This is an introductory article of the indigenous groups of Panama, I have a lot of material to dedicate a special article for each group that I will develop later and sharing it for your knowledge.
To begin with, Panama is considered a melting pot of races and within this melting pot of races there are 8 indigenous groups of Panama, some authors confirm the existence of 7, but I will rely on statistics Which was provided to me by the General Guna Congress.
Background of Ingineous Groups of Panama
It was on the second voyage of Christopher Columbus, accompanied by Captain Rodrigo de Batista, when there were more than 60 indigenous groups from Panama.
The discovery of America, brought by itself, the development of large populations, diseases, struggles between indigenous groups of Panama and finally miscegenation.
In the middle of the sixteenth century, due to the death policy established by Pedrarias Dávila, the indigenous groups of Panama and Darién disappeared drastically.
Population
According to the 2010 Panama National Census of population and housing, the indigenous population census was 417, 559 inhabitants and represents 12.3% of the total population of the country that is 3,405,813 inhabitants.
Therefore, out of every 10 Panamanians, 1 of 10 Panamanians belongs to an indigenous group in Panama, and each Panamanian average mestizo has 51% indigenous genes, 25% European and 24% African.
At present, it is recognized the existence of 8 indigenous groups of Panama that are: Bokota, Bribri, Bugle, Embera, Guna (Dule), Naso (Teribe), Ngabe and Wounaan.
We want to clarify that Gnobe group was known as Bokotas or Guaymi and exists two languages among Gnobe people called The Gnabe Language and Bugle Language. Both groups share the same clothes style and culture.
On the other hand, Emberá people were known as Chocoes people.
Distribution of the Indigenous Groups of Panama
No. | Indigenous Group | Population | Percentage(%) |
1 | Ngabe | 260,058 | 62.3 |
2 | Guna Dule o Guna | 80,526 | 19.3 |
3 | Emberá | 31,284 | 7.5 |
4 | Bugle | 24,912 | 6.0 |
5 | Wounaan | 7,279 | 1.7 |
6 | Naso o Teribe | 4,046 | 1.0 |
7 | Bokota(Bugle) | 1,959 | 0.5 |
8 | Bri-Bri | 1,068 | 0.3 |
Total Indigenous Group of Panama | 417,559 | 100% |
Geographic location
Panama’s indigenous groups are found in the 5 Comarcas legally recognized by the State, in areas adjacent to the Comarcas, in collective lands and in the rest of the country, the Comarcas are Kuna Yala (Guna Yala), Ngabe Bugle, Embera Wounaan, Wargandí and Madugandí.
In Panama, the legally recognized indigenous territories are referred to as comarca and have a certain autonomy. When the regions were delimited, some communities were left out of them, as happened in the region Ngabe Bugle creating the annexed areas. In the case of the Emberá and Wounaan, was recognized his territory outside the region under the figure of Collective Lands.
Regions of the indigenous groups of Panama
No. | Group | Region | Main Town | Law | Surface in Km2 |
1 | Guna | Guna Yala | El Porvenir | No. 16, February 19th, 1953 | 2,358.2 |
2 | Emberá y Wounaan | Emberá de Darién | Unión Choco | No. 22, November 8th, 1983 | 4,393.9 |
3 | Guna | Madugandí | Akua Yala | No. 24, January 22th, 1996 | 2,075.9 |
4 | Ngabe y Buglé | Ngabe Biglé | Llano Tugri | No. 10, March 7th, 1996 | 6,814.2 |
5 | Guna | Wargandí | Mortí | No. 34, July 25th, 2000 | 956.4 |
Total | 16,598.6 |
The total area of the comarca, according to official figures, is of 16,598.6 Km2 and corresponds approximately to the 22.4% of the total of the country that has a surface of 74,177.3 Km2.
With the creation of the Comarcas, the ancestral historical rights of the indigenous groups of Panama are recognized, which changes the physiognomy of the geographic political division of the country.
I am committed to you to deepen the topics for each indigenous group of Panama, for while I would be grateful if you gave Me Like and Share It!