Folklore is very serious business in Panama
Like most important traditions in any culture and nation, Panama folklore is steeped in history, migration influence and some elements of fusion and chance. For the central provinces, the Spanish colonizers have been the greatest influence of some of Panama's oldest traditions such as folkloric dance, dress, music and the 'cowboy yodel' known as the saloma. The Azuero peninsula, especially the province of Los Santos is the area that is the most well-known hot spot for traditional Spanish-influenced celebration. From the Festival of Mejorana in Guararé in September, the 1,000 Polleras Festival in Las Tables in January until Carnival season in Las Tablas you had best be prepared for an extreme dose of Panamanian folklore.
Dance
Traditional dances are set to tipico music, characterized by yodeling, accordions, and small guitars called mejoranas. Violins and different drums also play a large part in both the different rhythms and the different dance. Each dance has precise movements that each province choreographs according to their tradition. Some examples include the Cumbia, Tamborito, and the Punto.
On the other side of the Isthmus in Colon for example, their is a strong Afro-Antillean influence that bought the custom of the Congo Queen directly from the islands. Along with the extra colorful dress and more pronounced drum beats, this fusion creates some very different variations of Panama's folkloric identity.
Dress
The Pollera is the most famous outfit of Panamanian folklore. There are two major categories of polleras. The Montuna is the more casual while the Pollera de Gala is the stunning dress that is the one of the most iconic examples of cultural identity found here in Panama.
Accessories are also very important. The head dresses called tembleques are incredible testimonies to both hand make and have the patience to attach to your head. They originated as a replacement for natural flowers that were used to decorate the heads of women.
Their name comes from the Spanish word: “temblar” which means “to tremble,” due to the mobility of its structures. They are usually made of gold, silver pearls and many tiny beads of varying material strung together ready to 'tremble'.
Prendas is code for a variety of serious accessories. From rings to earrings to the long and short necklaces, the pollera is complete with an incredible array of 'bling bling'.
The shoes that match the pollera look like very intricate slippers. The are usually made of white satin, embroidered by hand and matched to the dress.
The Men's Outfit
The men have it much easier. They can done their Montuno...which is a classic Panamanian shirt, and slap on their Sombrero Pintado...or Panama Hat. The Panama Hat is a staple of tradition and cultural identity. It can be worn with the brim down or flipped up in a slightly more rural or 'campo' fashion. The best and original sombrero pintado comes from the Penonome area in the Coclé province. Specially a small mountain area known as La Pintada.
I remember buying my first Panama Hat. The hand stitching is very precise. I never really had the desire to buy a hat because I don't normally use one but I was intrigued by the sales pitch. A man in a cantina near Penonome proudly informed me that his hats were stitched so tightly and so precisely that I could comfortably drink a beer directly out of the freshly woven masterpiece. Being a former rugby player that sounded both intriguing and much more palatable than 'shooting the boot' (an old and rough rugby tradition). I told the man that if that were the case, I would buy the hat. After putting it to the test with a full cold one....I was the proud owner of my first and only Sombreo Pintado.
Folklore in Panama is undergoing a renaissance. The festivals' quality and the level of commitment to continue the traditions of the various celebrations involving folkloric presentations is growing. Hopefully this blog has helped awareness regarding some of Panama heritage. Lago Bay will continue to present information regarding cultural traditions right here in the Republic of Panama.
Saludos from Lago Bay!!!
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