Page 257 - The Rough Guide to Panama (Travel Guide)

Western Guna Yala Guna Yala 255
ETIQUETTE WHEN VISITING GUNA YALA
In Guna Yala, particularly in the more remote areas, it is important to remember that you are a
guest of the Guna, irrespective of how much you have paid for the privilege, and should abide by
their laws. On islands less frequented by visitors it is customary to ask permission from the local
saila when you visit a particular community or wish to stay on an island, as indeed the Guna
themselves do. Photography is another contentious area: on some islands it is forbidden, on
others it is governed by strict regulations. never photograph anyone without asking. traditional
beliefs still held by some of the older generation maintain that a photograph takes away a part of
the soul, which is why you should resist the temptation to surreptitiously snap away. Generally,
$1–2 is charged to take a single photograph, more for group shots, whereas filming, if permitted,
can cost around $15 (use of drones is forbidden). Women selling molas – the distinctive brightly
coloured, embroidered cloth panels – will usually allow you to photograph them if you purchase
an item, but do not presume that the cost includes the photo charge.
Beachwear is fine when you’re lazing in a hammock on one of the coconut islands, but you
should dress more modestly in villages – no bikini tops or bare chests. Villagers may not say
anything, but it doesn’t mean you haven’t caused offence. the Guna are particularly sensitive 7
about the onmagged nega (meeting house) and the cemeteries on the mainland – never enter
or photograph these without permission. Alcohol too is a thorny issue. traditionally during
ceremonies large clay pots of chicha (see box, pp.264–265) would be prepared for the whole
village; once the jars were exhausted, the drinking spree was over. though this is often still the
case, outside the ceremonies communities now vary in their regulations on alcohol: in some
places drinking is unregulated, but people are fined if found drunk; some allow seco and beer
to supplement the chicha at celebrations but not at other times; some have licensing hours;
and others ban alcohol completely, though may allow its sale to tourists. always enquire first,
and drink discreetly if alcohol is available to tourists but not to villagers.

Museo de la Nación Guna
By the airstrip • Mon–Sat 8am–4pm, though you may need to ask around to get someone to open up • $5 • No phone
It’s worth pausing in El Porvenir to call in at the Museo de la Nación Guna – unless
you’re travelling on to Gardi Sugdub, where a privately owned museum (see p.257)
covers similar ground. The exhibition hall displays photos of festivals and numerous
ceremonial artefacts such as a necklace of pelican bones worn by the absoguedi’s
(chanter’s) assistant and a headdress decorated with macaw feathers. There’s also a
model Guna kitchen and a notable collection of basketry and bamboo flutes.
Information is given in English, Spanish and Guna.
Wichub-Wala and Ukuptupu
Wichub-Wala is a bustling yet relaxed island that’s often visited by cruise ships, hence
the proliferation of arts and crafts on sale. In addition to the usual sandy pathways and
cane-and-thatch huts there are some decaying cement structures, including a former
swimming pool now full of large tropical fish.
To the west, the tiny semi-submerged private coral outcrop of Ukuptupu was formerly
home to a Smithsonian marine research station until the institute was ejected from the
comarca in 1998. The islet, on which the accommodation is the only building, provides
a mellow hideaway – there’s nowhere to stretch your legs, but Wichub-Wala and
Nalunega are a stone’s throw away.

Nalunega
Just south of Ukuptupu lies Nalunega, “the house of the macaw” in Dulegaya; these
brightly coloured birds were resident on the island when it was first colonized. A more
appealing village than Wichub-Wala, with a population of around five hundred, it has
broader streets dotted with shady trees populated with parrots, while traditional
cane-and-thatch buildings rub shoulders with occasional aluminium-topped cement
structures. At the centre lie a primary school, the meeting hall and the basketball court.

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