This post is based primarily on Don's notes, occasionally supplemented with MT's notes from our cruise in November 2022. When information from other sources is added—for further explanation to readers or to satisfy our own curiosity—that is set off in a text box (as this one).
Most of the photos that accompany this post are from Don’s camera (with a caption indicating the time it was taken); those from MT’s iPhone are indicated by “MT” placed at the beginning of the photo caption. Photos from any other source (such as the public domain Wikimedia Commons), occasionally used for clarification, indicate that source in the caption.
Most of the photos that accompany this post are from Don’s camera (with a caption indicating the time it was taken); those from MT’s iPhone are indicated by “MT” placed at the beginning of the photo caption. Photos from any other source (such as the public domain Wikimedia Commons), occasionally used for clarification, indicate that source in the caption.
The Viking Daily newsletter showed today's weather forecast as "A Stray Afternoon Thunderstorm 80° F," with "Sunrise: 6:17."
Don woke at 6:05 am (MT was already up).
Although Don had set his watch one hour ahead, per note from Viking the previous evening, he apparently did not change it on his camera. However, MT's iPhone had the correct time. The times in captions of Don's photos have been corrected.
We got room service breakfast at 7 am.
MT Friday, November 25, 2022, 7:10 AM - near Colón: Don eating breakfast on our balcony, with MT's breakfast on near side of table.
7:12 AM - near Colón: view from our balcony of ships lined up (for canal or transfer of cargo?).
7:33 AM - near Colón: Panorama view, from our balcony, of ships lined up.
7:44 AM - near Colón: Panorama view, from our balcony, of harbor with breakwater and ships lined up.
7:45 AM - near Colón: Panorama view, from our balcony, of harbor with breakwater and one ship (telephoto 130 mm).
7:50 AM - near Colón: Panorama view, from our balcony, of ships lined up near harbor.
MT 7:50 AM - near Colón: merchant ships in harbor and part of breakwater (mild telephoto 59 mm).
MT 7:50 AM - near Colón: merchant ships in harbor (telephoto 116 mm).
7:54 AM - near Colón: view, from our balcony, of port terminal and city.
7:57 AM - near Colón: view, from our balcony, of small ship needing repair (telephoto 130 mm).
8:00 AM - near Colón: view, from our balcony, of port terminal and city (mild telephoto 58 mm).
MT 8:11 AM - near Colón: port terminal and part of town (telephoto 128 mm).
According to the Viking Daily newsletter, we were scheduled to arrive in Colón, Panama at 9:00 am.
The
Viking Daily newsletter describes Colón, Panama as follows:
“Panama’s “second city” (after Panama City), Colón, lies near the Panama Canal’s Atlantic entrance. Though named after Christopher Columbus by descendants of Spaniards, the city was founded in 1850 by Americans. During the California gold rush, prospectors from the eastern United States sailed here, trekked across the narrow isthmus of Panama, then sailed up the Pacific coast, believing the journey easier than traversing the entire United States. The US transcontinental railroad put an end to those voyages. Indigenous tribes maintain a strong presence in this northern corner of Panama. In the city’s rural reaches, the indigenous Emberá people, descended from ancient tribes, live in thatched-roof huts, travel by dugout canoe and weave traditional baskets.
“Panama’s “second city” (after Panama City), Colón, lies near the Panama Canal’s Atlantic entrance. Though named after Christopher Columbus by descendants of Spaniards, the city was founded in 1850 by Americans. During the California gold rush, prospectors from the eastern United States sailed here, trekked across the narrow isthmus of Panama, then sailed up the Pacific coast, believing the journey easier than traversing the entire United States. The US transcontinental railroad put an end to those voyages. Indigenous tribes maintain a strong presence in this northern corner of Panama. In the city’s rural reaches, the indigenous Emberá people, descended from ancient tribes, live in thatched-roof huts, travel by dugout canoe and weave traditional baskets.
Map of Panama Canal provided by Viking shows the location of the Emberá Indian Village.
At 9:15, we went to the pier to meet our guide Jorge and driver Orsinio for the "Viking Star 1" tour group and bus for our shore excursion "Emberá Indian Village Visit."
The
My Viking Journey web site describes the shore excursion Emberá Indian Village
Visit (optional $119 Per Person) as follows:
6 Hours
An Authentic Encounter with Panama’s Indigenous Tribal Culture
Meet the keepers of the Panamanian rain forest, the Emberá tribe, who share their vivid culture warmly and openly. Travel by motor coach to the Chagres National Park, and then onward by traditional dugout canoes to the Emberá Village, where you will be welcomed by the Chief and treated to some ceremonial dancing. The Emberá are one of seven indigenous Panamanian groups, living much as they did in pre-Columbian times. Most Emberá live in round huts on stilts with extended family; peek inside and share a typical lunch of fish and plantains. The Emberá wear little clothing, but paint elaborate patterns on their bodies using the black dye of the jagua plant. You might even be invited to have one of these temporary tattoos painted on your skin. You will also have the chance to see Emberá craftspeople at work and buy perfectly coiled baskets, bright uhua sarongs, instruments, or jewelry.
Moderate - Walking portions may be long and somewhat challenging with occasional step-ups, stairs and inclines.
6 Hours
An Authentic Encounter with Panama’s Indigenous Tribal Culture
Meet the keepers of the Panamanian rain forest, the Emberá tribe, who share their vivid culture warmly and openly. Travel by motor coach to the Chagres National Park, and then onward by traditional dugout canoes to the Emberá Village, where you will be welcomed by the Chief and treated to some ceremonial dancing. The Emberá are one of seven indigenous Panamanian groups, living much as they did in pre-Columbian times. Most Emberá live in round huts on stilts with extended family; peek inside and share a typical lunch of fish and plantains. The Emberá wear little clothing, but paint elaborate patterns on their bodies using the black dye of the jagua plant. You might even be invited to have one of these temporary tattoos painted on your skin. You will also have the chance to see Emberá craftspeople at work and buy perfectly coiled baskets, bright uhua sarongs, instruments, or jewelry.
Moderate - Walking portions may be long and somewhat challenging with occasional step-ups, stairs and inclines.
It was a 1.5-hour drive to near Emberá Village, where we boarded dugout canoes, with outboard motors, for transfer to the native village.
11:24 AM - near Emberá Village: four dugout canoes ready to take our group to the native village.
The
Emberá, also known in the historical literature as the Chocó or Katío
Indians, are a native people of Panama and Colombia. There are approximately 33,000
people living in Panama and 50,000 in Colombia who identify as Emberá.
In the late 16th century, the Emberá began migrating from the Choco region of modern-day western Colombia to what is now the Darién province of Panama, which had been home to the Tule or Kuna people at the time of first European contact. The migration was prompted by the Spanish and took the form of a conflict between the Emberá and the Kuna, moving the latter into other lands along the Caribbean coast. The Darién has subsequently become recognized as the homelands of the Emberá in Panama.
Prior to the 1950s, the Emberá lived in a dispersed settlement pattern along the river systems of Panama and Colombia. The extended family served as the settlement unit. No villages or large agglomerations of dwellings existed. In the 1950s, the Emberá began forming the first small villages. As late as 1985, an estimated 25 percent of Emberá people still lived according to the traditional dispersed settlement pattern. However, life in settled communities is now considered the norm, or “typical” of most Emberá. In addition to these settled communities, many Emberá now also live in urban areas.
The Emberá are a riverine people, historically building their houses along the banks of rivers. Therefore, boats have played important roles in Emberá tradition. The craft of constructing dugout canoes was historically a very significant skill for Emberá men, at times serving as a rite of passage or prerequisite for marriage.
A traditional Emberá house can be described as an open-air dwelling raised 6-12 feet off the ground on stilts, with thatched roofing made from palm leaves and flooring made from the bark of the jira palm. These houses were typically round in shape and large enough to hold members of an extended family group. Contemporary Emberá housing often employs many of the traditional materials and styles. However, they may often be smaller due to a comparatively smaller number of family members per house. Wooden boards often replace the jira bark as flooring, and durable aluminum roofing may replace palm leaves.
In the late 16th century, the Emberá began migrating from the Choco region of modern-day western Colombia to what is now the Darién province of Panama, which had been home to the Tule or Kuna people at the time of first European contact. The migration was prompted by the Spanish and took the form of a conflict between the Emberá and the Kuna, moving the latter into other lands along the Caribbean coast. The Darién has subsequently become recognized as the homelands of the Emberá in Panama.
Prior to the 1950s, the Emberá lived in a dispersed settlement pattern along the river systems of Panama and Colombia. The extended family served as the settlement unit. No villages or large agglomerations of dwellings existed. In the 1950s, the Emberá began forming the first small villages. As late as 1985, an estimated 25 percent of Emberá people still lived according to the traditional dispersed settlement pattern. However, life in settled communities is now considered the norm, or “typical” of most Emberá. In addition to these settled communities, many Emberá now also live in urban areas.
The Emberá are a riverine people, historically building their houses along the banks of rivers. Therefore, boats have played important roles in Emberá tradition. The craft of constructing dugout canoes was historically a very significant skill for Emberá men, at times serving as a rite of passage or prerequisite for marriage.
A traditional Emberá house can be described as an open-air dwelling raised 6-12 feet off the ground on stilts, with thatched roofing made from palm leaves and flooring made from the bark of the jira palm. These houses were typically round in shape and large enough to hold members of an extended family group. Contemporary Emberá housing often employs many of the traditional materials and styles. However, they may often be smaller due to a comparatively smaller number of family members per house. Wooden boards often replace the jira bark as flooring, and durable aluminum roofing may replace palm leaves.
11:28 AM - near Emberá Village: part of our group heading toward dugout canoes; the one painted yellow on the inside would be ours.
11:30 AM - near Emberá Village: view from our canoe to part of our group in the next canoe and others still on shore, with another canoe waiting.
MT 11:31 AM - near Emberá Village: young native man handing out life jackets before we boarded our waiting canoe; another canoe with part of our group aboard already launched (mild telephoto 53 mm).
MT 11:33 AM - near Emberá Village: another native man operating the outboard motor of a canoe - not ours (mild telephoto 54 mm).
11:32 AM - near Emberá Village: view from our canoe of another canoe heading out (MT in right foreground).
11:34 AM - near Emberá Village: view toward front of our canoe, as we got underway; we were in the rear 2 seats.
11:34 AM - near Emberá Village: Don's attempt to get a "selfie" photo (with camera, not cell phone) of the two of us in the rear 2 seats; behind us is the young man operating the outboard motor.
11:35 AM - near Emberá Village: view of front of our canoe as we headed up the river; some Emberá houses just to the right of the young man with the long pole (presumably to measure the water depth).
11:36 AM - near Emberá Village: native Emberá houses, on stilts, on the river bank.
11:37 AM - near Emberá Village: view ahead of our canoe at a bend in the river.
MT 11:37 AM - near Emberá Village: native man operating the outboard motor of our canoe.
MT 11:38 AM - near Emberá Village: Don waving back at MT in rear of canoe.
11:38 AM - near Emberá Village: native Emberá house and Indian grass, which grows quickly and was probably introduced into Panama by the US to prevent erosion during work on the canal, but proved invasive.
11:39 AM - near Emberá Village: view ahead to canoes ahead of us landing on shore of the river.
11:39 AM - Emberá Village: canoes ahead of us landed and prepared to land on shore of the river, with some of our group already heading up steps toward the village; note the young lady in native dress standing just to the right of the steps and another standing in the shade farther to the right (mild telephoto 79 mm).
11:39 AM (CROPPED) - Emberá Village: the young lady in native dress standing just to the right of the steps and another standing in the shade farther to the right (mild telephoto 79 mm).
MT 11:45 AM - Emberá Village: another young lady in native dress, who came down to the shore to welcome us as we were getting off the canoe and taking off our life jackets.
11:45 AM - Emberá Village: inside the large common area house with thatched roof and dirt floor; native crafts for sale around other side of the periphery.
11:45 AM - Emberá Village: children in native dress inside the large common area house.
11:46 AM - Emberá Village: children in native dress inside the large common area house, with two boys dancing (mild telephoto 43 mm).
MT 11:48 AM - Emberá Village: group of young girls in native dress and two boys dancing.
MT 11:49 AM - Emberá Village: young girls in native dress inside the large common area house.
11:49 AM - Emberá Village: sign for "Birds of Chagres National Park" near the large common area house.
11:50 AM - Emberá Village: two large thatched-roof houses (common area house at right) with older boys kicking ball.
11:50 AM - Emberá Village: common area house and one of the boys kicking ball.
MT 11:51 AM - Emberá Village: Don waving his hat by door of common area house.
11:51 AM - Emberá Village: Flying Bird plant like we had seen at the botanical garden in Honduras.
11:51 AM - Emberá Village: another Flying Bird plant (telephoto 130 mm).
Then we were called back to the common area house, where we were seated on benches around one side of the periphery.
First a man who appeared to be the chief, with our guide Jorge translating, told us about the native people (the villagers prefer not to be called "Indians" or "indigenous people").
10:58 AM - Emberá Village: chief addressing our group, with Jorge to the right.
10:58 AM - Emberá Village: Jorge translating for the chief.
Then a woman, with Jorge translating, showed us the materials used for making baskets and bowls.
11:11 AM - Emberá Village: woman holding materials for basket making, with Jorge translating (telephoto 93 mm).
11:12 AM - Emberá Village: Jorge holding up undyed fiber while the woman talked (telephoto 93 mm).
MT 12:16 PM - Emberá Village: woman holding up undyed fiber while the woman talked (telephoto 80 mm).
12:13 PM - Emberá Village: Jorge holding up undyed fiber and translating what the woman had said (telephoto 93 mm).
12:14 PM - Emberá Village: Don holding woven center of basket and undyed fiber (mild telephoto 36 mm).
MT 12:17 PM - Emberá Village: Don holding woven center of basket and undyed fiber.
12:15 PM - Emberá Village: someone else holding woven center of basket and undyed fiber; MT's iPhone at right (mild telephoto 36 mm).
12:16 PM - Emberá Village: Jorge holding up dyed material, with woman still talking.
12:17 PM - Emberá Village: Don holding fiber dyed yellow with turmeric.
MT 12:20 PM - Emberá Village: Don holding fiber dyed yellow and turmeric.
MT 12:18 PM - Emberá Village: Jorge holding fiber dyed red with teak leaves and woman holding fiber dyed dark brown (or black) with wood chips from carving, then black mud (telephoto 133 mm).
12:20 PM - Emberá Village: Jorge holding fiber dyed dark brown (or black) and woman now holding red-dyed fiber.
12:20 PM - Emberá Village: Jorge holding black fiber and finished bowl; woman holding fiber dyed red with teak leaves and a smaller bowl (telephoto 109 mm).
12:21 PM - Emberá Village: Jorge holding black fiber and finished bowl (telephoto 109 mm).
12:22 PM - Emberá Village: Jorge holding black fiber and two finished bowls (telephoto 109 mm).
12:23 PM - Emberá Village: Don holding small finished bowl.
12:23 PM - Emberá Village: MT and Don holding two finished bowls.
MT 12:25 PM - Emberá Village: MT and Don holding two finished bowls; it is now clear that the larger one has handles.
12:24 PM - Emberá Village: Jorge and woman holding fabric for which the tribe's key was dye from [???]; now made in China (telephoto 93 mm).
12:27 PM - Emberá Village: Jorge holding anteater carved from rosewood; chief in background (telephoto 93 mm).
12:28 PM - Emberá Village: Jorge holding turtles carved from large seed and anteater carved from rosewood.
MT 12:30 PM - Emberá Village: Jorge holding turtles carved from large seed and anteater carved from rosewood (telephoto 82 mm).
MT 12:30 PM - Emberá Village: MT holding turtles carved from large seed (telephoto 82 mm).
MT 12:31 PM - Emberá Village: MT and Don holding turtles carved from large seed and anteater carved from rosewood.
12:28 PM - Emberá Village: MT holding turtles carved from large seed and anteater carved from rosewood.
MT 1:07 PM - Emberá Village: loose chicken on floor of common area house (telephoto 133 mm).
MT 1:07 PM - Emberá Village: Jorge with piece of (rose?) wood (telephoto 133 mm).
Then we were entertained by native dancers. MT took several photos, and Don took 11 short videos.
MT 1:31 PM - Emberá Village: native dancers; the young lady leading the dancers around a circle was beating a small drum in a steady rhythm, and the whole group dancing to the beat of the drum (mild telephoto 56 mm).
1126 1:26 PM - Emberá Village: native dancers; the young lady leading the dancers around a circle was beating a small drum in a steady rhythm, and the whole group dancing to the beat of the drum and singing (VIDEO).
1:28 PM - Emberá Village: native dancers (VIDEO).
1:29 PM - Emberá Village: native dancers (VIDEO).
1:29 PM - Emberá Village: native dancers, dancing and singing; sometimes showing other musicians at far right (VIDEO).
1:30 PM - Emberá Village: native dancers, dancing and singing and changing direction (VIDEO).
1:30 PM - Emberá Village: native dancers; end of dance, with applause (VIDEO).
MT 1:32 PM - Emberá Village: native dancers; occasionally, they changed direction (mild telephoto 53 mm).
MT 1:33 PM - Emberá Village: native dancers (mild telephoto 48 mm).
MT 1:35 PM - Emberá Village: native dancers; a small boy joined one of the dancers; in background is young man playing a flute (mild telephoto 48 mm).
MT 1:35 PM - Emberá Village: the flute player, a drum, and another instrument (telephoto 91 mm).
1:33 PM - Emberá Village: the flute player, a drum, and another instrument playing (VIDEO).
1:35 PM - Emberá Village: dancers inviting spectators, including MT, to join in the dance (VIDEO).
1:35 PM - Emberá Village: dancers and spectators, including MT, changing direction (VIDEO).
Then we had a snack of fried fish (boney) and fried plantain wrapped in palm leaf, and pineapple and bananas.
Then we re-boarded the dugout canoes for our return trip to the bus.
1:42 PM - near Emberá Village: our group re-boarding a canoe; this time Don and MT were in middle seats.
1:42 PM - near Emberá Village: MT in one of our middle seats, with more people behind us.
1:43 PM - near Emberá Village: view, from our launched canoe, of others boarding canoe and waiting in line on steps.
1:44 PM - near Emberá Village: MT in one of our middle seats, with more people behind us, as we waited for other canoes.
Just as we boarded the dugout canoes, a light sprinkle started. As our canoe started to move, there was a real downpour.
1:45 PM - near Emberá Village: start of sprinkles on the water, just before the downpour.
1:46 PM - near Emberá Village: more sprinkles on the water, just before the downpour (telephoto 130 mm).
1:59 PM - near Emberá Village: other canoes unloading in rain, after we got under a shelter to wait for the bus.
Then the bus took us back to the Viking Star.
The Viking Daily newsletter said for all passengers to be back on board by 6:00 pm, as the Viking Star prepared to set sail for the Panama Canal Transit (107 nautical miles).
At 6 pm, we went to The Restaurant (Deck 2) for our pre-ordered dinner. We shared a table with the same couple from Seattle (from yesterday) and a couple from Canada.
Then we filled our our menu choices for The Restaurant the next day.
MT 9:05 PM - Viking Star: MT's menu with choices circled (with two starters) for the following evening meal.
9:04 PM - Viking Star: Don's menu with different choices, except for desert, circled for the following evening meal.
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