Indigenous PEOPLES of Panama
Panama has a diverse group of indigenous cultures that play an important role in the country’s cultural diversity. There are seven distinct indigenous cultures, which are further divided into four major Indian groups: the Ngöbe-Buglé (Guaymi), the Kuna, the Emberá/Wounaan and the Naso (Teribe)/Bribri.
To a large degree, the indigenous cultures of Panama have maintained a traditional lifestyle and have autonomous control over their own governments. In addition to Panama’s nine geo-political provinces, there are also three “comarcas”; states belonging to the indigenous groups. Comarca (meaning shire or county) is a traditional region or local administrative division and allows the indigenous cultures to practice traditional forms of government without interference.
According to the 2010 census, there are over 410,000 indigenous people
living in Panama and they make up almost 13% of the overall population.
The Ngöbe Buglé (Guaymi)
The Ngöbe Buglé are comprised of two separate ethnic-linguistic groups (The Ngöbe and the Buglé), which have different languages. They are Panama’s most numerous indigenous peoples with a population of about 260,000 Ngöbes and 25,000 Buglés and they inhabit the the “Ngöbe Buglé Comarca” which is a protected area that operates its own political system (comparable to a reservation). The majority of the Ngöbe Buglé lives in small communities or villages, mainly in mountainous areas of Bocas del Toro, Veraguas and Chiriqui. They live in “chozas” or huts made of straw with dirt floors. In their farms, Ngöbe men carry out agriculture of subsistence based on slash and burn techniques and produce corn, cassava, bananas, peach palm, and some other fruits. During the coffee harvest season more than half of them migrate to work the plantations in the western part of the province.
The women are responsible for the primary care of the children and the homes. Some of them also spend their time working with various arts and create several splendid crafts. The “chacara” is a type of woven bag made by the women that displays their numerous ancestral legends, mimicking the skin and colors of their animals and the landscape of the Comarca. These bags are made using fibres from the pita and cabuya plants.
Two other art forms created by the women are “chaquiras” – a type of beaded necklace and “naguas” which are the traditional dresses worn by the women and girls. The “naguas” are very colorful and beautiful and the hand-sewn applique work is inspired by the jagged shapes and vivid colors of the Ngöbe Buglé Mountains and forests.
The Ngöbe Buglé are comprised of two separate ethnic-linguistic groups (The Ngöbe and the Buglé), which have different languages. They are Panama’s most numerous indigenous peoples with a population of about 260,000 Ngöbes and 25,000 Buglés and they inhabit the the “Ngöbe Buglé Comarca” which is a protected area that operates its own political system (comparable to a reservation). The majority of the Ngöbe Buglé lives in small communities or villages, mainly in mountainous areas of Bocas del Toro, Veraguas and Chiriqui. They live in “chozas” or huts made of straw with dirt floors. In their farms, Ngöbe men carry out agriculture of subsistence based on slash and burn techniques and produce corn, cassava, bananas, peach palm, and some other fruits. During the coffee harvest season more than half of them migrate to work the plantations in the western part of the province.
The women are responsible for the primary care of the children and the homes. Some of them also spend their time working with various arts and create several splendid crafts. The “chacara” is a type of woven bag made by the women that displays their numerous ancestral legends, mimicking the skin and colors of their animals and the landscape of the Comarca. These bags are made using fibres from the pita and cabuya plants.
Two other art forms created by the women are “chaquiras” – a type of beaded necklace and “naguas” which are the traditional dresses worn by the women and girls. The “naguas” are very colorful and beautiful and the hand-sewn applique work is inspired by the jagged shapes and vivid colors of the Ngöbe Buglé Mountains and forests.
The Kuna
Nobody knows for sure when they arrived in Panama from South America, but by the 16th century, they had already occupied the 360 islands known today as the San Blas archipelago, pushed towards the Caribbean coast by enemy Native American tribes and the Spanish conquistadors. Today, there are roughly 80,000 Kuna Indians in Panama with the majority living in the San Blas Islands of the Caribbean coast. There are additional communities found in the jungle of Chucunaque and Bayano as well.
The Kuna people have struggled for centuries to keep its culture and traditions alive. During the colonial period, they joined European corsairs and pirates in a number of successful attacks against the Spanish, who had vowed to eliminate them. As the Spanish empire dwindled, they became entrenched in the regions of present-day Darién and San Blas, in Panama, and western Colombia, which granted them lands and legal recognition towards the end of the 19th century. Panama, which back then was a Colombian province, declared independence in 1903 and ignored the agreements. Although most of the Kuna population was on the Panamanian side of the border, a fact that made many inhabitants of San Blas side with the Colombian government just as Panamanian authorities sought to “civilize” the Kuna.
Resentments reached a climax in 1925, when Richard O. Marsh, a Canadian adventurer, motivated the Kuna to declare independence from Panama by creating the “Republic of Tule”. A peace treaty was later signed, and the Kuna agreed to acknowledge Panamanian sovereignty only after the “wagas” (the non-Kuna) granted them a good measure of autonomy. Today, Panamanian authorities rarely interfere with Kuna government and have created three special “comarcas” (autonomous territories) for them.
The Kuna women wear wrap around skirts and beautifully hand-made blouses known as “molas”. The Mola is an intricately sewn picture made from layers of cloth in a reverse appliqué technique. The men wear a traditional Kuna shirt and then less traditional pants, jeans, or shorts. Kuna women also paint their faces with a homemade rouge made from achiote seeds. They also usually wear a nose ring and paint a line down their nose.
The Kuna have the most advanced political system of any tribal group in Latin America.
Nobody knows for sure when they arrived in Panama from South America, but by the 16th century, they had already occupied the 360 islands known today as the San Blas archipelago, pushed towards the Caribbean coast by enemy Native American tribes and the Spanish conquistadors. Today, there are roughly 80,000 Kuna Indians in Panama with the majority living in the San Blas Islands of the Caribbean coast. There are additional communities found in the jungle of Chucunaque and Bayano as well.
The Kuna people have struggled for centuries to keep its culture and traditions alive. During the colonial period, they joined European corsairs and pirates in a number of successful attacks against the Spanish, who had vowed to eliminate them. As the Spanish empire dwindled, they became entrenched in the regions of present-day Darién and San Blas, in Panama, and western Colombia, which granted them lands and legal recognition towards the end of the 19th century. Panama, which back then was a Colombian province, declared independence in 1903 and ignored the agreements. Although most of the Kuna population was on the Panamanian side of the border, a fact that made many inhabitants of San Blas side with the Colombian government just as Panamanian authorities sought to “civilize” the Kuna.
Resentments reached a climax in 1925, when Richard O. Marsh, a Canadian adventurer, motivated the Kuna to declare independence from Panama by creating the “Republic of Tule”. A peace treaty was later signed, and the Kuna agreed to acknowledge Panamanian sovereignty only after the “wagas” (the non-Kuna) granted them a good measure of autonomy. Today, Panamanian authorities rarely interfere with Kuna government and have created three special “comarcas” (autonomous territories) for them.
The Kuna women wear wrap around skirts and beautifully hand-made blouses known as “molas”. The Mola is an intricately sewn picture made from layers of cloth in a reverse appliqué technique. The men wear a traditional Kuna shirt and then less traditional pants, jeans, or shorts. Kuna women also paint their faces with a homemade rouge made from achiote seeds. They also usually wear a nose ring and paint a line down their nose.
The Kuna have the most advanced political system of any tribal group in Latin America.
The Emberá/ Wounaan
The Emberá
With an estimated population of 31,000, the Emberá inhabit the Darien rainforest of Panamá and some inhabit land along the Rivers Gatun and Chagre. This tribe along with the Wounaan were formerly known as the Choco because they migrated from the Choco province of Columbia in the late 18th century. Both the Embera and the Wounaan have a similar river basin culture.
The Wounaan
There are about 7,300 Wounaan indians who also live in the Darien rainforest. In 1983 the government of Panamá recognized the Comarca Emberá-Drua, a semi-autonomous indigenous territory for both, the Emberá and the Wounaan. This territory overlaps the Darien National Park and Biosphere Reserve.
The Emberá-Wounaan were formerly and widely known by the name Chocó, and they speak the Embera and Wounaan languages, part of the Chocoan language family. Defying change, the Darien indians (Chocó) live in the wildest, most primitive existence, very much as the Spaniards found them early in the 16th century. Scattered along the banks of the many rivers that crisscross the Darien, far from the comforts and problems of civilization, they seem to be in complete harmony with their surroundings. Proud, peaceful, honest, but suspicious of outsiders, they live a day-to-day existence in which there are few economic pressures. Ignoring government procedures and regulations, and usually make their own laws. They are the Indians most often maligned in stories about the Darien. Possibly because of their savage appearance, they have stirred the imagination of the mythmakers. Both men and women go about practically nude.
They are semi-nomadic and dwell independently in small one or two family groups. They build their shelters along the banks of rivers which serve as their highways and source of livelihood. The dwelling is a platform raised on posts several feet above the ground. Inside, they have bark-cloth mats for sleeping and hammocks for children, as well as wooden seats and mosquito nets. In most areas, hunting and fishing are important activities that confer male prestige in addition to providing food. Hunting is solitary, usually with a shotgun and a dog. In mountain regions the blowgun is still commonly used. Two types of poisons are used to tip blowgun darts: one is a vegetable poison that affects the heart, and the other is derived from a species of frog. The most common game species are deer, peccaries, armadillos, agoutis, monkeys, and several kinds of birds. The Emberá-Wounaan use many different techniques in fishing: hook and line, harpoons, casting nets, “barbasco” poison and most recently, diving with a mask.
Chocó crafts are highly developed. Pottery making is dying out, but Chocó women make baskets for many different uses, and nowadays they are often sold at craft fairs. Men are expert wood carvers, but usually for domestic or ritual purposes.
The Emberá
With an estimated population of 31,000, the Emberá inhabit the Darien rainforest of Panamá and some inhabit land along the Rivers Gatun and Chagre. This tribe along with the Wounaan were formerly known as the Choco because they migrated from the Choco province of Columbia in the late 18th century. Both the Embera and the Wounaan have a similar river basin culture.
The Wounaan
There are about 7,300 Wounaan indians who also live in the Darien rainforest. In 1983 the government of Panamá recognized the Comarca Emberá-Drua, a semi-autonomous indigenous territory for both, the Emberá and the Wounaan. This territory overlaps the Darien National Park and Biosphere Reserve.
The Emberá-Wounaan were formerly and widely known by the name Chocó, and they speak the Embera and Wounaan languages, part of the Chocoan language family. Defying change, the Darien indians (Chocó) live in the wildest, most primitive existence, very much as the Spaniards found them early in the 16th century. Scattered along the banks of the many rivers that crisscross the Darien, far from the comforts and problems of civilization, they seem to be in complete harmony with their surroundings. Proud, peaceful, honest, but suspicious of outsiders, they live a day-to-day existence in which there are few economic pressures. Ignoring government procedures and regulations, and usually make their own laws. They are the Indians most often maligned in stories about the Darien. Possibly because of their savage appearance, they have stirred the imagination of the mythmakers. Both men and women go about practically nude.
They are semi-nomadic and dwell independently in small one or two family groups. They build their shelters along the banks of rivers which serve as their highways and source of livelihood. The dwelling is a platform raised on posts several feet above the ground. Inside, they have bark-cloth mats for sleeping and hammocks for children, as well as wooden seats and mosquito nets. In most areas, hunting and fishing are important activities that confer male prestige in addition to providing food. Hunting is solitary, usually with a shotgun and a dog. In mountain regions the blowgun is still commonly used. Two types of poisons are used to tip blowgun darts: one is a vegetable poison that affects the heart, and the other is derived from a species of frog. The most common game species are deer, peccaries, armadillos, agoutis, monkeys, and several kinds of birds. The Emberá-Wounaan use many different techniques in fishing: hook and line, harpoons, casting nets, “barbasco” poison and most recently, diving with a mask.
Chocó crafts are highly developed. Pottery making is dying out, but Chocó women make baskets for many different uses, and nowadays they are often sold at craft fairs. Men are expert wood carvers, but usually for domestic or ritual purposes.
The Naso (Teribe)/ BriBri
The Naso/Bribri are the smallest indigenous group in the country. Both cultures inhabit Bocas del Toro province and live in the coastal zones of the rivers Teribe, Changuinola, San San, Yorkin and Sixaola in the extreme northwest of the country. The population of both tribes, combined, amounts only to less than 2% of the total population of natives in Panama.
The Naso (Teribe)
In the Bocas del Toro province exists a small group of Indians with the actual name of naso or teribes. Some anthropologists call them “tlorios”. In the past they were known as tojar, terbi, terraba, terebe and some other denominations. Some Naso say that “Teribe” is a mispronunciation of tjer di, which means “river of the Grandmother,” the ancestral guiding spirit of the people.
There are roughly 4,000 members of the Naso tribe. They live in the coastal zones of the Teribe, Changuinola, San San river, and they talk the naso language. Their community consists of 11 villages. The Naso are for the most part very poor subsistence farmers who supplement their earnings with the sale of the agricultural products (cocoa, oranges, plantains, etc.), animals (pigs, chickens, ducks, etc.), lumber (cordia alliodora, cedrela odorata, etc.) and some handicrafts which they transport to the relatively nearby city of Changuinola. Traditional Naso homes are built on stilts of one kind of palm (jira) and the roofs are thatched with another kind (palenquilla). Residents sleep on the soft bark of a rubber tree. Newer homes use wooden planks for walls and floor, and sometimes have corrugated zinc roofs.
The Naso are one of the few Native American indigenous groups to have a monarchy. The tribe is governed by a king. The succession, according to tradition, would follow from the king to his brother, to the older son of the previous king. Since the 1980s, succession is based on the vote of the adult population. Typically, when there is a sense within the community that there is dissatisfaction with the current king (or sometimes queen), another member of the royal family may choose to stand for a public vote to see if they can replace the current king.
The Bribri
The population of the Bribri barely surpasses 3,000 people. The Bribri inhabit the shores of the rivers Yorkin and Sixaola, in territories located to both sides of the rich Panama-Costa Rica border, in the extreme northwest of the country. They live in family clans determined by matriarchal lineage, and feed themselves from fishing, hunting and farming activities. Their way of living and entourage has kept them isolated from civilization, therefore, they preserve intact their culture and vision of the cosmos. They speak their particular language as well as having their spiritual beliefs, based upon their god, Sibu. Cacao, as in most of the indigenous groups in southern Costa Rica and northern Panama, has a special significance in Bribri culture. For them the cacao tree used to be a woman that Sibu turned into a tree. Cacao branches are never used as firewood and only women are allowed to prepare and serve the sacred drink. Cacao is used in special occasions, ceremonies and in certain rites of passage. Currently there exist several Bribri women’s associations that produce organic, handmade chocolate that helps them in their livelihoods.
The Naso/Bribri are the smallest indigenous group in the country. Both cultures inhabit Bocas del Toro province and live in the coastal zones of the rivers Teribe, Changuinola, San San, Yorkin and Sixaola in the extreme northwest of the country. The population of both tribes, combined, amounts only to less than 2% of the total population of natives in Panama.
The Naso (Teribe)
In the Bocas del Toro province exists a small group of Indians with the actual name of naso or teribes. Some anthropologists call them “tlorios”. In the past they were known as tojar, terbi, terraba, terebe and some other denominations. Some Naso say that “Teribe” is a mispronunciation of tjer di, which means “river of the Grandmother,” the ancestral guiding spirit of the people.
There are roughly 4,000 members of the Naso tribe. They live in the coastal zones of the Teribe, Changuinola, San San river, and they talk the naso language. Their community consists of 11 villages. The Naso are for the most part very poor subsistence farmers who supplement their earnings with the sale of the agricultural products (cocoa, oranges, plantains, etc.), animals (pigs, chickens, ducks, etc.), lumber (cordia alliodora, cedrela odorata, etc.) and some handicrafts which they transport to the relatively nearby city of Changuinola. Traditional Naso homes are built on stilts of one kind of palm (jira) and the roofs are thatched with another kind (palenquilla). Residents sleep on the soft bark of a rubber tree. Newer homes use wooden planks for walls and floor, and sometimes have corrugated zinc roofs.
The Naso are one of the few Native American indigenous groups to have a monarchy. The tribe is governed by a king. The succession, according to tradition, would follow from the king to his brother, to the older son of the previous king. Since the 1980s, succession is based on the vote of the adult population. Typically, when there is a sense within the community that there is dissatisfaction with the current king (or sometimes queen), another member of the royal family may choose to stand for a public vote to see if they can replace the current king.
The Bribri
The population of the Bribri barely surpasses 3,000 people. The Bribri inhabit the shores of the rivers Yorkin and Sixaola, in territories located to both sides of the rich Panama-Costa Rica border, in the extreme northwest of the country. They live in family clans determined by matriarchal lineage, and feed themselves from fishing, hunting and farming activities. Their way of living and entourage has kept them isolated from civilization, therefore, they preserve intact their culture and vision of the cosmos. They speak their particular language as well as having their spiritual beliefs, based upon their god, Sibu. Cacao, as in most of the indigenous groups in southern Costa Rica and northern Panama, has a special significance in Bribri culture. For them the cacao tree used to be a woman that Sibu turned into a tree. Cacao branches are never used as firewood and only women are allowed to prepare and serve the sacred drink. Cacao is used in special occasions, ceremonies and in certain rites of passage. Currently there exist several Bribri women’s associations that produce organic, handmade chocolate that helps them in their livelihoods.
