Figure 1.--The Embera People are one of the few Central American tribes to survice the Spanish conquest and colonial rule. The principal reasoin was their isolated location-- the Darién, These Embera children continue to live in the Darién (southeastern Panama and morthwestern Colonbia). Older boys wear colored loincloths, but these younger children are 'wearing' only their body paintings.

Central America in geographic terms is part of North America. Etnographic studies of North America commonly focus primarily on American and Canadian tribes and those of northern Mexico. Central America is often not considered. This is in part because American anthropolgists have focused primarily on those tribes found within the United States. The Maya dominated much of northern Central America. The Central American tribes south of the Mayan areas were relatively small and primitive. Most disappeared as a result of Spanish slave raiding and exposure to European diseases. This was the same fate as the Arawaks and Caribs in the Caribbean. One of the few tribes to survive south of the Mayan areas are the Cuna. The Cuna are a matriarchial tribe inhabiting the isolated San Blas Archipelago, along the Caribbean coast of Panama. Some believe the Cuna were related to the Caribs who inhabited some of the Caribbean islands. Decision are made by the women and family lineage follows that of the woman's family. The Cuna perhaps because of their isolated island homeland have retained much of their traditional culture and have resisted assimilation into the modern world and Panamanian society. Columbus entered the Boca del Toro area of western Panama on his fourth and last voyage (1502). He is known to have landed on some of the islands. This appears to have been before the Cuna arrived, fleeing both the Spanish and other native America tribes in what is now Colombia. The Cuna are virtualy all that are left of the Native American civilization that Columbus and Spanish conquistadores encountered in southern Central America and the Caribbean. The Cuna practice a democratic lifestyle and are largely self sufficient. The Cuna live in about 40 settlements on the about 365 islands that make up the San Blas Archipelago as well as the mainland. It cannot be said that the Cuna live just as the Spanish found them. They have accepted a variety of modern conveniences, but they have been very selective and have kept much of their ancient culture and traditions. The Cuna are note for their Mola embroideries.

Geography

Central America in geographic terms is part of North America. Tpoday the primary geographic interest is that the Istmus Panama is a major crossroads of world trade through the Canal. In Native Ameriucan terms northern Central America was part of one of the two major centers of civilization in the New World--Meso America. Unlike the Old Worls, there is considerable historical debate as to why Neso-America and the Andes were the craddkles of civilization. The other interesting geographic fact is that all of the people who would populate South America were funnled through Central America and the Darién Gap. There is no archaeological evidence to collaborate this, but it mist have occurred. It is generally thought that it involved several waves of small nomadic bands.

Ethnographic Studies

Etnographic studies of North America commonly focus primarily on American and Canadian tribes and those of northern Mexico. Central America is often not considered. This is in part because American anthropolgists have focused primarily on those tribes found within the United States.

The Maya

The Maya dominated much of northern Central America. The Maya are one of the best studied of the major pre-Colombian native American civilizations. Unlike the Aztecs and Incas, the Maya were a much older civilization which had passed its peak by the time of the encounter with the Europeans. The Maya first appear in the Yucatan Peninsula about 2600 B.C. They became a civiization of major importance about 250 AD in what is now southern Mexico, Guatemala, western Honduras, El Salvador, and northern Belize. Unlike the Inda and Aztecs, the Maya were not a centralized imperial state. There virtually independent city states were connected by extensive trade routes. The Maya show evidence of assimilating the technology and culture of previous civilizations which had developed to the north in moden Mexic, especially the Olmecs. The Maya are especially noteworthy for their achievements in astronomy, mathematics, accurate calendars, hieroglyphics, and archectecture. Mayan hieroglyphics,probably of Olmec origins, was the most sophisticated writing system in Meso-America. The Mayan archetectural heritage is especially impressive. Many sites in the Yucantan and northerm Central America include temple-pyramids, palaces, and observatories.

Southern Central America

The Central American tribes south of Meso-America and the Mayan areas were relatively small and primitive. Most disappeared as a result of Spanish slave raiding and exposure to European diseases. This was the same fate as the Arawaks (Tainos) and Caribs in the Caribbean. The Spanish conquest of Central America began in Panama. The first important Spanish colony in the Indies was Hispaniola. Most of the early Spanish expeditions in the Caribbean were conducted from Hispaniola with the purpose of finding gold and ontanining slaves to replaced the dwindling Taino populastion on the island. This included planting a colony at Darién which became modern Panama. Her Balboa first crossed the Istmus and found the Pacific Ocean (1513). The conquest of much of the rest of Central America occurred several decaded later and came from from the north, following Cortez's conquest of Mexico (1519-21).

Individual Tribes

The pre-Columbian tribes of Panama traded with both Meso-America and South America and thus can be considered transitional people between those two cultural areas. Tribes to the north of Panama fall within the Meso-American cultural otbit, especially that of the Maya. Very few of the tribes have survived into the modern era. The Panamania tribes here today occupy the bottle neck through which all the people who would ststle South America had to pass, either over the Darién or by small ceaft sea passage. The Embera and Cuna inhabit the Darién Province. They are not believed to be related to the people who made the transit, but rather to later arrivals. Indigenous peoples of Panama or Amer-Indians are about 12 percent pf he overall population of 3.4 million (2010). The Guaymí and Ngöbe-Buglé are the two largest Panamanian groups and comprise about half of the indigenous population. Many of the Panamanian Indigenous Peoples live on comarca indígenas, administrative regions for those areas with a sizeable Indigenous populations. Three comarcas (Comarca Emberá-Wounaan, Guna Yala, Ngöbe-Buglé) are essentially provinces. Two smaller comarcas (Kuna de Madugandí and Kuna de Wargandí) are a units within provinces and have the status of a corregimiento (municipality).

Cuna/Kuna

One of the few Native American tribes to survive south of the Mayan areas are the Cuna, often called the San Blas indians. The Cuna are a matriarchial tribe inhabiting the isolated San Blas Archipelago, along the Caribbean coast of Panama. Some believe the Cuna were related to the Caribs who inhabited some of the Caribbean islands. Decisions are made by the women and family lineage follows that of the woman's family. The Cuna perhaps because of their isolated island homeland have retained much of their traditional culture and have resisted assimilation into the modern world and Panamanian society. Columbus entered the Boca del Toro area of western Panama on his fourth and last voyage (1502). He is known to have landed on some of the islands. This appears to have been before the Cuna arrived, fleeing both the Spanish and other native America tribes in what is now Colombia. The Cuna are virtualy all that are left of the Native American civilization that Columbus and Spanish conquistadores encountered in southern Central America and the Caribbean. The Cuna practice a democratic lifestyle and are largely self sufficient. The Cuna live in about 40 settlements on the about 365 islands that make up the San Blas Archipelago as well as the mainland. It cannot be said that the Cuna live just as the Spanish found them. They have accepted a variety of modern conveniences, but they have been very selective and have kept much of their ancient culture and traditions. The Cuna are noted for their Mola embroideries.

Embera

The Embera People live in the rugged, isolated Darien Gap of southern Panama and northern Colombia (Choco Department). Ironically, Darién was one of the first areas on the South American mainland that Europeans attempted to settle. Europeans first reached the area (1501). Christopher Columbus sighted the area on his fourth voyage (1503). The Spanish established the first European colony in South America in the Darién--Santa María la Antigua del Darién (1510). Santa Maria did mot prove a sccess, but some of the survibors founded Panama City (1519). Spanish acrivities moved to the north and south which is why the Embera and Waounan were able to survive in Darién. The idsolstion prorectedcthem both from Spanish slave raiding and other contact which prevented contracting European diseases to which theyhad no immunity. The Emberá lifestyle in their forested territiry is primitive. Readers should not take this as proof the pre-conquest Emberá were primitive. Some Native American people apparently reverted to a priitive life style as a defense strategy to evade Spanish slave raiders. The Emberá live a subsistence-style life, hunting in the rain forest and low-lecel agriculture. The Panamanian government has declared the Rio Chagres a national park, in pat to protect the Emberá. The area is today called the Darien Gap because road construction in the area is difficult and costly, which even leaves a gap in the Pan-American Highway. The area is largely undeveloped swampland and forest which as a result separaties Panama's Darién Province and Colombia Choco Department. The Colombian side is dominated by the Atrato River Delta creating a flat marshland. The Panamanian side is different, a mountainous rain forest with peaks up to 1,845 m--Cerro Tacarcuna. This is the same area as the Waounan as well as few Cuna communities and growing numbers of latino (Panamanian) homesteaders attempting to estanlish farms and ranches, The remote, rugged Darién is why the Embera unlike mot Central American tribes have survived into the modern era. They are tofay under increasing pressure to maintain their culture and way of life. The Embera Prople are commonly bilingual in Embera and Spanish and quite a few have intermarried with Colombian blacks.

Waounan

The Embera and Waounan share the same territory as well as a range of cultural elements. The speak, however, different languages which means separate origins. And traditional ciultural orientation is markedly different. The Waounan have an artistic orientation. The Embera have a more warrior ethos.

Created: 6:33 PM 5/30/2010
Last updated: 7:16 AM 2/10/2011