I just recently got back from an indigenous village in Panama, called La Chunga. My classmates and I wrote a few reflections that I thought I would post to summarize a bit about our trip. I was riveted and amazed by the indigenous culture; it was unlike anything I’ve ever seen before and I think you’ll read that my classmates felt the same. I apologize that some things may not be translated fully and a little disorganized :)
Arriving:
Pamela- Es un mundo totalmente diferente al que estoy acostumbrada a vivir. Desde un principio yo sabía que la experiencia iba hacer única e inolvidable pero la verdad es que este viaje sobre paso mis expectativas.
It’s a totally different world than the one I’m use to living in. From the beginning I knew that this experience would be unique and unforgettable but the truth is that this trip went above and beyond what I was expecting.
Curtis- After a dark, nearly day long bus ride, as we pulled into the terminal in Panama City the veil was yanked off the world revealing a cornucopia of color, music, and life.
Curtis- Colors everywhere, horns honking, people yelling, people running…After walking around the only mall I’d been in for the last year, eating a cheese steak and a gyro, and a 3 hour session of Pokémon I was concerned about how I would react in this “low-tech” environment after such a huge blast of western culture.
Emma- When we were in the airplane going to Sambu, I glanced down to see the skyscrapers and skyline of Panama City getting small as it fell behind me, and the open ocean led the way.
Ruby- My mind drifts back to the beating sun on sticky streets, the colorful buses winding their way through traffic in Panama City, the tight space of the tiny airplane we took to Sambu where all the boats looked like little toys in the great sea, the lazy water of the Sambu River as we motored upstream, and finally the feeling of solid earth under my feet as we landed in La Chunga, the light fading on the faces of our welcomers, the Embera people.
Emma- The people stared at us shamelessly while we looked around once we got off the plane; we were the fish a child brings home from the fair that were swimming in a pond that morning and later float around in a fishbowl looking out in curiosity while big eyes stare back.
Emma- Cuando nos acercábamos a La Chunga en la oscuridad, podía escuchar instrumentos que ellos habían hecho y cuando llegamos, yo vi hombres y mujeres en sus ropas tradicionales con sus hijos cerca. Se sintió extraño que ellos me saludaran con mucho amor antes de ver mi cara y antes de que yo haya dicho una palabra, pero me saludaron con el amor de una familia sin juzgar. Era el amor del cual aprendí durante mi estadía allá.
We approached La Chunga just after dark and were greeted by the sound of wind instruments and drums, and as we grew closer, by men and women dressed in their traditional clothing with children at their sides. When we got off the boat the adults and children embraced us and the children were quick to grab our hands, or any limb of the body they could hold on to, to guide us to the village. It felt odd to be greeted with such raw love before they could see my face and before having said a word, but it was the love of a family without judgment. It was the love I would continue to learn about throughout my time there.
Brian- As we walked into the village, two children clung to my sweaty hands making me realize the compassion that existed through lack of western exposure. Even though slightly overwhelmed by this gesture, I accepted knowing even though I was a stranger, I was a guest and therefore a friend. Immediately I was reminded of a similar kindness and genuine loving nature of the Kipsigis tribe in Kenya. Having also visited them, I could notice great similarities through simplicity and knowledge of the surrounding land. Both tribes were clearly preserving something valuable that didn't exist outside their borders.
Jose- Pensé que era muy interesante estar ahí en silencio, comiendo en la oscuridad, agarrado de la mano de un niño de cinco años. Lo divertido fue que se sentía que yo era el niño pequeño, no él.
I thought it was really interesting to be there, in silence, walking in the dark, holding the hand of a little boy. The funny thing was that I felt like I was the little boy, not him.
Emma- Cuando llegamos, tenía mucho sueño después del viaje tan largo, pero yo tomé tiempo para escribir en mi diario y escribí, “No sabia que lugares como este existían en el mundo.”
I was tired after all the traveling, more tired than I have been in a long time, but I still sat down to write in my journal that first night we arrived, writing “I didn’t realize places like here actually existed.”
On Children
Daniel- “Los niños son increíbles para quitar las paredes sociales. Cuando estábamos sucios ellos nos tocaban y abrazaban. No les importaba como se veían, entonces a nosotros no nos importaba tampoco. Como visitantes, nos sentimos mas cómodos con nuestros cuerpos.”
The little children were amazing at breaking down social barriers. When we felt sweaty and dirty and disgusting they climbed into our laps, rode our shoulders, and held our hands. Appearance was not so important for them, so it did not have to be for us either. We, as visitors, became more comfortable with ourselves.
Pamela- Me parece muy importante mencionar la amistad que establecimos con los niños en La Chunga. Fue una sensación muy linda cuando todos y todas ellas nos recibieron con sus caritas pintadas con jagua y muy sonrientes. Y con el pasar de los días cada vez nos uníamos un poco más. Me gustaría saber como nos percibían ellos; quiero decir: si nos veían como amigos, como visitantes, como “gringos”. Ahora que estoy aquí me digo a mi misma que interesante comparar a los niños y niñas en La Chunga y mi sociedad. Mientras aquí los videojuegos se apoderan de la mente de los pequeñitos, en La Chunga aprenden a sobrevivir en la naturaleza; mientras aquí tiene un par de zapatos para ir a la escuela, otro para ir salir, otro para jugar, otro para estar dentro de la casa, e incluso uno para ir misa, en La Chunga solo necesitan algo para cubrir sus piecitos y aun así hay algunos que anda descalzos.
it seems really important to mention the friendships we established with the children of La Chunga. It was a wonderful feeling when all of them recieved us with their smiling faces painted with jagua. As time passed we got closer. I would like to know how they saw us; did they see us as friends, guests, or as “gringos”? Now that I am here (in Costa Rica), I tell myself it is interesting to compare the children in la Chunga to those in my society. While here videogames takeover the minds of the little ones, in La Chunga they learn how to survive in nature. While here they have different shoes to go to school, to go out, to play, to be inside the house, and to go to church, in La Chunga they just need something to cover their little feet and still some of them walk around barefoot.
Ruby- We had mini carreras, bare feet thudding on the patchy ground. All the kids, us included, went to the river to have splash fights and jump from the ledges, and just spend time together in a watery whirl of happiness.
Tuvimos mini carreras, los pies descalzos golpeando el suelo seco, y el césped. Todos los niños y niñas, nosotros incluidos, fuimos al río para tener guerras de agua, y brincar al río desde las orillas, y simplemente disfrutar y pasar tiempo juntos.
Ruby- At ease and feeling lively, I felt so much younger while I was there. I shared the giddy laughter of the children and chased them around the yard until we all collapsed, rolling around on the grass.
Spending time in the community
On harvesting rice: Randy - While picking beans, I found myself thinking how people need to plant food to survive and how we, the civilized people do not plant even cilantro for our food, that is why I am starting to value the work my father does to plant the beans that we eat, and how I admire the people who plant rice because it is the principle food in the Costa Rican diet.
On hauling a wood-carved canoe called a piragua up and down a large hill: Curtis - The piragua haul was the event that convinced me of the ability of a group of people with a strong enough will to do anything. At first when we arrived there were about twelve people there, about half of which were under the age of ten. Initially I was doubtful after seeing the size of the boat and the steepness of the hill we had to pull it up. But as more people began to arrive I began to think that maybe it was possible, but still was doubtful. But once everyone took their place on the rope and pulled it taught as we all prepared to begin to haul I knew we could do it. At first it was only a foot or two each heave, but as everyone found their rhythm we began to pull the piragua farther each time. Five feet, ten feet, one incredible haul even lasted for fifty feet if not more.
Despite being so accepted in the community, we were strange and foreign. I often times felt in the spotlight, automatically noticed as a walked down the path. Going to the swimming hole, it was impossible to go undetected. Starting out by yourself, you would have gathered ten or more inquisitive kids by the end.
On dancing;our culture and the Embera culture:
Ruby- We presented the English country dance, the Salty Dog Rag, Salsa, all dances that are sequenced and require prior knowledge and “dance skills” to be able to perform somewhat successfully. The music that these dances are put to is complicated as well. I lost myself a bit in the steps and the struggle to not mess up, which I ended up doing anyways. Their presentation differed greatly. The beat of the drum and the wind through the flutes floated through the air as the villagers kept steady rhythm with their feet on the pavement. They had simple formations, forms they would take to represent an idea or tell a story. For one dance, they pulled us up so we could all dance with them. It was a basic step of swaying back and forth, one step, two step, feet together, feet apart. It was about feeling the beat inside and letting it vibrate through you, moving you in the dance.
Singing with some indigenous children and my friend Ruby
Change / Loss of Culture
Naomi- I have not had the chance to see how tourism changes culture here in Monteverde, but in La Chunga I was able to experience this. It seemed like this culture that had been virtually untouched for many years all of a sudden was being molded and changed by tourists like us who were trying to learn about their culture. When we were talking about the trip beforehand I was not thinking about our impact on them and I was definitely not trying to change them or affect them negatively in any way while we were there. But, it seems like we do no matter what. Our cash economy and our western idea of life had an effect on them and I will always have mixed feelings about it. I enjoyed sharing other aspects of my culture with them but I regret bringing in the negative influences we have. It was eye opening to be the tourist and watch our effect on the children and the other people in the village.
Pamela- Cuando las mujeres nos estábamos pintando con jagua una niña me dijo que yo era muy bonita pero que si me ponía jagua iba a verme fea. Y en la noche de talentos un joven me dijo que ojala el pudiera cambiarse la piel, le pregunte asombrada que por que, y me respondió que para ser reconocido como un gringo. … Esto me hizo sentir triste y como sentirse avergonzado de quien uno es. Estoy de acuerdo que es muy interesante conocer gente diferente y cosas nuevas pero sin olvidar quien es uno y de donde vino y estar orgulloso de eso. I felt that the elders are the ones appreciating more their Embera culture and maintaining it. Spanish is becoming the first language in the new generations and they don’t know much about their own roots. When the women were painting us with jagua a little girl told me that I was very pretty but if I got painted with jagua I was going to look ugly. And that night at the talent show a teenage boy told me that he wished he could change his skin, I ask him why, “Para ser reconocido como un gringo” he said.
Emma- The moments I enjoyed most usually occurred during our downtime in the afternoon. This was often a time to share and talk with the indigenous people. In this time, playing with and speaking to the children, as well as elders, I noted the way that the kids talked to each other in Spanish while the older generation spoke to each other only in Embera. We could literally see the change happening in the culture of the Embera people. It made me wonder what the future for the children will look like, and how they will define themselves one day.
Katy- Nine year old Veiker understands Emberá, but says he does not want to speak it.
Pamela- No se que tan cierto será, pero sentí que las personas mayores son las que están valorando mas la cultura Emberá y las que mantiene muchas de la tradiciones ya que las nuevas generaciones español se esta convirtiendo en su primera lengua y no conocen mucho sobre sus propias raíces.
Pamela- Por lo que he escuchado, La Chunga ha estado cambiando drásticamente, lo cual le esta trayendo cosas positivas al igual que negativas. Es igual que Monteverde, los últimos anos Monteverde ha cambiando mucho y todavía lo esta haciendo para beneficio de la comunidad pero siempre hay perdidas en ese proceso. El cambio es inevitable, el cambio es parte de la vida. Con el tiempo todo cambia y las personas cambian y nuestro deber es tratar de sobrellevarlo de la mejor manera posible. Monteverde is changing for the benefit of the community but there are also losses in that process. Change is inevitable, change is part of life. Time changes everything and everyone and our job is to handle it the best way possible.
Paula- So what has the world come to, when our own ancestor’s traditions are considered strange and out of the ordinary, and we have been enclosed by a world of Malls, skyscrapers, trash, computers, cell phones, electricity, deathly chemicals, conflict, destruction, cars, noise…? …And all we used to know was the resonant laughter of a young child and the blazing sun on our hardworking shoulders.
Brian- The curiosity to see what lies past their borders, the influence, and objects capable of spawning jealously are all extremely dangerous to a frail community. Their culture hangs by an awfully thin thread.
Time
Daniel - I woke up early the first morning and spoke with the cooks in the house. They explained to me that they did not like when we spoke English because they were left out of the conversation. I explained that Spanish was my second language, though I realize now it probably is for them too. … I was not depending on anyone else to maintain the conversation.
Pamela - I felt, like other people in the class, that time was not important when we were there. It was simple, you woke up with the sun rises and you went to sleep when the sun set.
Yo sentí, al igual que otros compañeros, que la hora no era del nada importante estando ahí. Era simple uno se levanta cuando sale el sol y se acuesta cuando este se ha ido.
Education:
Emma – Un día trabaje con un muchacho llamado Felix enseñandole inglés. El tenía muchos preguntas y era muy curioso. En eso estaba pensando, que yo tengo la oportunidad para aprender y tener una educación buena, pero a veces yo no aprovecho al máximo las oportunidades que se me brindan. Cada persona a la que le enseñamos puso toda su atención y verdaderamente quería aprender, y me enseñaron que si tengo la oportunidad, debo usarla.
I worked one on one teaching English to an indigenous man Felix and he asked lots of "how do you say" questions. I had originally attempted to teach him structure and grammar, but his curiosity quickly became more important. …. It made me think about … how sometimes I have not taken advantage of the opportunities for knowledge that have been offered to me. Most every person we taught English to tried as hard as they could and genuinely cared about learning, teaching me that since I have the opportunity, I should do the same.
Randy - Félix valora su educación y lo hace desear querer superarse no importa que tan lento es, pero superarse. Aquí no nos tenemos que preocuparnos por trabajar o por apoyar a alguien, toda nuestra responsabilidad es estudiar, no importa si es buen estudiante o no, todo lo que importa es el deseo de salir adelante con algo que lo haga feliz.
Felix values his education and it makes him want to improve him self no matter how slow it is, but getting somewhere. He explained to me how his parents supported him, not economically, but morally. Seeing his desire to study and improve, having a family to support made me notice that here we do not need to worry about working or supporting anyone, all of our responsibility is to study, no matter if you are a good student or not, all that matters is the desire to get somewhere else that makes you happy.
Pamela - Aprendí muchas cosas; pero no ese tipo de cosas que se aprenden en el colegio ni en libros, sino más bien cosas que me hicieron ver otra parte del mundo y que me enriquecieron como persona.
I learned many things, but not the kind of things that you learn in school or from books, but things that showed me another part of the word and enriched me as a person.
Physicality / Bodies
Ruby- The traditional garb exposed more of the body than we are used to seeing, the top of a woman and the back side of men. This felt completely regular to me during our stay. Nakedness was defined differently, and people viewed the human body in a different and refreshing way. No longer was it a objectified, sexualized, inappropriate, and no longer was it something to tuck away under layers of clothing and keep secret.
Ruby- It was also very interesting to hear the perceptions that the people had of us, especially about our skin, which was considered so white and delicate. Many times my name was Gringita.
Jose- One of the events that I think some of my classmates didn’t have the chance to experience was to play soccer with some of the teenagers. While I played soccer with them I was interested in what they were talking about, and see how they were, since we had spent time with the adults and children, and not a lot with the people of our age. They only talked in Spanish, not Embera. They mostly talked about the soccer game, like, “pass it!” or “you stink!” typical of any soccer game. The second game was a little bit more intense, it was after we had English lessons, where I had the chance of teaching one of the teenagers that played soccer, so that helped, and I felt more welcomed, and I felt a little bit less conspicuous. But from this game I listened to the most interesting thing that they said about me. First, they thought I was from the States, or didn’t know that I could speak Spanish. So therefore they started telling each other to play soft, since I was playing, and I was delicate. They said that my flesh and bones were delicate and soft, and that they shouldn’t play hard because I could end up getting hurt badly. All I did was smile; I thought it was really interesting.
Ruby- On the hike to the Piragua, the carved boat which we all helped haul out of the forest, a few of us spotted the kids in front running down the path. We decided to join them in their epic dash through the forest, and we ended up running most of the way. Just the feeling of my body and mind coordinating with each other, calculating, working to push me forward down this winding forest path, it was exhilarating, I felt life in my limbs, a life that I had not noticed in a long time. My body became a haven for me to rest in. More than ever, I recognized how important it is to use the body to its greatest potential.
Simplicity / Way of Life
Pamela - Muchos de nosotros a veces pensamos que varias de las cosas que tenemos son necesarias e indispensables para continuar con nuestras vidas normales. Como por ejemplo: automóviles, teléfonos, computadoras, cocinas, refrigeradoras, entre otras maquinas y cosas artificiales. Es cierto que muchas de estas maquinas nos facilitan muchas cosas como la comunicación y el transporte y otras son solo “comodidades.” Pero conocí una parte de este inmenso mundo donde nada de esto se necesita para vivir. Y me gusto mucho. Siento que es mejor vivir con solo lo que se necesita y con lo que la naturaleza provee. De esa forma hay mas conexión entre nosotros los seres humanos y el planeta y toda la flora y fauna que en el existe, también no hay ese pensamiento de que nosotros somos superiores a las demás criaturas.
A lot of us sometimes think that many things we have are necessary and indispensable to continue with our normal lives. For example, automobiles, telephones, computers, kitchens, refrigerators, and some other machines and artificial things. It is true that many of these machines facilitate the communication and transportation and others are just “commodities.” But I discover a part of this immense world where any of this is needed to live. And I liked it a lot. I feel that is better to live just with what you need and with what nature provides you. That way there is more connection between us the human beings and the planet and all the wild life that exists in it. Also, there is not thought of us being superior to the other creatures.
Naomi - Spending time around the village and learning about their lifestyle was rewarding as well because of all the interactions they have. I could walk around with children at my side and at every open house I could see people inside and wave to them.
Daniel - Some of the most special and beautiful things in life require a person to be in one place for an extended period of time. … The Embera live, for the most part, in the same place their whole lives. They know every left and right turn within a four hour hike of their town. They know the medicinal purpose of every plant they see as well as its name. They know every person in the village. The Embera are the experts of their own lives.
Ruby- In all truth, their culture is headed for many changes, what with the new generations losing cultural traditions, not learning the language, and the increasing tourism in the area. The natural world around them is changing too. I wonder what La Chunga will look like in a few years, and then in ten years or twenty. How will these changes affect peoples’ lives there?
Katy- Perhaps ecotourism will help the Emberá preserve their culture and the biodiversity around them.
Questions:
Emma- Everywhere we went, the people of La Chunga stared at us and followed, utterly intrigued by our words and appearance. When I asked Jonathan why this may be, he answered, "I'd do the same too if people from Mars came to visit me."
Brian- When looking at a new idea or someone I’ve never seen or been exposed to, I often have trouble taking them in or processing the new philosophy. Through time, I'm able to see through the differences and adapt to new ways of going about my same old routes. Sometimes, it even so happens that I learn to enjoy an alternate perspective, realizing how twisted things seemed from my former eyes. The Emberá have shown me the beauty of simplicity. How it is possible for a community of people to thrive, while lacking the material items that we have come to call necessities to life?
Daniel- I do not want to live in my hometown, Haddonfield, my whole life. Panama made me think about my role in Monteverde. I am a boy passing through other people’s lives, here only for a temporary visit. Where and when will I make my home?
Randy- Civilization gives us different ideas about what to think, and what we should do and not do.
What a world we live in, full of time limits, of pressure, of worry, of discomfort and so many ideas that do not let us live peacefully with our surroundings.
Ruby-La Chunga is so much a part of me but is also becoming more and more distant as I sink back into the world I knew before.
