EMBERÁ WOUNAAN COMMUNITIES OF RÍO CHAGRES

From the 1950s onwards, many Emberá and Wounaan families from Darién and Colombia fled the conflict zones to settle in communities on the banks of the Chagres. The creation of the national park in 1985 protected the increasingly threatened flora and fauna, but also transformed the lives of the Amerindians living along the river. Emberá and Wounaan have had to abandon their traditional livelihoods, based on fishing, hunting and slash-and-burn farming, to comply with the park's environmental constraints, which prohibit or severely restrict these activities.

In order to continue living in their villages and not be forced to migrate to the outskirts of Panamá, communities organized themselves in the late 1990s to receive tourists. Today, the communities of Parará Purú, Emberá Purú and Emberá Drúa, among others, make their living almost exclusively from welcoming tourists. On the program: transfer by pirogue, welcome dance, botanical trails, swimming, traditional meal and handicraft sales... You're sure to fall for it, so take plenty of cash in small denominations.

But don't expect to be the only tourists. Virtually all agencies offer this "tour" by the day, and some tourists also go on their own after booking online. It's always possible to extend the experience by staying overnight (something groups rarely do). You'll then have plenty of time to exchange ideas and discover the culture of this endearing people. Accommodation is usually in a traditional, open-sided hut on stilts. Access is via a staircase carved out of a tree trunk. Mattresses and mosquito nets are provided.

If these communities are accustomed to receiving tourists, always ask permission before taking photos, and behave respectfully. Most Indians no longer live half-naked in their daily lives, but if they show you their traditional way of life, it's because they're honoring you in this way. It's the best way of preserving a culture that would otherwise probably be forgotten. Last but not least, you'll see that they take great pleasure in these occasions, and know how to share it!