Kuna People
Rhiann Marie - Round the World
Stewart Graham
Fri 5 Mar 2010 15:45
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What a day we have had ! This is what I had
imagined the San blas Islands to be. We have arrived at Mamatupu, it is a
beautiful bay with coral reefs and palm lined beaches. With the village built on
one of the small islands in the middle of the bay. The men and boys in the
conoes are all very friendly and happy to wave a greeting to you (unlike the
three men in the canoe this morning at the bay where we had the prop problem).
They ignored my two seperate attempts to wave a greeting to them. They must have
been having a bad morning or something. They are very happy to come up to the
boat to see if you want anything. One fellow offered Stewart limes which Stewart
thought we could do with buying and made the mans day by buying 4 limes for a
Dollar, this set the man off laughing to himself and very happy. Another
young boy came up to the boat and was very friendly, asking where we came
from, and then asked if we had any magazines or papers. Stewart gave him a
sailing mag and that seemed to make the boys day as he paddled off trying to
read it at the same time.
We had some lunch then an official man, the village
sahila, came out to the boat so that we would pay an anchoring fee of
$5. He told us that we were welcome to visit the village in the
afternoon.
The visit to the village was such a wonderful and
humbling experience. There were men working on the beach as we pulled up in the
dingy. All of them were cheery and welcoming. We walked along the path to
stroll through the village and what a suprise it was. The people were very
freindly and all smiles. We were very quickly surounded by small children some
with clothes on some without. They all wanted to say "hola!" and give us a high
five hand salute. We don't think that "hola" is the right greeting, but all
the children wanted to say it to us and get a turn at the high five thing. It
seemed to prove that they were not scared of us especially the very young
ones. The women were in taditional dress of very brightly coloured
braclets all up there legs and their arms, with very brightly coloured molas
- hand sown picture panels - tops and short skirt. They also had very
short black hair and tatoos on the bridge of their noses with very red circles
on their cheeks. Some had a ring through their nose and others had some very
nice gold jewlery, necklaces and earings.
We were amazed to see that they lived in such
primitive conditions. The huts were all very close together with narrow paths
between them. They had all manner of chickens and pigs around them. We caught
glimses inside some of them, to see a hammock with maybe a man holding a baby or
older children looking after the smaller ones. The women all seemed to be busy
at something or other. Once we started to hand out a few bits and pieces we soon
had a big crowd of children and some of the women. They were very polite and not
pushy. We gave an old woman a bag of rice and some cooking oil, and she was made
up that we chose her. Then we gave one of the mothers of the children some
colouring pens and note books to share out with the kids. Other times as we
walked along and there wasn't too many about we would give out some lollies to
some of the kids and different bits and pieces of things for the little girls
hair.
We went to the mens meeting hut, the
"congresso", to ask permision to travel up the river tomorrow which they
were happy to give, but like you to ask first.
On or way back to our dingy we met an old man with
a machete, choppping away at a log. Stewart asked what he was making and we
were told he was making a new paddle for his canoe, in Spanish, and that it
would take thtree days to make. Stewart had a Gael Force pocket knife
and gave it to the old man who thanked him very much with a big smile and firm
hand shake.
Our experience in the village was fantastic, I
loved to see so many small children all looking very happy with life and so
freindly to visitors. I think that they enjoyed looking at us as much as we were
facinated with them.
We did not take out our camera, but I am hoping to
go back to the village today after we have been up the river to explore and
ask if they will let us take some photos. I just don't want to offend them in
any way. They are such proud looking people. Especially the
women.
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