BERNIE KATCHOR’s Web Site

Kunas celebrate the victory against Panama

Villages brew an alcoholic drink Chicha with many traditions. When the experts agree on the actual minute it is ready grand parties occur with dancing and celebration of a marriage or woman reaching puberty.

Skippy, our inflateable Kangaroo, was always welcome at these parties

We often helped villages. Yvonne is shown tending a child’s ringworm and after a house fell down (because 14 visiting relatives hung hammocks from the walls) we ferried house building material and a new house was completed in 3 days.

Yvonne had an attractive waistcoat made from 4 molas. The Kuna women often did fine needle work (100 stitches to the inch)

Some inland rivers ran at 12 miles an hour. These Indians are forcing their canoe upstream

Competition Canoe racing between villagers is strong. These Indians have trapezes to get more speed.

Amerindians migrated from Mongolia to North and South America. We walked on wide trails that must have been orriginal from this migration which started approx 70,000 yrs ago.

Here a log bridge has been built over swamp. It was fascinating to see farmers run accross it carrying bananas.

Every year the victory is celebrated

In 1925 the Kunas revolted against Panama’s effort to ‘destroy’ the Kuna culture. The Kunas won the war and have complete control of Kunayale as well as all the benefits of Panamanian citizenship. The Kuna socialist culture is very strong and the Silah and elders control the village. For example permission from the Silah is necessary for a villager to go to Panama. Taxes on farms. Sadly some missionaries have churches but Silahs do restrict these and the Kunas real gods are still observed.