Presentation Transcript

1. A Look at Global Brigades in Panamá
2. p. 1 p. 2 p. 3 p. 4 p. 4 p. 5 p. 6 p. 7 p. 8 p. 8-9 p. 10 p. 11 p. 12 p. 12 p. 13 p. 14 A Look at PanamáOutline Title Page Packet Outline Introduction Culture Latino Culture Wounaan Culture Emberá Culture Guna Culture History Panamá History Darién History Global Brigades Panamá History Health Panamá Statistics Panamá Healthcare System Conclusion
3. Introduction Hello future and returning Panamá brigaders, We, the Global Brigades Panamá team, cannot express how excited that we are to learn that you have expressed interest in learning more about Panamá! In this packet, we describe three topics that are paramount to Global Brigades’ operations in Panamá: the country’s rich culture, eclectic history, and divided healthcare system. We ask that you familiarize yourself with this information during the time before your arrival in-country. During your time in Panamá, you will be exposed to all three of these themes in both obvious and subtle ways. The culture, history, and healthcare system of Panamá divide the country socially and economically. These divisions greatly impact the daily lives of the communities with which we work. Keep in mind that there is much more information about these topics available online at our website, www.globalbrigades.org. Also, please feel free to contact us with any questions! Sincerely, Amy, Grace, and Daniel Global Health Program Associates Global Brigades Panamá healthprogramspanama@globalbrigades.org
4. Latino Culture Latinos form the largest ethnic group within Panamá; they make up approximately 74% of the country’s 3.5 million person population. Latinos speak primarily Spanish; approximately 10% of the country also speaks English. Global Brigades Panamá works with many Latino communities in East Panamá and Darién, the province closest to Colombia. Everyday Latino attire is easy to recognize: t-shirts, polos, button-down shirts, jeans, and khakis. Latinos living in East Panamá and Darién frequently work in agriculture, cattle-farming, and the lumber industry. Traditional Panamanian Latino cuisine includes chicken, rice, beans, Panamanian tortillas, and local fruits. The pictures above depict traditional Latino architecture in East Panamá. The buildings are constructed with cinder blocks and cement. The most popular sports in Panamanian Latino culture are soccer, baseball, basketball, and boxing. The overwhelming majority of Latinos are Roman Catholic. The large skirt in the above picture is known as the pollera, a traditional Latin American dress usually decorated with flowers and animals. The pollera can take a year to make.
5. Wounaan Culture The Wounaan population is an indigenous group with its own language, Wounaan. However, the majority of the Wounaan have learned Spanish as well, particularly the younger generations that have been taught Spanish since they were children. The Wounaan are the smallest of the tribes with which Global Brigades Panamá works; their population in Panamá only numbers around 7,000 people. The Panamanian Wounaan tribe lives in the eastern half of Panamá. The tribe shares a Comarca with the Emberá tribe near the Darién province. The Wounaan traditionally color themselves with an ink made from fruit called jagua. Each pattern represents different aspects of nature. The Wounaan work in agriculture and make artisan crafts. The above pictures show Wounaan community members in traditional attire. This basket is woven from palm strands. Wounaan artisans dye the material from its natural white. Baskets can take months of work. The size of this Wounaan building indicates that it would be used as a community building, not a family’s house. Note that the structure is built to withstand flooding.
6. Emberá Culture The Emberá tribe is similar to the Wounaan in appearance and architecture. The Emberá also have a language that is only used by their tribe; however, the majority of the tribe also speaks Spanish. The Emberá population in Panamá numbers around 31,000 and is located in East Panama, Darién, and the Emberá-Wounaan Comarca. Like the Wounaan tribe, the Emberá frequently paint designs on their skin with ink made from jagua fruit. The jagua designs have religious significance to the Emberá; the designs that each person has represents different aspects of nature and are traditionally decided by a religious leader. The preservation and appreciation of nature is very importance to Emberá society. Many Emberá and Wounaan live in the marked Comarca, a province that allows indigenous groups a good deal of autonomy from the central Panamanian government. Emberá buildings, like those in Wounaan communities, are raised off of the ground in case of floods. This building is one family’s home. They use tree trunks as ladders by carving footholds into a trunk. The roofs of the building are made from palm leaves and must be redone around every five years. The cacique is the title of the community’s leader. The caciques lead their communities with the consent and input of their community members. Community land is usually communally owned, maintained, and farmed. The Emberá living in the Comarca enjoy a great deal of independence through self-governance. These Emberá women are dressed in traditional attire. 6
7. Guna Culture The Guna tribe is mostly located in East Panamá, Darién, and the Guna Yalacomarca, which is also known as San Blas. Living on the Caribbean, those in Guna Yala enjoy some of the most beautiful landscapes in Panamá. There are approximately 80,000 Guna living in Panamá. Many Guna live in fishing villages, but some Guna have also moved to Panama City. Of the indigenous populations with which Global Brigades works, the Guna are typically the most reserved and shy. Like the other indigenous populations in Panamá, the Guna have their own language, but many speak Spanish. Many Guna live in the Guna Yala Comarca, a province that is Northeast of Panamá City along the Caribbean coast. Guna houses are built along the ground, unlike Emberá and Wounaan houses. Many are directly along the beach. Many Guna work in agriculture, cattle-ranching, and fishing. Also, many Guna women produce artisan crafts that are sold in Panamá City; the Guna are famous for their colorful molas. The women in the image on the right represent the daily outfit for Guna women. Guna women keep their hair cut much shorter than Emberá or Wounaan women. Another note of interest, the Guna population has an abnormally high prevalence of albinos; Guna albinos are highly valued within their culture. Traditional Guna attire for women includes strings of beads that cover the forearms and lower legs.
8. Pre-Independence Panamá History Panamanian history is full of interactions with a diverse group of nationalities, ethnicities, and religions. This is mixture of cultures is evident today – the largest ethnic group today is mestizos, those descended both from indigenous populations and European colonists. Developments in Panamá’s history has been driven by North American, European, Asian, African, and indigenous populations. 1824 Map of Gran Colombia 1854 Lithograph of Panamá Railroad 8
9. Post-Independence Panamá History As demonstrated from the previous page, Panamá’s pre-independence history was largely a competition of European powers that were vying for the control of Panamá’s luscious landscape and strategic placement. During the 1900s, the United States played the biggest role in influencing Panamá’s affairs. From the time of Panamá’s independence from Colombia in 1903 until (literally) the last day of the 20th century, the United States has played a major role in shaping the Panamanian government and economy. US Invasion of Panamá Modern day Panamá Canal
10. Darién History The Darién is a Panamanian province to the east of Panamá City that borders Colombia and two indigenous areas (comarcas) that are similar to Native American reservations in the United States. The Darién region is entirely rural and is a primary area of Global Brigades’ focus. Due to its proximity to the traditionally indigenous lands, many of the communities that Global Brigades visits are either Emberá or Guna. Additionally, many descendents of African slaves live in the Darién region.
11. GB Panamá History
12. Panamá Health The healthcare system in Panamá City is quite different from the rural areas in Panamá Este and Darién. Below are some statistics about health in Darién and in Panamá, relative to health in the United States. *Poverty in Panamá is defined as earning less than $3.13 per day. 46% of documented diseases in Panamá are associated with contaminated water. GB Panamá works in conjunction with Panamá’s Health Ministry.
13. Panamá Health The hospital system varies greatly between Panamá City and rural Panamá, where Global Brigades Panamá works. For instance, private hospitals in Panamá City provide first rate care to patients with medical insurance or the resources to pay for procedures and consultations out of pocket. For populations without those resources, the public health system is the only option. There are two hospitals that the populations that we work with use in emergencies: Chepo and La Palma. However, both of these hospitals are a 2-3 hour bus ride from many of our communities. In between the hospitals are health centers and health posts. The health centers are essentially health clinics, staffed by a few doctors or nurses. They have very basic resources such as consultation rooms, dental care, a delivery room, and a small pharmacy. Although these health centers are much closer than the hospitals, often patients still must travel hours to visit them. Patients often wait several more hours to see a doctor. Sometimes no doctors are present at the clinic and sometimes necessary medicines are not located in the health center’s pharmacy. Hospital Nacional, a private hospital in Panamá City. Health posts are run by single community health workers. They generally have first aid equipment, basic immunizations, and other basic care equipment. At both health centers and health posts, patients who cannot afford their health care are still provided the care at little to no cost. The statistics below represent the general Panamanian population. The “regional average” was determined from both North and South America.
14. Conclusion This packet attempts to summarize a diverse country’s culture, history, and healthcare system in a few pages; clearly, there is a lot more information about Panamá that is not included in this packet. Regardless, you can see that Panamá’s culture and history are a combination of indigenous, European, North American, African, and Asian populations. The availability and quality of healthcare and health education are staggeringly divided between the rural and urban areas of the country. However daunting the task may be, Global Brigades volunteers have been and will continue to assist the development of communities in rural Panamá. We look forward to your arrival and cannot wait to work with you! Stay Connected: Main Website: www.globalbrigades.org Volunteer Resource Site: brigaders.wikidot.com/ Blog: www.globalbrigades.org/blog YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/BrigadeVideos Contact your Global Brigades Panamá staff For information about Medical, Dental, and Public Health brigades in Panamá: healthprogramspanama@globalbrigades.org