Trip to the Comarca

Becky and two friends took a trip into the Comarca to visit a Peace Corps volunteer they had met. In Panama, the indigenous people have been given control over large areas called "Comarcas". They are similar to a reservation in the US. In Panama there are three groups of indigenous people who have no real connection with each other: the Kuna who live on the Caribbean coast and are known for the Mola textiles, the Emberra/Wounaan who live in the Darien jungle in Eastern Panama and the Ngobe/Bugle who live in Western Panama in the mountains. Of the three groups, the Kuna have the most interaction with the rest of the population.

Since we live in Western Panama, we see many Ngobe/Bugle people in town. They come to the coffee fincas to work. The women wear distinctive clothing that is very colorful. Despite the fact that some work as laborers, the majority of the people are very poor and live in quite primitive conditions. It was there our friend, Stephanie, was working to assist with more efficient agriculture. In addition to the Peace Corps, many of the local charities do provide help for these people but their existence on the Comarca remains very primitive.

The road we took to the town of Hato Chame was amazingly awful for about 70 kilometers! Much of it looked like a creek bed strung with boulders going up and down steep grades clinging to the edge of the mountain. We had rented an SUV, since no one wanted to punish their own vehicle and Marilyn did an amazing job of driving while Fene and I just hung on for dear life and tried to focus on the beautiful and dramatic scenery.

We visited with Stephanie, went to visit a school and deliver some canned goods and cookies that we brought for the kids, and ate a picnic lunch we had packed (with a much appreciated bottle of cold wine) with Stephanie in her basic (and I can't imagine how a young lady from Connecticut survived three years living here!) hut. No electricity, no running water and a pit toilet.

Marilyn took a lot of photos of the children who enthusiastically posed for a few pieces of hard candy. They were so bright and bubbly. They do face, however, an uncertain future. As they become more involved with the rest of the country they fall prey to all the problems -- HIV among them. The government does provide schools and some medical assistance but they do depend a great deal on charitable organizations as well.

We headed down the mountain prior to rain hitting and on our way passed a line of laundry hanging, on a promontory near a hut, and that was the inspiration for my painting "Laundry Day in the Comarca." The contrast of the bright colors and the vast rugged green landscape was stunning.

As we turned the rental car in, we all agreed that while it was fascinating, we really didn't need to do it again!

Stephanie, for her part, has ended her assignment and is on her way to Peru to study Quechua, the Inca language that is spoken only by a few people in the area around Macchu Pichu.