Indigenous Communities in Panamá

Learn about tradition and nature through the eyes of Panamá’s 7 indigenous communities. Most of them live in protected territories, located all over the country. In these, Panamá’s 7 native ethnic groups  (Guna, Naso Tjër Di, Ngäbe, Buglé, Bri bri, Emberá and Wounaan) practice ancestral forms of government, preserve dances and songs, and hold on to their deep cosmological beliefs and cultural expressions. 

The Panamanian indigenous communities are composed of expert craftsmen who produce exquisite wood carvings, wonderful miniatures from the hard-ivory palm seed, beautiful baskets, masks, bags woven with vegetable fiber and colorful clothes like the Mola.

It is possible to visit them whether their location is by the sea, like the Gunas, in high mountains, like the Ngäbe, or nestled deep into the rainforest like the Emberá. These indigenous communities enjoy sharing their culture with visitors on an equal basis.

Guna

The most visible of Panama’s indigenous communities are the members of the Guna tribe. As...

Embera - Wounaan

The community is well known for its handmade crafts such as baskets and carved statues, as well as...

Ngäbe - Buglé

In the mountains of western Panamá, across 2,500 square miles (6,475 kilometers), live the...

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