Mythologies of the Kuna (Guna) Tribe
The Guna (also spelled Kuna or Cuna) are an indigenous people of Panama and Colombia. Guna people live in three politically autonomous comarcas or autonomous reservations in Panama, and in a few small villages in Colombia. There are also communities of Guna people in Panama City, Colón, and other cities. Most Guna live on small islands off the coast of the comarca of Guna Yala known as the San Blas Islands. The other two Guna comarcas in Panama are Kuna de Madugandí and Kuna de Wargandí. They are Guna-speaking people who once occupied the central region of what is now Panama and the neighboring San Blas Islands and still survive in marginal areas. In the Guna language, they call themselves Dule or Tule, meaning "people", and the name of the language is Dulegaya, literally "people-mouth". The term was in the language itself spelled Kuna prior to a 2010 orthographic reform, but the Congreso General de la Nación Gunadule since 2010 has promoted the spelling Guna. In Guna Yala, each community has its own political organization, led by a saila (pronounced "sigh-lah"). The saila is customarily both the political and religious leader of the community; he memorizes songs which relate the sacred history of the people, and in turn transmits them to the people. Decisions are made in meetings held in the Onmaked Nega, or Ibeorgun Nega (Congress House or Casa de Congreso), a structure which likewise serves both political and spiritual purposes. In the Onmaked Nega, the saila sings the history, legends, and laws of the Guna, as well as administering the day-to-day political and social affairs. The saila is usually accompanied by one or more voceros who function as interpreters and counselors for the saila. Because the songs and oral history of the Guna are in a higher linguistic register with specialized vocabulary, the saila's recitation will frequently be followed by an explanation and interpretation from one of the voceros in informal Guna language.
Kuna, Chibchan-speaking Indian people who once occupied the central region of what is now Panama and the neighbouring San Blas Islands and who still survive in marginal areas. In the 16th century the Kuna were an important group, living in federated villages under chiefs, who had considerable power, and engaging in warfare with each other and with neighbouring tribes. Agriculture was primarily based on slash-and-burn techniques, and there was extensive trade, mainly by canoe along the coast. They had a well-developed class system, with captives generally being enslaved. Important chiefs were carried in hammocks; their bodies were preserved after death and buried in large graves with their wives and retainers. Metallurgy was well developed, and numerous gold ornaments have been found in the graves, along with fine ceramics and ornaments of shell. The principal effects of European contact were to destroy the political superstructure of the Kuna and to modify the social and religious systems. In modern times they live in small villages and depend primarily on agriculture for subsistence, supplemented by fishing and hunting. Marriage is matrilocal, giving rise to extended families of several generations in which the son-in-law is under the authority of his wife’s father. Religion centres on shamans who cure the sick and practice various types of witchcraft. The sun and moon were formerly major deities, but the mythology has been much affected by European conceptions. The so-called white Indians of San Blas are actually albinos who constitute about 0.7 percent of the Kuna population and are not permitted to intermarry.
The Kuna call themselves Dule/Tule or Guna. With approx. 60.000 members the Kuna represent the biggest indigenous group in Panama, the worldwide second smallest people after the pygmies populate the 360 islands in the San Blas archipelago and the narrow strip on the Caribbean coast of Panama and Columbia since mid of 19th century. The Kuna call this region Kuna Yala, or Guna Yala – home of the Kuna. While the Kuna who settled in Panama City often work as cooks or unskilled workers, the Kuna in the traditional communities are still engaged in agriculture, fishing, and trading with coconuts. The biggest part of the financial power belongs to the women, who by selling their Molas are responsible for the main part of the family income. That led to a further concentration of power in favour of the women in the traditionally matriarchic society.For example the belongings and property are always handed down from mother to daughter, husbands have to move in with their parents in law and the puberty ceremony of the young girls is one the most important social events in each community. Another special feature is the highest rate of albinism. The pale skinned born Kuna are very special in the Kuna society and are often entrusted with political duties.
The native people living on the San Blas islands are the Kuna indians. They are a small but proud community of around 300.000 people in total. About 50.000 Kuna’s live on the 49 major islands of San Blas and are controlled by their own community leader called a Sahila. The eldest leaders of the Kuna live on the island Acuadup, this means Rock Island in the Kuna Language. The leaders on this island make all the main decisions for the other island and they help in trades and marriages with other Kuna communities. The Kuna mainly survive by fishing and harvesting fruits, especially coconuts. The Kuna’s also create art on their bodies and clothes that they call Molas. The main language spoken by the Kuna’s is Kuna but they also tend to speak Spanish and some of them which have been in contact with tourist speak English. The Kuna Indians are the native inhabitants of the autonomous region Kuna Yala of Panama. The Kuna’s mainly survive by allowing tourists on their islands and selling coconuts to the mainland and surrounding countries. On all the islands of San Blas grow Palm trees that provide plenty of coconuts that give a steady flow of income all year around for the Kuna’s. The tourists are only allowed on a couple of islands of San Blas and on these islands the Kuna provide food and stay for them all year around. The main flow of tourist gets to San Blas by boat from Colombia or Panama. Sailing the San Blas islands is a common tourist trip in the area. On one of the major islands named Chichime the Kuna run a hostel for tourist. This hostel provides open shelters with hammocks for a fee of around 10 US dollars, food is included in this price but drinks are not. A local drink that they sell to the tourist is the Coco Loco. The Coco Locois a fresh coconut filled with some rum and a straw.
Panama is a nation full of colorful imagery, from the aquamarine seas lapping at the country’s coastlines to the deep green canopy of rainforests shrouding its interior. But perhaps the most iconic example of its vibrancy is a traditional garment known as a mola. For centuries, the Guna (previously known as Kuna), an Indigenous group residing in Panama and parts of neighboring Colombia, have been creating colorfully embroidered clothing. A mola, which translates to “shirt” in the Guna language, is a piece of traditional dress typically worn by women and known for its bright colors and intricate designs depicting flowers, birds, reptiles, animals and other emblems indicative of Mother Nature. The textile art began in the San Blas Islands, an archipelago off the northern coast of Panama that’s part of the Guna Yala Region, where many Guna people continue to live.
The beloved San Blas Islands of Panama are home to the native people known as Kuna Indians. A small, tight-knit group of indigenous people, the community is only made up of around 300,000 in total, with 50,000 living on the 49 major islands of San Blas. The leader of the Kuna Indians in control of the islands is called a Sahila. The island known as Acuadup, which means Rock Island in the Kuna language, is home to the eldest leaders, who are the decision makers. The Kuna people fish and harvest fruits for survival. They also create magnificent art, which you see on their signature clothing called Molas – beautiful, kaleidoscopic, hand-woven masterpieces. The main language of the Kuna Indians is Kuna, though they also speak Spanish. Regular interaction with tourists helps them to speak a little English. That said, tourism and coconuts are the main sources of income for the Kuna people. However, it’s important to know that tourists are only allowed on a few of the San Blas islands, the others are private and exclusive to the Kuna Indians.
The Kuna people, also Cuna and Guna, refer to themselves as Dule or Tule, meaning "People "in Kuna language. The Gunas live mostly in the San Blas Islands, in north-east Panama, where they own three politically autonomous comarcas, sort of reservations, the Guna Yala , Madugandí and Wargandí. Some migrated to the country's main cities and others live in Colombia. In total, there are around 60.000 Gunas in the world. The Guna base their economy on agriculture, fishing and weaving traditional clothes which are exported internationally. They export lobsters and other fish, but they also consume imported foods and domestic animals. Coconut, plantains and cocoa are also exported, but tourism remains the primary income for the community on Guana Yala island. The typical housing structures are big and large thatched huts. These cans accommodate an entire family, including several generations. Solid tree trunks used as main pillars, bamboo poles for support, dry leaves for the roof and walls made out of bamboo or cane. Guna families follow matrilineal kinship, and after the marriage between a man and a woman, the groom takes the bride's last name. In Guna Yala, the "Saila" is the leader of each community political organization, with political and religious powers. He also keeps traditions alive by singing ancient songs to the community. Congress House, or Casa de Congreso, is a structure where decisions are made and where the community usually meet.
The Kuna people have passed down those traditions, stories, and their language orally, from one generation to the next. So as he puts them on paper, Don Jesús often runs into the challenge of sorting history from myth and fact from fiction, in additon to deciphering how it all is relevant to what it means to be Kuna today, in a world much different than that of his forebears. The Kuna culture precedes the arrival of the Spanish in the 15th century. Originally from Central and Western Colombia, they settled in their current home along the Caribbean coast of Panama over two hundred years ago, escaping assimilation and possible extermination at the hands of Spanish invaders and other indigenous groups. “In our culture, we believe the universe, and, as part of that, planet Earth, are interconnected — each part of the whole is equally important,” says Don Jesús. “If we removed the lungs, or the heart, or the brain from a human body, could it still function? Nabguana is the same. If you exploit its mineral kingdom, or its natural resources, the whole thing eventually collapses. It would spell the end of our planet.”
The Kuna are one of Panama's three major groups of indigenous peoples. Most of the Kuna live in the comarca (district) of San Blas, or Kuna Yala, along Panama's northern coast. Literally "Kuna Yala" means Kuna Land. The comarca of San Blas is the legal name of the region, but the Congreso General Kuna has petitioned the Panamanian government to have the name of the region officially changed to Kuna Yala. "Cuna" and "Kuna" are Spanish designations; the ethnonyms "Tule" and "Tulemala" are in the Kuna language. The comarca of San Blas lies along the north-eastern coast of Panama. It is comprised of a long, narrow strip of mainland jungle extending 200 kilometers along the coast and 15 to 20 kilometers inland and an archipelago of 365 small islands. A single road links San Blas to the Pan-American Highway and to the rest of Panama. The road is only passable in a four-wheel drive vehicle and, as of 1985, had not been used for regular transport of people or agricultural produce. Because of road conditions, most travel in and out of the region is by plane or boat. According to the 1980 Panamanian national census, the total population of San Blas was 28,567. There are fifty-four communities ranging in size from 70 to over 2,000 inhabitants each. Forty-two of these communities are located on small islands, ten are situated on the mainland coast, and two are inland, on the riverbanks. All the inhabited islands are no farther than about 1.5 kilometers from the mainland coast and the mouth of a freshwater river. Proximity to the coast makes daily travel possible from the islands to the Kuna's agricultural field on the mainland. Freshwater mainland rivers provide an easily accessible source of water for drinking, bathing, and washing clothes. In addition to the San Blas Kuna, or the Island Kuna, as they are called, there are Kuna who live outside the comarca. Approximately 10,000 Kuna live in Panama City and Colón, the two largest cities in Panama. Many of these individuals retain close ties with San Blas and consider the region their home. About ten other small villages, with a combined population of fewer than 2,000, are located in the Darién jungle.
The Guna* Indians (formerly known as the ¨Kuna Indians¨ or ¨Cuna¨**) are the amerindios, or indigenous people, of Panama and Colombia. The Guna primarily live between three politically autonomous reservations in Panama, called comarcas, most especially concentrated in the popular tourist destination of the San Blas Islands (also known as the Comarca de Kuna Yala or Guna Yala). They also live in communities in Panama City, Colón and also in other cities and towns throughout the country. Guna women are known for their colorful, daily, traditional form of dress made of gold bands, nose ring, leg beads, headscarves and molas, intricately woven textiles with geometric shapes on natural colors (as shown in the photo above). Molas have become an important symbol of Guna culture, and with tourism becoming particularly important for the Guna´s economy, the Guna women typically sell these increasingly trendy textiles in most public locations. These sturdy, well-sewn pieces take anywhere from a few weeks to 6 months to complete, and are beautiful souvenirs that are used as wall hangings, pillows, cloth purses, etc. by Panamanians as well. Most Guna women rely on the trade of molas as their primary source of income. As an autonomous province and with minimal interference from the national government, the Guna are the governing authorities of the San Blas archipelago and reside on 49 of the 378 islands. They wholeheartedly invite visitors to share in their crafts, dress, food, music, their culture and customs, and offer snorkeling and simple ecoturistic accommodations. The islands’ economy is based on tourism, coconut sales and fishing, including lobster, crab, squid and octopus.
The Kuna (also Cuna) Indians of Panama are a fascinating tribal society. In spite of historical pressure to become part of Panama and westernize their culture, they have managed to avoid the stress, bustle and complexities of their neighbors and remained content living much the same way their ancestors did. Thought to be descendants of the Carib Indians, they lived initially throughout Panama and Columbia. When Panama broke away from Columbia, the Kuna resisted. The Panamanian government and police attempted to control the insurrection, often with violence. Eventually the Kuna staged a revolt and declared their independence and migrated to the coast and to the islands of the San Blas Archipelago. Officially, the islands are part of Panama, but are administered as a “country within a country,” and lead by the Kuna themselves. Thus, the islands lying within San Blas province are rich in tradition, following their own customs, laws, and legislation enabling them to preserve their natural environment and heritage. Each island has its own chief, called a Sahila, who is elected for life. There are positions of elders who assist the chief in governing matters. At the same time the Kuna Yala area and its inhabitants have two representatives in the Panamanian legislature and they vote in general elections. Wary of the pressure to Westernize, the Kuna have restricted visitors to the area until recently. Some communities have introduced eco-tourism to their islands, and by limiting and regulating have been successful in maintaining a balance between western influences and their traditional culture. They have their own language called Tule, which is also what the Kunas call themselves. Spanish is a secondary language for many. Their customs and traditions have been passed to the children in song and dance. Until recently the Tule language was unwritten.
The name Guna, alternatively written as Kuna or Cuna, refers to a native people that have been living in Panama and northern Colombia for hundreds of years. In Kuna, a Chibchan language from Panama, they call themselves Dule or Tule, which means “people.” Conversely, they call their language Dulegaya, which literally means “people-mouth.” They represent a colorful and interesting culture that adds mystique and wonder to their inhabited areas. Despite their charm and unique matriarchal structure, they face challenges threatening their long-term existence as a people. They walk down the streets of Panama City selling their molas and other indigenous apparel. The women wear colorful patterned wrapped skirts called saburet; bright yellow or red headscarf they call musue; arm and leg beads they call uini or chakira; also their olasu or gold nose ring and earrings; and their mola blouse or dulemor. Every piece of garment or body adornment displays their personality and individuality. Sometimes these apparels are representative of a tradition, such as in the case of the uini, which women are expected to put on the day of their puberty ceremony and continue to wear for the rest of their lives. In an archipelago known as San Blas, comprising some 300 islands off the coast of Panama, reside the majority of these indigenous people. Their history goes back perhaps two millennia, although no one knows for sure. What we do know is that the Guna migrated from South America to their current location sometime in the 15th century.
The Kuna people, also known as Guna or Cuna, are an indigenous people of Panama and Colombia. In the Kuna language, they call themselves Dule or Tule, meaning “person.” The distinctive feature of this ethnic group is the high rate of albinos among its members. Social scientists say “there is one albino born for every 145 Kuna Indian births, a rate higher than in parts of sub-Saharan Africa where albinos also are numerous, and far above the global average of somewhere around one in 20,000 births.” In Kuna mythology, sipus (albinos) were given a special place. They had the specific duty of defending the Moon against a dragon who tries to devour it during lunar eclipses. They were the only ones allowed to be out on nights of lunar eclipses. They became known as “children of the Moon.” As their duty was to kill the dragon during lunar eclipses, they had to go out during these events armed with a bow and arrow, which they fired into the sky to prevent the dragon from devouring the satellite.
Comments
Post a Comment