Mogue, Darien, Panama
Our last night cruising towards the Darien Province in Eastern Panama was calm and uneventful, then, before the first rays of light appeared over the horizon, Larry’s soft and soothing voice broke the silence of the night to wake us up once again. In the lounge, we found the crew had already set up breakfast for us. We then proceeded to the stern where we boarded, in groups of ten or twelve, the huge dugout canoes that came to take us through the sea and into the mangroves to the Embera village of Mogue. This ride took about half an hour. We arrived in Mogue when the night was no longer night and the day had not yet broken. At a distance we could hear the sound of drums and flutes that welcomed us to an almost idyllic setting. Embera natives awaited us lined up by the riverbank. The men dressed in nothing but their colorful “guayucos” (loincloths) and women in lively skirts, a scene that would have inspired Gaugin. The children escorted us to the village where we were delighted with more music and dances and the beauty of their simple homes. The Embera are a beautiful and proud people who love their lifestyle, their traditions and the forests they live in. Their art is a clear expression of their devotion to their roots and their environment. We were fortunate to be able to acquire some of their intricate baskets and magnificent carvings in both cocobolo wood and vegetable ivory called tagua.
On the way back to the ship, we transited the river under a new light. Mangrove hawks, snowy egrets, white ibises, little blue herons among many other birds flew along the lush mangroves. Back on the ship, a second chapter of breakfast awaited us. Then we met in the lounge where Christian responded to our questions, which was followed up by show and tell time. Sailing back to Panama city we could see all these days pass in front of our eyes like an unforgettable movie that had both enriched our lives and revealed new wonders of nature.
Our last night cruising towards the Darien Province in Eastern Panama was calm and uneventful, then, before the first rays of light appeared over the horizon, Larry’s soft and soothing voice broke the silence of the night to wake us up once again. In the lounge, we found the crew had already set up breakfast for us. We then proceeded to the stern where we boarded, in groups of ten or twelve, the huge dugout canoes that came to take us through the sea and into the mangroves to the Embera village of Mogue. This ride took about half an hour. We arrived in Mogue when the night was no longer night and the day had not yet broken. At a distance we could hear the sound of drums and flutes that welcomed us to an almost idyllic setting. Embera natives awaited us lined up by the riverbank. The men dressed in nothing but their colorful “guayucos” (loincloths) and women in lively skirts, a scene that would have inspired Gaugin. The children escorted us to the village where we were delighted with more music and dances and the beauty of their simple homes. The Embera are a beautiful and proud people who love their lifestyle, their traditions and the forests they live in. Their art is a clear expression of their devotion to their roots and their environment. We were fortunate to be able to acquire some of their intricate baskets and magnificent carvings in both cocobolo wood and vegetable ivory called tagua.
On the way back to the ship, we transited the river under a new light. Mangrove hawks, snowy egrets, white ibises, little blue herons among many other birds flew along the lush mangroves. Back on the ship, a second chapter of breakfast awaited us. Then we met in the lounge where Christian responded to our questions, which was followed up by show and tell time. Sailing back to Panama city we could see all these days pass in front of our eyes like an unforgettable movie that had both enriched our lives and revealed new wonders of nature.
