THE EMBERÁ

The Emberá is an indigenous group that has historically inhabited the Darien jungle, with some of its members eventually migrating to small settlements in the Panama Canal watershed, along the Chagres River.

They have managed to maintain elements of their cultural identity, such as their own language, a lifestyle close to nature, native dances, and the use of body paint made from dyes obtained from the jagua tree. For clothing, they usually wear loincloths, skirts, and necklaces made with chaquiras. Women also decorate parts of their clothing with coins inherited from their parents or ancestors.

Due to their geographical location, villages often lack electricity and general amenities of urban development. Their diet comes from agriculture and fishing, while in some villages, the main source of income is ecological tourism. Their ancestral wisdom includes natural medicine based on forest plants and the figure of the cacique, who serves as the community authority.