Chichime
Lynn & Mike ..around the world
Mike Drinkrow & Lynn v/d Hoven
Mon 13 Jun 2011 17:30
09:35.25N 078:52.84W
Chichime, Kuna Yala (San Blas)
We arrived into the San Blas Islands few days ago. This 80nm long
archipelago of over 300 islands is the autonomous region of the Kuna people.
These beautiful islands are small and flat, covered with coco-palms,
surrounded by white beaches, The local families live in huts made of cane and
palm leaves, no man-made construction materials are used. Remarkably
these huts stay dry in the torrential tropical rainfall.
While officially part of Panama, the region is run completely to tribal
law. Each island run by a congression of up to 3 chiefs, with tribal medicine,
custom and their own unique language. While all the chiefs seem to be men, the
custom has the man moving into his wife's family home, and the women control the
finances. The Kuna have fought hard to maintain their culture and still
live as their ancestors did many years ago, fishing and collecting coconuts.
Non-Kuna people are prohibited from settling here, or from marrying into the
Kuna.
The Kuna are also very famous for their unique art.. the Mola. These
are 2, 4 or 5 layers panels of fabric that are decorated with appliqué and
embroidery. A pair of panels are traditionally made for the front and back
of a shirt - but have become very popular with collectors for wall hangings or
cushion covers. The detailed delicate work is quite incredible with thousands of
perfect stitches on each panel, depicting local animals and traditional
patterns. The traders are quite persistent rowing out on their dugout canoes,
and well aware of the value of a good mola, which can fetch $100. Yesterday we
were visited by Venancio, a master mola maker who showed us and sold us, some of
his best work. Sadly the photo cannot show all the detail of the
work.
We are anchored between two small islands, Uchutupu Pipagua & Uchutupu
Dummet, each with one family in a few huts. Although not that busy, there is a
fair amount of traffic passing though, particularly yachts filled with
back-packers taking the scenic route to Cartegena. There is no way from
Panama to Columbia by land through the Darian Gap - a thickly forested
area on the south east side of Panama, as a road has never been built. So
there is brisk business in transporting people, bikes and motorcycles via
private yacht. For $450, the travelers get a food, a bed/ hammock and a
whistle-stop tour of the San Blas islands on a 4 day trip to Cartegena.
We will move on to another one of these scenic islands later today
- this is where we are anchored |