A Traditional Embera Greeting

A visit to a Panamanian Embera village will leave you feeling like you have stepped back in time. These friendly, smiling people live with less than you or I could imagine, yet they are some of the happiest people you could hope to meet.

This story was sent to Panama Travels by Anne Gordon, an American woman who has a very unique perspective of life with the Embera.

Spending time in an Embera village, whether it be for a day or overnight, or even longer, is an experience you will never forget. It is just like stepping in to a National Geographic magazine. The Embera people are warm, open hearted and welcoming people who have the quality of life the rest of us in the “modern” world are looking for. They may not have much money or electricity, but they are truly happy people who are quick to laugh and human touch is a common occurrence, even between the men. The children are never wanting for a lap to climb in to and always have friends to play with. There is no such thing as daycare.

Linda, A Young Embera Girl

I have seen the children happily playing for hours with a pinwheel they have constructed from a leaf and a spine found growing in the village, or with a boat carved out of wood by their father, or a plastic water bottle left behind by a tourist. The children eagerly play with their younger brothers and sisters. Even the teenage boys love to hold and play with the babies and toddlers. When I explained to a few of the 16-17 year old boys that the teenage boys in the United States never play with the babies, these loving young men looked at me in complete incomprehension and asked me, “Why? Why wouldn’t they want to play with the babies?”. 

Embera Women (The Author’s Mother In Law On The Far Left)

I first came to Panama in 2004 working as an animal trainer for a movie being filmed here (The End Of The Spear).  We used the Embera as many of the actors in the film so I got to spend a lot of time with them on set and spent many weekends with them in their villages. As fate would have it, I met, and am now married to an Embera man. I feel extremely lucky and truly blessed to be completely welcomed and accepted into the Embera tribe, as I have been.

The Author With Her Husband Otniel

The Embera have all been to the city but choose to live in their traditional villages in the jungle as they have for centuries. To maintain their lifestyle they have now opened up their villages to tourists so you can get to know and visit the Embera people that I have come to know and love. The great thing about tourism is that it allows the tribe to continue living as they choose and places a value on maintaining their traditions and culture.

Written By: Anne Gordon

To arrange a tour or for more information about the Embera of Panama go to www.emberavillagetours.com.

  

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Filed under: Culture, News on October 22nd, 2008