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| San
Blas de Cuna Islands
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San
Blas de Cuna Islands |
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Cuna
Indians - San Blas de Cuna Islands |
Situated
in the Caribbean Sea a few miles off the north coast of Panama,
the San Blas de Cuna Islands are the home of the Cuna Indians,
a traditional society of Native Americans. Most of these tropical
islands are very small. Many are surrounded by coral reefs.
The Caribbean islands are part of Panama, but are primarily
administered by the Cuna tribe.
The San Blas archipelago has 365 islands
ranging in size from tiny ones with a few coconut palms to islands
on which hundreds of Cuna Indians live. About 50 are inhabited.
The islands, off the Caribbean coast east of Colon, vary in
distance from the shore from 100m to several kilometres and
are strung out along the coast for over 200 km from the Gulf
of San Blas to the Colombian border. The Cuna (Kuna, or Tule)
are the most sophisticated and politically organized of the
country’s three major groups. They run the San Blas Territory
virtually on their own terms, with internal autonomy and, uniquely
among Panama’s Indians, send their representative to the
National Assembly. The women wear gold nose- and ear-rings,
and costumes with unique designs based on local themes, geometric
patterns, stylized fauna and flora, and pictorial representations
of current events or political propaganda. They are outside
the Panamanian tax zone and have negotiated a treaty perpetuating
their long-standing trade with small craft from Colombia. Many
men work on the mainland, but live on the islands.
Photographers need plenty of small change, as set price for
a Cuna Indian to pose is US $1.00. Molas
are one of the primary expressions of the visual arts in Cuna
society. All genuine molas were created by a Cuna Indian woman
as the focal point for her own dress. The Mola designs are always
original and are an important way for a woman to express herself
and demonstrate her talent and industry in this politically
active and traditionally matriarchal society. |
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