Traditions in Panama
Panama is a melting point of various traditions and cultures. Since it is the bridge between North and South America, and so the cultures of both North and South America have found a place in this part of the world. The country’s cultural diversity is noticeable from the conventional products, which include woodcarvings, ceremonial masks and pottery, as well as architecture, cuisine and festivals.
Panama Real Estate
Visiting Panama is the best possible way to dazzle the senses. It is a unique combination of the indigenous and European cultures. It consists of a large number of islands. Some of them are still unoccupied. There are real estate agents who help people to get a beautiful private beach resort. Especially designed for the artistically inclined people, these beach resorts are available on individual islands.
Panama Information
In Panama, people celebrate the festival of Christmas with great joy. Christmas starts with the strike of midnight at December 24th and is usually greeted with fabulous fireworks illuminating the night sky. On the dusk of Christmas people gather into the church to offer prayers. During the rest of the day people have fun, eat special foods and visit far off friends and family members. Christmas greeting is also called “Feliz Navidad”.
Generally, people in Panama prefer to bring a Christmas tree to decorate their house. Here, it is the main attraction of the festival. People visit each other’s house to see how beautifully they have decorated the Christmas tree. The Christmas tree is generally bedecked in customary fashion. They comprise beautiful lights, angel treetop, icicles, and other Christmas ornaments. The Christmas music which is so popular all over the world is also sung in Panama. Their custom is to sing Christmas songs together which brings the members of the family together in spite of their differences.
In Panama, the Christmas songs are called “gaitas” or “villancicos”. It is accompanied by lots of singing, eating, drinking and fun. Arroz con Pollo in Panama is a special dish which is prepared with chicken, rice, saffron, vegetables and small onions. It is a conventional dish which is prepared in every household during Christmas. Fruitcake is a renowned food item as well as potato salad with beets. According to the custom of Panama, bowls of fruit containing grapes, apples and bananas are kept together in the Christmas table.
Still today in Panama there are traces of an agrarian culture in this part of the world. The history of Panama dates back to thousands of years and is mainly composed of highly skilled and knowledgeable farmers. The region comprises an extraordinary genetic diversity. People who live here have a mixed culture and since there are so many islands with varied cultures it is very difficult to describe it strictly. Panama also has renewable forest products from perennial species of plants. There are numerous plants which are renowned for their medicinal values. Many villagers still believe that the old culture of Panama should be strictly preserved. Therefore, they pass over their conventions down the ages to their offspring. In this way the folklore of this country, which is mainly oral, has been preserved.
In Panama, tribal knowledge is still communicated to the younger people through various activities. These activities consist of Kamatha or threshing floor, the Pela or watch hut, and in war games such as Pora Pol and Ankeliya; they are generally performed on an annual basis in Panama. Hereditary skills are of prior importance in Panama and are called Rajakariya or duty. Each villager specializes in any particular task. In this way the entire village acts like an instrument in maintaining the culture of Panama. In this instrument each one has his own importance.
Moreover, the doctors still practice the quality of passing down their verdict orally. They even prescribe medicines and diagnose their patients without pen and paper. In Panama the doctors are taught in verse, rather than in prose. They commit the long medicinal verses into their memory which comprises the values of medicinal plants and their effects on human body. This is the indigenous practice of the doctors in Panama and is still very popular. The verse form of oral medication which the doctors mug up is called Wattoruwa.
The gorgeous cloth called “Pollera” is worn by beautiful Panama women. The “Pollera” in Panama consists of fine embroidered fabric with intricate, brightly colored designs. It almost takes a year to complete the “Pollera”. There are men’s wears in Panama which consist of embroidered, long sleeved shirts. It has three-quarter pants and the conventional “Montuno” straw hat.
Various festivals in Panama reflect the influence of the diverse ethnic groups that constitutes the country. In the northern region, the African influence is noticeable. This is evident from the Congo drums dating back to the era of slavery as well as the Black Christ feast. In contrast, you can discover the May Pole ceremony in Panama which is found in Bocas del Toro. It is the reflection of European influence in Panama.
The most important custom is to celebrate the carnival. The Panamanian carnival is generally held before Ash Wednesday; it is at the beginning of Lent. This festival is famous for its processions of bands and singers. During this festival in Panama, both men and women bedeck themselves in their best attires and celebrate the function with great enthusiasm. It is a celebration of colors and the vibrancy of the festival in unmatched.
In Panama, pottery is an important art. The native people can design a wide number of potteries and the pottery has been vital for the economy of the native people in Panama. They are generally sold to nearby cities or towns. Ranging from Pre Columbian motifs to folk images there are various designs drawn over the plates and dishes.
Whereas the Americans considered the lifestyle of the native as outdated and backward, nowadays, they have realized that the old tradition is a rich source of wisdom. While the civilization has been depleting the trees and cutting them down for building purposes, the outdated people of Panama have been able to keep the trees alive through generations. These people of Panama seem to be wiser than the people who have progressed.