The seven Native American facets
What is striking about Panamá is the diversity of its so-called "first", "indigenous" or "native" peoples, but also their constant struggle for recognition of their ancestral rights, right from the arrival of the Spanish on the isthmus in the 16th century. The violent and disastrous conquest disrupted their community life, beliefs and relationship with the land, leading to forced displacement and sporadic discrimination. Today, seven distinct Amerindian groups represent around 8% of the population. Thanks to exemplary resistance, their rights are recognized by the Constitution and a body of legislation that defines the boundaries of six autonomous regions known as "comarcas". State recognition was reinforced by the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in 2007. A land and legal arsenal designed to protect them from any changes to the boundaries or management of these territories, but which is in fact being abused by economic interests eager to extract the riches from their subsoil. It's a challenge that undermines the precarious existence of these communities, many of which belong to the country's most disadvantaged classes.
The Guaymí include the Ngäbe and Buglé (or Bokotá), numbering some 225,000 individuals. Strongly linked by the same rituals, the same dress and the same cacique, differences persist in terms of language, beliefs and spiritual references.
The Ngäbe, who are more numerous, are spread over three provinces (Chiriquí, Bocas del Toro, Veraguas) in areas that are sometimes difficult to access, at the heart of the Ngäbe-Buglé comarca, which was granted to them in 1997. Initially founded on exchanges and cooperative work, these communities often live on the modest fruits of subsistence farming, sometimes supplemented by livestock rearing or fishing. And while many work on plantations, this is not enough to ensure a decent income, especially as it is not uncommon to find households with more than six children, while infant mortality is five times higher than in the rest of the country. Problems of access to healthcare are often linked to geographical isolation, as well as low literacy rates. The picture is one of an often introverted community, unwilling to mix for fear of being subjected to new acts of barbarism, even within their own homes; women often have to contend with alcoholism and domestic violence. Unlike the Buglé, the Ngäbe can be polygamous.
There are an estimated 25,000 Buglé in the provinces of Veraguas and Bocas. Women also dress in nangún, long dresses decorated with appliques and traditional motifs. Also practiced by the Ngäbe, certain ritual ceremonies(balsería), which once brought the entire community together, seem to be disappearing. While a few festivities punctuate the end of sowing or harvesting, or the puberty of young girls, their organization depends on the income of families, who often cannot afford such expenses.
The Guna. The majority of the Tule people, some 80,000 strong, live in three comarcas in the north-east of the country . The best-known, Guna Yala, is visited by many tourists drawn by its paradise islands. Madungandi, in the Bayano river basin, Panamá province, is home to twelve communities. Wargandi is certainly the least well-known due to its isolation. In Darien, three communities live away from Western influences. But many Guna have chosen to live in the capital or the rest of the country, in the restaurant business, selling molas..
Their fight for the right to be consulted, and against the idea that indigenous peoples are an obstacle to the economic development and progress of any nation, has greatly contributed to improving the representation of all Amerindian communities before the government. In 1945, the drafting of the San Blas Organic Charter formalized and institutionalized the role of the Guna General Congress with the Panamanian authorities. In 1953, with the approval of Law 16, the collective rights of the Guna over their territory were legally recognized.
The Chocoe are home to some 35,000 Emberá and 8,000 Wounaan, who are difficult to distinguish for the uninitiated. These two linguistic groups share a similar history and culture. The comarca that has been home to them since 1983 is divided into two zones in the Darién. Once nomadic, they live along the rivers and have now settled down to raise their children. While their cohabitation has never posed any problems, relations with the Guna have historically been more strained; the latter are said to have expelled them from their lands in the 18thcentury following conflicts of interest.
Among the Chocoe, the noko, generally the eldest man in the village, accompanied by the jaibaná or chamán, used to be the highest authority. Today, more democratic principles have been introduced. Although they live mainly in the forest, their dress codes have evolved, but in some isolated communities or those welcoming tourists, the men still wear a simple piece of cloth, and the women are bare-chested, with a strip of fabric (the paruma) tied around the waist like a pareo.
The Téribe or Naso people, around 4,000 strong, live isolated on the banks of the Teribe and San San ríos in the province of Bocas. Their distinctive feature is that they are represented by a king! Chosen in the past on the basis of his warrior skills, the king today must come from the Santana lineage, which has already produced thirteen monarchs. The last representative, Reynaldo Santana, who is responsible for representing his people in dealings with the Panamanian authorities, experienced a historic moment in December 2021: the official creation of the Naso Tjër-Di comarca.
The Bri-bri. Present along the border, on the banks of the Yorkin and Sixaola ríos, the bulk of their community is in Costa Rica, where they number around 10,000. On the Panamanian side, they have no territory of their own, and there are barely a thousand of them, which is why they are often lumped together with the Guaymí group.
Migration in search of opportunities
Whether it's the transit of precious commodities, the cultivation of agricultural resources, the construction of roads and railways or the canal, there has been no shortage of work sites in the country's history... and it seems that the list of opportunities is still long for those wishing to try their luck in Panama.
The first significant wave of migration was that of the Spanish conquistadores. But going to Panama wasn't always an option for everyone. In the 16th and 17th centuries, there were many needs to accompany the transit of trade on the camino real routes, favoring the African slave trade.
It was in the mid-19th century, following the abolition of slavery, that a new migration began. With the emancipation of the slaves having hit the sugar plantations of the Caribbean islands hard, the deteriorating economic situation required new outlets. Settlers and freed blacks alike were drawn to the Bocas coast, some to create new plantations, others to fish for turtles...
In 1850, the Gold Rush, which mobilized many Americans and Europeans, led to the construction of the Panamanian railroad and the arrival of workers from Jamaica and Grenada. Germans, French, Irish and Austrians also took part, along with some 3,000 Chinese. The project was physically and morally demanding for all concerned, and resulted in many casualties. The Chinese community was not spared. Attached to their traditions, they had come with plenty of rice, tea and opium to lighten their daily routine. The Americans abruptly stopped this practice, citing the need to enforce federal drug laws. The community was gradually overcome by melancholy, leading to a human tragedy in the form of mass depressions and mass suicides. One of the deadliest was the Matachín massacre in 1856.
This tragic page in history did not encourage the French to hire Asians for the construction of the canal, preferring to rely on a workforce recruited in Venezuela, the West Indies and Jamaica. As for the Americans, when work resumed following the bankruptcy of the French canal, they gave preference to men from Barbados to avoid paying the recruitment tax imposed by the Jamaican government, which meant that, in the event of another failure, they could finance the repatriation of these islanders. In reality, however, the majority came from Jamaica or the other Caribbean islands. At the same time, there were almost 12,000 Europeans. As soon as the work was completed, many blacks were hired in Bocas, on the United Fruit Company's banana plantations. Some remained in the Canal Zone as employees of the Americans, while others settled permanently in Colón. Conversion was not easy for everyone.
Today, the black population is concentrated mainly along the Caribbean coast, but also in the capital. As for the Asian community, it grew particularly strong between the 1970s and 1980s, and today specializes in numerous small businesses (restaurants, laundries, grocery stores, casinos, etc.).
An aging population
It may not be obvious when you're walking around the capital... but it could be if you're heading to Chiriquí, and more specifically to Boquete, voted one of our favorite destinations in the "prosperous retirement" category. Since a few Americans discovered the town, word has spread fast... Thousands have now settled here. Real estate projects are flourishing and land prices are skyrocketing. Numerous residences, designed to ensure the happiness of these new retirees (golf course, therapeutic center, places of worship, swimming pool...), are built by Americans for Americans. It seems that the composition of Panama's population is not set in stone, and government measures to encourage these new expatriates to settle here are no coincidence. A law passed in 1987 confers a whole series of financial and tax advantages on retired women over 55 and men over 60. It's better not to wait until the legal retirement age in France!
