A salsa rhythm filled the warm, humid air as I danced to the resounding beat, punctuated by a soft tropical rain. My dance experience was unlike any I could have possibly imagined. I wasn’t in a crowded club in the city but under a thatched canopy in a dense Panama jungle with members of a local indigenous tribe.
The instruments that created the salsa sound—bamboo flutes, wood- and deerskin-covered drums, gourds with seeds or stones for maracas, and turtle shells—were handmade by the Embera people of Purn Village, located within Panama’s massive Chagres National Park.
The Embera are just one of Panama’s seven indigenous tribes that comprise 6 percent of the country’s population. Since 1984 when the area became a national park, the indigenous people have been selling their woven and wood-carved crafts to tourists.
Erito, head of tourism in the village, said that despite challenges establishing continuing education for their children, living within the park has been beneficial.
“We are happy to live here,” he said. “We have a lake for fishing, can hunt for food, and the forests supply our agriculture.”
I felt welcomed by these open-hearted people, as we lunched on fried chicken and plantains wrapped in a banana leaf and fresh papaya and pineapple plucked from a nearby tree.
This tropical rainforest, which provides the main source of fresh water for the Panama Canal, is two hours away from Panama City by car and a 30-minute trip on a hand-carved canoe. This lush, emerald world was just one of many memorable moments beginning my customized week’s tour with Panama Vacations exploring authentic Panama, the canal, and beyond.
