Although most people plan to visit the canal when in Panama, we knew we wanted to take a tour to one of the Embera Indian villages. When researching tours, I ran across Anne Gordon’s website and knew immediately that I wanted to do one of her tours. Here is the information from her website:
Anne Gordon was an animal trainer for film & TV for over 20 years when she was hired in early 2004, to work on a film "The End of the Spear" to be shot in the jungles of Panama.
The production company had contracted to use the Embera' tribe as their actors for this real life story. Anne got to know many of the Embera' people and fell in love with their quality of life and how warm and open hearted they are. And as fate would have it she is now married to one of the Embera' men from the village of Embera' Puru.
Anne has been fully accepted as one of the family and tribe by Otniel's family and tribe members. She has the unique position as an insider into tribal life and culture as well as knowing what interests you have as a tourist viewing the Embera' and their lifestyle as a visitor from the "modern" world.
The movie that Anne was involved in, “End of the Spear”, depicted the story of five missionaries who were speared to death in Ecuador in the 1950’s as they tried to minister to a tribe known for their extreme violence. Bob and I had gone to this movie when it was released and purchased it on DVD later. This movie had personal significance to us…we have several close friends who have been involved in the lives of these missionaries…and one friend who actually was born in Shell, Ecuador and lived in the home of one of the missionaries.
Knowing that Anne had the connection to “End of the Spear” and was married to one of the Embera men convinced me that she would be the perfect guide for us. I was thrilled when she answered my email saying she was available and could spend the day with us in Panama.
I was a bit nervous when we docked in Panama and Anne was not there.
There were lots of tour guides who were persistently trying to get our business, but when I explained that we already had a tour arranged, one nice man was kind enough to call Anne at the cell phone number she had given me. Anne was on her way and was running just a bit late due to traffic (she was traveling from Panama City to Colon to meet us). Anne and her husband split their time between living in the Embera village and in Panama City. In order to run her tour business she needs electricity, phone service and internet…none of which are available in the jungle village.
She arrived shortly and we climbed into her car and headed out through the city of Colon. As we drove, Anne pointed out things and answered our many questions. The original plan was for us to visit her husband’s village…but due to low water levels, the Panama Canal had been draining off water from surrounding rivers. And due to the low water levels, traveling by canoe to the village would take too long…perhaps a couple of hours. Since our time was very limited, she had arranged for us to visit a closer village instead…the Embera Quera village.
Eventually Anne pulled over to the side of the busy road and pointed down a steep embankment to a river. This was where the canoe was to pick us up…but the road down to the water had washed away. She left us to walk down to the water while she found a safe place to park her car.
A couple of small dugout canoes at the boat landing:
When she joined us, she made a cell phone call to the village…and yes…they did have cell phones! After about 10 or 15 minutes, a canoe arrives…with two men in loin cloths. The dugout canoe was made from a single log and had rustic benches that one of the men set up for us to sit on.
The man running the motor introduced himself as “Johnson”. I commented on what a different name that was. He explained (and Anne translated) that someone had given his father an outboard motor (Evinrude/Johnson)…and he was named for the motor!
As we were pulling away from the shore, two other couples from the ship came running down the hill yelling at us to wait. As they were climbing in, their guide followed and joined the group. I was disappointed that we were now sharing our “private tour”…but decided I wouldn’t let it spoil my day.
A short distance down the river…the motor on the canoe quit. Johnson worked to get it started…but no luck.
As we were drifting down the river, a second larger canoe came by…also piloted by two guys in loin cloths from the village. They pulled up alongside our canoe and we carefully transferred over to the other boat…all the while hoping that we didn’t capsize because who knew what lurked under that muddy water.
As we sailed away Johnson was still working on his motor...
The trip down the river took about 30 minutes or so. Along the river we past other dugout canoes tied to the shore and brahma bulls grazing in the tall grass.
The canoe took a sharp turn into a very small channel leading through a marshy area. This eventually opened up into a large, shallow lake.
As we crossed the lake, the huts of the village came into view…and looked like something from the pages of National Geographic.
We were greeted by the Embera men playing flutes and drums. The women and young children were lined up in their finest clothes to say hello.
In the background of this last photo you can see a guy in shorts and a t-shirt. He was a Peace Corp volunteer living in the village. He was there to help the Embera develop their tourism business.
Anne knew many of the people by name and introduced us…several of them had been actors in the movie and she explained what part they had played. Right away Bob spotted the village pet monkey. Anne warned him that the monkey loved to get picked up…but HATED to be put down. He walked over to the tree where the monkey was tied and then next thing you know…Bob had a new best friend!
And Anne was right...Bob had quite the time trying to pry the monkey off. The monkey had four "hands" and a tail...and knew how to use them well!
The Embera had all congregated in the “hospitality hut” and Bob started passing out the candy and punching balls that we had brought.
Adults and kids alike enjoyed the candy. We also took a bag of toiletry items…shampoo, soap, etc. that we gave to the Embera women.
Here are some of the guys comparing and trading the candy.
A couple of women were working on preparing our lunch. One was folding banana leaves into “dishes” to serve the food.
Another was preparing yucca.
Anne pulled us away from the others and we took a walk around the village with one of the men…Anne explained he was the second chief in command. As we walked he pointed out many different kinds of plants and explained how they were used for medical purposes…Anne translated.
While we were on this walk, we met Marco…a teenage boy who had played the role of Mincayani as a boy in the movie. (Mincayani was the Indian who had speared the missionaries…and later was converted to Christianity through contact with the missionaries’ families.) Marco had just returned to the village after spending a year as an exchange student in Kansas City. He was the only Embera who spoke English, so we truly enjoyed being able to visit with him during the day.
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| Marco as he appeared in the movie "End of the Spear" |
Here is Marco on the soccer field at the village. He told us he had made the varsity soccer team at the high school in Kansas City.
As we walked through the village we came to a small stream.
Anne explained that the river was used for bathing. The white blob in the water next to the bucket was actually fish heads & skins…they had been cleaned here in preparation for our lunch.
A tour group from “My Friend Mario” had arrived at the village and we all gathered in the hospitality hut to eat the fish and yucca that the women had prepared. The fish was delicious...some of the best I have ever eaten. The yucca...not so much. :eek:
After the meal, Anne narrated while the chief explained about their life stye and the crafts that the women made.
The Embera are noted for their tightly woven baskets…so tight in fact, they are water proof. These girls were busy working on baskets while the chief spoke.
Several tables were filled with crafts for sale…each table the work of a different woman. I thought the baskets and jewelry were beautiful…and very reasonable in price.
Here is Marco's mother holding the basket that I bought from her.
When the chief was done talking, the musicians started playing. The women and men each did separate dances…and then as couples or families.
They also asked all of the visitors to join in on one dance. I am short…but still towered over my partner!
One of the plants we had seen was used to make ink for tattoos…so of course Bob wanted to give it a try. One of the boys mixed the ink in a hollow bamboo stem and applied it to Bob’s arm with a sliver of bamboo.
The results were not the greatest…Bob was very sweaty and hairy…a bad combination. Also it started to rain lightly and this caused the ink to run even more. Our kids just rolled their eyes when they saw dad’s tattoo! After two weeks...it has finally pretty much disappeared.
Mario’s group did not stay long after the dancing. Bob and Marco took off hiking into the jungle and Anne and I climbed to the top of the “guest hut” and visited while I relaxed in the hammock.
Bob had fun spending time alone with Marco. Here Marco is climbing a tree to pick a mango for Bob!
Marco (on the right) and his brother...both acted in the movie "End of the Spear"...
Don't let the angelic faces fool you...kids are kids no matter where they live. This little girl thought it was so funny to repeatedly hit us with the punching balls! I can still hear her giggles...
The little boys playing...
The chief chopping wood...notice the prosthetic leg with a "native foot" attached.
Earlier in the day, the guide that had come with the other four from the ship left. Since they had rushed to join us in the canoe that morning, he had just left his car on the side of the busy highway and was worried it was going to be towed. He told them he would meet them when they got back.
When they got ready to leave, Anne suggested we join them in the canoe since it was starting to rain. She said if we left then, she would have time to take us to see the canal and locks…something we hadn’t planned to do.
There was a light rain falling as we made our way back in the canoe…but I had brought along some ponchos so we weren’t affected. The ride back was peaceful and pleasant.
Once back at the boat landing…the other guide was nowhere to be found. Basically the four people were stranded on the side of the busy highway not knowing what to do.
Anne managed to squeeze all six of us in her small SUV…but apologized to us quietly for having to “share” our tour once again. Even though the other 4 had already visited the canal, she followed through on her plans to take us there…and they were stuck going again. Somehow their guide was able to get Anne’s cell number and eventually caught up with us at the canal demanding to be paid. I’m not sure how the rest of the day played out for those folks…but it has convinced me picking up a guide at the dock can be risky!
Seeing the canal was a bonus…it wasn’t a priority to us, but to be so close and not get a chance to see it would have been a shame. I have seen locks in operation in Kentucky and Michigan…but being at the Panama Canal was seeing one of the wonders of the world…and a special piece of history.
We were lucky enough to see three boats go through the locks in the short time we were there and learn some of the facts of how the canal operates.
Here is one of the ships just starting into the first lock...
The same ship as the water level in the lock is rising...
The mules (the locomotive looking things) are tied to the ship on each side. They travel along a track on the side of the locks to keep the ship centered. This prevents the ship from banging into the sides of the lock.
We were to be back on board by 3:30 and Anne returned us to the dock at 3:00. As we hugged and said good-bye we talked of returning sometime…perhaps to spend more time with the Embera. Bob is even talking of an extended visit where he can bring medical supplies and train the Embera in some basic first aid practices.
There are many duty-free shops at the pier in Colon…but we were tired and dirty and opted to just grab a t-shirt in the shop that we walked through to board the Freedom.
Our day in Panama was the highlight of the cruise for us. I realize that much of what we saw in the village was “tourist entertainment”…but still you have to marvel at these people who live the way their ancestors have lived for many, many years. And…I can’t imagine any better way to experience the Embera people than with the personal touch that comes from visiting the village with Anne Gordon.
