Guna Yala San Blas Islands Panama

SAN BLAS / GUNA YALA

Rent a Catamaran in San Blas Panama and
Meet Guna Yala People

If you join us in this Incredible Adventure you’ll have the rare opportunity  to meet the Guna people.

The Gunas are an ethnic group with a strong personality. This indigenous people has its own language and culture, as well as a strong sense of belonging to the land.

Their commitment to the natural environment is full and can be felt very strongly.

The Gunas live only from Ecotourism, Fishing and the sale of Hand-made Souvenirs.

In no way they allow foreign companies to open and manage business activities on their area, for them, preserving their identity and lands is extremely important.

The main language spoken in the region is Guna or Tule Kaya, although many Gunas also speak Spanish, which is the official language of Panama.

Handicrafts are one of the Guna’s mains sources of income, among them, the molas stand out.

Molas are a typical fabric worked with ancient embroidery techniques that are full of iconographic riches that seek to capture the secrets of Mother Earth. For this reason, you will see that many have geometric and colorful prints that represent, among other things, the local flora and fauna. For its elaboration, the artisans use a very particular technique that is transmitted from generation to generation.

Other Gunas handicrafts are the handmade shakiras, whose design includes very peculiar geometric symbols that denote the importance of their culture; the colorful necklaces made with glass nuggets and small wooden figures carved with various details.

The culinary culture, as many other areas of the Caribbean is based on local fresh ingredient as Coconut, Pipa, Coconut Milk and Water, Cocoa, Octopus, Lobster, and many kind of Fishes and Seafood.

The inhabitants of Guna Yala have the custom of eating sancochos and smoked fish accompanied by other foods, above all Rice and Platano.

Seafood, fish and lobster are served fresh and are caught a few hours before being served at the table.

The town of Guna Yala has many festivities. One of them is the Feast of the Needle (Ico-Inna), which takes place within the family and is celebrated by piercing the girl’s nasal septum.

Another popular ceremony is the Inna Suit, the Hair Cutting Ceremony, in which the entire community participates, It celebrates the haircut of a girl between 8 and 10 years of age, the Celebration lasts 3 days or more, It is led by a Gandur (Singer), who gives a name to the girl who, at the end of the ceremony, must wear a scarf that covers her head.

The most important local dance is called “Chachachá” or “Noga Gope” and both men and women participate in it. The celebration of the dance is quite an event for the population and a competition is held where the winning group is chosen. The women play the maracas and dance to the music and the men wear straw hats with different colored bird feathers.

Having the privilege of meeting the Kunas and their culture is like going back in time or going to a museum where you can be part of history. Live this incredible cultural adventure aboard ours Super Cozy Catamarans.

The experience of living a unique evening in a tropical paradise aboard The Best Most Luxury Charter in San Blas Islands awaits you!