    |
 San Blas Archipelago, The Kunas call it "Kuna Yala". Part I
To begin with San Blas is not really a Province; it has always been a territory, the Kuna territory (Comarca de San Blas in Spanish). The Kunas call it Kuna Yala. Kuna Yala or San Blas is a relatively narrow strip of land that extends about one third of the northern Atlantic coast of Panama. The islands of the Archipelago are strung out along the coast of Panama from the Gulf of San Blas nearly all the way to the Colombian border. The Archipelago is composed of approximately 100 nameless islets, 113 with names and nearly 30 islands all coralliferous. There are no roads into the region; small planes fly to more than a dozen landing strips daily, a trip only a 20-minute plane ride away from Panama City. .
San Blas makes up nearly 400 islands. Almost all of the estimated 40,000 fiercely independent Kuna inhabit just 49 islands and those are very over crowded. The remaining islands are deserted, with white sandy beaches, swaying coconuts trees and turquoise waters with flecks of emeralds and sapphires. Here you'll feel refreshingly "away from it all", far from modern civilization and close to nature. Circumnavigators even consider the San Blas archipelago as one of their top 3 destinations in the world; making this is an experience right out of the pages of National Geographic.
Kuna History and their Language are quite interesting. Although they belong to the republic of Panama, they have their own tribal chiefs and the Kunas conduct things like they have for thousands of years. This has been like that since their rebellion in 1925. The Autonomous Territory of Kuna Yala was recognized by Panama's Law 16 of 1953. The Kuna General Congress is the highest political authority of Kuna Yala. It consists of representatives from all of the communities in Kuna Yala and meets twice yearly. Each community has one vote regardless of population size, and votes are cast by the sailas of the communities. At present the Kunas have voting rights in Panamanian elections and are permitted two Representatives in the Panamanian Legislature.
The Kuna are considerate and attentive hosts guiding tourists in dugout canoes to small, uninhabited islands. Fresh crab, lobster, octopus and fish, caught with nets or spears, are exported to Panama City. On their farms, the Kuna men raise vegetables, fruits, coffee and the all-important coconut. The Kuna sell or barter 30 million coconuts in a good year, mostly to Colombians who haul them away in wooden ships that hold about 50,000 coconuts each. Coconuts can actually be used as legal tender in Kuna commerce and have a value of about ten US cents. Kunas still run up to the nearest corner coconut palm tree for something fresh and cool to drink each morning, just as they have for untold centuries. However you can buy a soda, which costs about 40 cents, using Kuna currency which would be four coconuts.
|
||||||||
