Playa Muertos, Darien, Panama
We woke up this morning just outside of the Darien province, which is the wildest and one of the most ravaged areas in the Americas, on the southeastern most part of Panama. Living within the boundaries of the Darien, are the Embera. Today we were going to visit our second indigenous tribe. They emigrated from the Choco region in Colombia and continue to live much the same way as they did thousands of years ago.
These people practice subsistence agriculture, followed by hunting, fishing and poultry raising, but lately, due to the increasing contact with western cultures, their traditions are changing. Now, the baskets woven by women (picture above), and the wood-carvings done by men, represent a new source of income. Not only are their income sources changing, but their traditional attire is being replaced by western clothing (picture above).
Our visit turned out to be an incredible experience. We were greeted by shy, beautiful people who invited us into their village and homes, danced for us, and by children who smiled in delight at seeing their faces in a camera screen (picture above).
The afternoon sailing also rewarded us with great things: humpbacked whales, spotted dolphins, storm petrels, Pacific green turtles, and more. We went on sailing all night to our next site.
We woke up this morning just outside of the Darien province, which is the wildest and one of the most ravaged areas in the Americas, on the southeastern most part of Panama. Living within the boundaries of the Darien, are the Embera. Today we were going to visit our second indigenous tribe. They emigrated from the Choco region in Colombia and continue to live much the same way as they did thousands of years ago.
These people practice subsistence agriculture, followed by hunting, fishing and poultry raising, but lately, due to the increasing contact with western cultures, their traditions are changing. Now, the baskets woven by women (picture above), and the wood-carvings done by men, represent a new source of income. Not only are their income sources changing, but their traditional attire is being replaced by western clothing (picture above).
Our visit turned out to be an incredible experience. We were greeted by shy, beautiful people who invited us into their village and homes, danced for us, and by children who smiled in delight at seeing their faces in a camera screen (picture above).
The afternoon sailing also rewarded us with great things: humpbacked whales, spotted dolphins, storm petrels, Pacific green turtles, and more. We went on sailing all night to our next site.
