on so I don´t think I stuck out too much as the traveller bum that I am!

The next day started off bright and early. Another family expedition had been planned to the indigenous Embera tribe and we were soon en route with mewling kids and hungover 20 somethings. The area was nearby to the city (only just over an hour drive) and had a unique micro climate. This valley is a catchment area for a large amount of the fresh rainwater that is used for the Panama Canal basin. I can attest to this fact for as soon as we arrived we had one very heavy downpour. Even the massive beach umbrella I was given to wield didn´t keep me entirely dry. It only lasted an hour though which was a relief. Our local Embera guides (all loin cloth clad) navigated our wooden boat through the river using poles to push us through the shallower areas. Luckily we had an outboard motor on the back that meant going upstream wasn´t an issue until we hit the rapids. Shallow water was signalled by the large clunking sound made by propeller meeting rocky river bottom.

Raul, Monica and baby Renzo in the rain (at least they prepared!)

Tribe members navigating the shallow river

The water was fairly discoloured and muddy from our launching site but further upriver it became crystal clear and the valley steepened with high looming cliffs developing on either side.

Very clear and very shallow

We reached the village in good time and we were warmly greeted by the tribe with music and singing. One reason for their hospitality is that the Yee family had helped out the community with some free ophthalmic care over the years and their welcome was a sign of their gratitude. Raul also worked alongside the tribe quite actively and they all knew him by name.

Disembarking

A live band greeted us!

"Welcome to Embera Drua"

The village was largely constructed in the traditional style with local plants used as thatching although there were some modern concrete structures around. There was also an American girl there, working for the Peace Corps, who had spent the last 2 years with the tribe teaching basic skills such as English. We got seated in the main visitors area where the people came and shook our hands and politely introduced themselves. We were then given some information regarding their carving and weaving activities and shown some of the materials they used. A fish lunch with patacones followed which was delicious. I had a look at their arts and crafts and was impressed by the skill they used in creating their items. Unfortunately I neither had the space in my backpack nor the funds to buy anything.

The main central area was used as a football pitch. Strangely enough only the girls were playing with the boys looking on

A kid working on something

These bird-head hats may go down well at Carnivale

Next one of the elders led us into the jungle to visit what I would call their subsistence pharmacy. He pointed out all kinds of plants and described how they were used to cure various ailments. He even mentioned some Americans who flew their helicopters in to get some of the stuff.

Going to the medicine garden

Back in the village the people gathered together to demonstrate their dancing and musical talents. The women started off with the Shrimp dance followed by the Flower dance whilst the men played instruments. Then the men and women joined together and did a sort of waltz. Quite entertaining.

I think this is the Shrimp dance

Waltzing away. Even the babies joined in

When I turned back to look at the river I was astonished to see that it had turned into a brown muddy torrent - a result of the rain from earlier. It had entirely flooded and now there was all sorts of debris flushing down at a rapid pace. When we got in the boat we made very good progress down almost a white water class river. The occasional log was hit giving us all a big jolt and fright.

Compare this with the earlier picture from the same spot

Returning to Panama City we needed to make a detour. We got dropped off at the shopping centre as we were going to cook for 16 hungry people that evening. Angelica and I had agreed on making a Bolognaise although the exact recipe was debated quite heatedly until we finally agreed to combine them. Frantic preparation ensued. Cooking for 16 people is tough! Finally all was prepared as soon as the guests arrived. Thankfully people went for seconds, a sign that it wasn´t entirely awful.

A lot of hungry mouths

Early the next morning, Angelica was off back to Colombia. I in the meanwhile had a lot of stuff to do before I left that evening. Starting off with admin at the post office I strolled around town for a bit. Quite suddenly a thunderstorm hit and there was a torrential downpour. Literally within 15 minutes the streets were flooded and I was almost knee-deep in water and totally soaked through. Luckily it was still a balmy 30 degrees making the rain quite a refreshment and as I had no form of electronics or valuables on me, I happily strolled in the midst of it. Most local people were huddled under shelter trying to keep dry but as I walked past them I must have seemed like quite the crazy Gringo.

The rest of the day proved uneventful until Rita got a call saying that a bunch of people were going to visit the Thany Spectacular Circus (a Hungarian outfit strangely enough) which was in town and conveniently right next to the bus station. I decided to join in and we were treated to a very impressive show of acrobats, animal stunts and magic. I had thought that Luis, the Tiger-charmer from my boat trip may have been part of the show but there was no sign of him.


My bus left at 11pm so I had to leave before the end of the show. I quickly thanked Rita and her family for their amazing hospitality and got on my bus to Costa Rica.