Summary report of the Community Conservation Resilience Initiative in:

Guna Yala, Panama Introduction

The CCRI assessment in Panama was carried out with two different groups of indigenous peoples: the Guna and the Embera. The assessment was a bottom­up process which included workshops, informal conversations, and the exchange of experiences and opinions. Guna woman making molas with children, Guna Yala CCRI, Panama. With the Guna, a two­day workshop Ronnie Hall/CIC took place on Ustupu island, in the Guna Yala Indigenous Region. People from various Guna their houses. In addition, the sea the Saglas speak on behalf of their communities participated, most of constitutes an important source of community. There is also a Guna whom live on small, scattered animal protein. General Congress, which plays the islands. It was attended by a diverse role of ‘government’. range of community members The situation of the Gunas is quite including the ‘Saglas’ (community unique. They enjoy what is probably Regarding the Embera, there was a chiefs), the administrative chief, one of the highest degrees of self­ meeting with members of the Ipetí­ members of the Guna women’s governance and autonomy among Embera community, attended by, committee, and members of a local the indigenous peoples of Latin among others, the local authorities NGO. America. After the Tule Revolution, such as the Cacique and the in February 1925, the Panamanian Secretary. This community is settled The main types of ecosystem in the government agreed to establish the in the Chepo district, and they region are tropical rainforests, Guna Yala Indigenous Region. [2] moved there after they were mangroves and coastal marine Within this region they are in charge displaced by the building of a ecosystems. The region is highly of the management of their own hydroelectric plant in the Alto biodiverse, having, for instance, territories on the basis of their Bayano area of Panama. This more than 150 species of mammal. customary law and traditional rights. community lives in the so­called [1] The Guna people depend [3] They have a well­organised and collective lands, outside of the primarily upon the mainland forests structured political body and Embera­Wounaan Indigenous and mangroves near the islands, decision­making process. Political Region, which was established in which provide, among other things, decisions are taken within the 1983. food, medicine and materials to build communities in assemblies and then

1 Community Conservation Resilience Initiative ∙ November 2015 The Embera traditionally live in For both Gunas and Embera, the level. However, this has changed, inland areas, usually along or role of women in the community is and they are now much more nearby rivers and rich in forests. very important. Generally, they take involved in political and decision­ Corn, sugar cane, rice, yucca, care of the house and family, being making processes. In fact, some banana and pineapple are some of key in the transmission of traditional women have already been elected the most common species knowledge to the children. They as Saglas and Caciques. cultivated. They also hunt and fish in often help with the transport of the rivers to obtain animal proteins. products from the forests. By selling Regarding indigenous people’s From the forest that surrounds them traditional clothes (such as rights in Panama, the country has a they extract materials to build their embroidered cloths or ‘Molas’ in the wide range of legal and political traditional houses, instruments. For called ‘tambo’, and instance, the medicines. As the Panamanian cacique, or chief, Constitution has Jeremia explained, several articles (ie “forests are our 5, 90 and 124) that pharmacies and address the need sustenance”. to respect and promote the At the community level, culture, traditions, the Cacique is the languages and voice of and represents participation of the community and is indigenous peoples elected through voting. in political In addition, there are processes. [4] two different General However, is Congresses, one that important to note represents the that the need for communities living free, prior and within the Embera­ informed consent Wounnan Region, and is not explicitly another for those embraced in full by communities living in the Panamanian the collective lands legislation, and outside of their while the UN Indigenous region. Like Declaration on the the Gunas, the Embera Rights of in the indigenous Indigenous region are in charge of Peoples (UNDRIP) making the decisions has been Embera painting of mother and child. Coraina de la that affect their acknowledged, the Plaza/CIC territories on the basis government has of their customary laws not yet ratified the and traditions within the Embera­ Guna communities) and handicrafts ILO Convention 169. Wounnan Region. The collective (such as baskets and figures carved lands do not legally belong to the in wood) many women contribute to Embera and are considered as the family and community economy. ‘national lands’, being regulated by Previously, their political role was national laws. mainly to influence the men’s votes and decisions at the household

2 Community Conservation Resilience Initiative ∙ November 2015 Community Conservation Resilience in Guna Yala

As the Saglas and other community and subsistence activities. changes in the wind and rain members explained, “humans are patterns have been observed as part of nature and not its owners”, This threat is partly external, well. In 2015, the rainy and the Gunas have a strong because of Western influence in the season—which should have started connection with the ecosystems and surroundings areas and within the in May—didn’t begin until the third forests that surround them. Guna Yala Region. In addition to week of July. Members of the this, when young people want to community said that this lack of rain One of the key ways in which the pursue higher education, they have has ruined the cornfields. Gunas have protected their forests is to leave the community. When they by having sacred areas, which are return they are often disinclined to The testimony of Mario Palacios, a mainly primary forest, combined with live according to the Guna traditional member of the Usbud community, rotating agriculture or ‘Nainu’, way. But it is also an internal threat illustrated these concerns very well: usually in the lowland areas. There because families have placed less “My father is still alive and is 97 are different types of Nainu but the emphasis on teaching Guna culture years old. We usually sit down early main characteristic is to plant useful to the children. The key in the morning for a while to talk trees together with other vegetable consequences of this cultural about the changes and what he has species. In the Guna culture it is erosion are the gradual loss of observed since he was young. He is common to plant and harvest knowledge about the forests and very concerned about the changes in species such as yucca, bananas, traditional agriculture, and the the wind, rain, forests and the fact corn, sugar cane, pineapple and advent of consumerism, creating that young people don´t want to work yam. This system of combining waste and garbage. the land any more. He is very edible and medicinal species with concerned about what the future other native species in a rotational In addition, recent studies have might bring and the negative manner helps to conserve shown that the sea level has risen consequences of all these changes.” biodiversity and the soil. during recent years. [5] During informal conversations members of During the workshop, all attendants the community also said how were able to express their views about the main threats to Guna Participants in CCRI workshop including Sagla (island community spokesperson) on habitat and the left. Coraina de la Plaza/CIC resources, and the resilience embedded in their practices. They voiced particular concern about cultural erosion, mainly among young people. This process was identified as being very disruptive in the application of traditional knowledge to ecosystem management, production methods

3 Community Conservation Resilience Initiative ∙ November 2015 Community Conservation Resilience in Ipetí­Embera

The Embera also have a very strong community identified the high rate of and then the same process starts all connection with nature, mainly with deforestation in their area as the over again in a new plot. forests and rivers. They make a very main threat. They explained that this selective use of natural resources is both an external and an internal They say that this deforestation has avoiding big alterations to the threat. It is internal because some caused the disappearance of some environment. Traditionally, when families from the community have traditional native species that they they cut down any tree, they do it for deforested their own plots or lands used to use, for instance, to build food, medicines or to build their for different reasons such as the their traditional houses and as traditional canoes, and the areas are commercialisation of wood and medicine. They explained how they usually left for at least two years to cattle; this is however, quite low now have to travel much longer recover. They consider the land when compare to the total distances to obtain those species sacred because it provides them deforested area. It is also external that, not long ago, could be found with many things and thus, they because in the Ipetí­Embera nearby. They also expressed know the relevance of taking care of collective lands, they experience concern about water availability and it. Rivers also play a vital role for the problems with the ‘colonos’ changes in the rain patterns. For Embera and they often navigate (settlers). In this case, the ‘colonos’ instance, this year the river did not them in their traditional canoes, are people, usually peasants, who grow as much as it used to do due to which are used for transport, trading come from elsewhere and illegally lower levels of rain. The Embera and contact with other neighbouring occupy a plot of land. They clear that said that before the clouds would get communities. [6] plot and if possible, they sell the ‘trapped’ by the forests and then it wood. Once is the land has been rained, and now they often see how During the assessment, the cleared, they use it for cattle those rain clouds pass the area by. members of the Ipetí ­Embera ranching and/or sell it to landlords,

Preliminary Conclusions and Recommendations: Guna

The members of the Ipetí­Embera The members of the community said healthy forests and the risks of community are well aware of the the success of this initiative will clearing and then abandoning the importance of reversing depend on conducting workshops lands. However, this might be a bit deforestation rates in order to and capacity building to involve and more delicate because it will improve forest health and motivate the whole community. It is probably imply negotiations about biodiversity, and the relevance of this also important that these processes lands rights and as they explained, for water cycles and keeping their always take always place in their vision and relationship with traditions and identity alive. collaboration with the community, nature are different to those of the respecting their traditional decision­ ‘colonos’. The main solution that they making processes as well as their proposed is very practical and views. They also recommended fluid The biological and cultural impacts straightforward: to continue communication from and with GFC of the reforestation with native developing reforestation projects and constant work with the species is quite clear. Through this with native and traditional species community. initiative, they will not only restore and to implement new ones. Some forests but also their associated members of the community have To overcome the threat posed by the biodiversity, species that are part of already started this type of projects deforestation caused by the the Embera culture and more on their own and also in ‘colonos’, they also proposed to try generally contribute to water cycles, collaboration with other to reach out to them and involve decreasing soil erosion and organisations such as the them in the workshops and capacity increasing forest cover in the area Smithsonian Research Institute. building activities. The goal is to show them the benefits of having

4 Community Conservation Resilience Initiative ∙ November 2015 healthy forests and the risks of clearing and then abandoning the lands. However, this might be a bit more delicate because it will probably imply negotiations about lands rights and as they explained, their vision and relationship with nature are different to those of the ‘colonos’.

The biological and cultural impacts of the reforestation with native species is quite clear. Through this initiative, they will not only restore forests but also their associated biodiversity, species that are part of the Embera culture and more generally contribute to water cycles, decreasing soil erosion and increasing forest cover in the area

Preliminary Conclusions and Recommendations: Ipetí­ Embera

The members of the Ipetí­Embera healthy forests and the risks of The biological and cultural impacts community are well aware of the clearing and then abandoning the of the reforestation with native importance of reversing lands. However, this might be a bit species is quite clear. Through this deforestation rates in order to more delicate because it will initiative, they will not only restore improve forest health and probably imply negotiations about forests but also their associated biodiversity, and the relevance of this lands rights and as they explained, biodiversity, species that are part of for water cycles and keeping their their vision and relationship with the Embera culture and more traditions and identity alive. nature are different to those of the generally contribute to water cycles, ‘colonos’. decreasing soil erosion and The main solution that they increasing forest cover in the area. proposed is very practical and straightforward: to continue developing reforestation projects Solar power panel provides island power, Guna Yala, with native and traditional species Panama. Ronnie Hall/CIC and to implement new ones. Some members of the community have already started this type of projects on their own and also in collaboration with other organisations such as the Smithsonian Research Institute.

The members of the community said the success of this initiative will depend on conducting workshops and capacity building to involve and motivate the whole community. It is also important that these processes always take always place in collaboration with the community, respecting their traditional decision­ making processes as well as their views. They also recommended fluid communication from and with GFC and constant work with the community.

To overcome the threat posed by the deforestation caused by the ‘colonos’, they also proposed to try to reach out to them and involve them in the workshops and capacity building activities. The goal is to show them the benefits of having

5 Community Conservation Resilience Initiative ∙ November 2015 Testimony

The women emphasised how much everything has changed. Hermecia Kantule explained that when she was young, women had to wake up early and start knitting their Molas (women’s traditional clothes [7]). Afterwards, they would prepare breakfast and take care of the house. Sometimes they would help bring back products from the forests with the men. Women are key for the transmission of traditional knowledge since they spend more time with the children. Her mother taught her to identify different useful species, but children are not learning these things now. She supported the idea of creating a space where children can learn and revive Coraina de la Plaza/CIC traditional knowledge and Guna culture.

Forest and coastal ecosystems, view from the islands, Guna Yala archipelago, Panama. Coraina de la Plaza/CIC

Fisherfolk working in Guna Yala indigenous comarca, Panama. Ronnie Hall/CIC

References

[1] Chaplin M, 2000. Defending Kuna Yala: PEMASKY, the Study Project for the Management of the Wildlands of Kuna Yala, Panama, Mac Chaplin, http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNACM974.pdf. [2] Congreso General de la Cultura Kuna, Ley Fundamental y Estatuto de Kuna Yala Relacionados al Congreso General de la Cultura Kuna, accessed 4.8.2015, http://onmaked.nativeweb.org/ley_fundamental_y_estatuto_de_ku.htm. [3] Marks D, 2014. The Kuna Mola: Dress, Politics and Cultural Survival, Maney Online Vol 40, Issue 1 (May 2015), pp17­30, accessed 28.6.2015, http://www.maneyonline.com/doi/abs/10.1179/0361211214Z.00000000021. [4] Constitución Política de la República de Panamá. Gaceta Oficial No. 25176 del 15 de noviembre de 2004 [Online] Available from http://www.ilo.org/dyn/travail/docs/2083/CONSTITUTION.pdf [Accessed on 27th October 2015] [5] http://www.lapress.org/articles.asp?art=6295 [6] http://www.unesco.org.uy/ci/fileadmin/phi/aguaycultura/Panama/EMBERA_­_WOUNA_AN_­ _INFORMACION_PRINCIPAL.pdf [7] Marks D, 2014. The Kuna Mola: Dress, Politics and Cultural Survival, Maney Online Vol 40, Issue 1 (May 2015), pp17­30, accessed 28.6.2015, http://www.maneyonline.com/doi/abs/10.1179/0361211214Z.00000000021.

6 Community Conservation Resilience Initiative ∙ November 2015