Day 5 with the Embera Tribe

 Saturday morning we piled into a canoe and traveled through the water to the Embera tribe. They first loaded us in a canoe and had a motor and a guide stood in the rear and a guide in the front of the canoe and they navigated us out to a really cool waterfall. 

I felt like I was living in the movie Anaconda. Where the boats are traveling through jungley waters that are snake infested. I fully expected an anaconda to jump out at us at any moment! Luckily that didn't happen. 

Our guide took very good care of us and guided the boat effortlessly. If he put his arm out to the side, the guide in the back would instantly know where to steer the canoe. They didn't speak to each other or look at each other, they just knew what to do and how to direct the boat. 

We passed a few villages along the way. We learned that they really try to keep all their ancestors traditions alive and they don't use technology at all. They typically don't even wear much clothes, only when guests come. 

We arrived at the waterfall and it was overflowing with water. My dad was there in April with Justin's family, and there was about half as much water coming over. They have received a lot of rain and they wouldn't let us get close to the waterfall. But some of the local guides got close and jumped in and 

We could get in and swim around a bit. After we all got in the water they showed us that if you threw some food in the water, the fish would go crazy trying to get it....it creeped me out a bit knowing that that many fish were swimming around me. I only go in up to my legs! 

After our waterfall fun, we walked back to our boat and went to their tribe's home. It was incredible watching all these young guides climbing on and manuvering over the sharp wet rocks with bare feet, hanging on to us and telling us where to step and what to do. Their feet and hands were very strong and nimble. 

As we pulled up to the shore, small children ran and danced for us and the women too. The men played drums and the chief came out to welcome us to the island. 

I instantly felt like I was living in Moana!

They gathered us into their hut and showed taught us about their traditions They showed us their crafts and told us the dollar amount represented how many days it took to make it. So a craft that took 25 days would cost $25. 

They then danced for us and then made everyone get up and dance with them! It really was fun to dance around with everyone moving. 

The ladies performance was so powerful and cool. You could tell they were all strong women and took pride in their culture. 

At lunch time, they presented us with tilapia that had been caught that morning, plantain chips and lots of fresh fruit! They packaged it all up in a banana leaf envelope and put a hibiscus flower on for decoration. It was beautiful and pretty tasty. I was hesitant to eat it, but it actually was pretty good! 

My girls loved the fruit and it was so yummy. We even got to try a few new fruits while we were there. But we all wished fruit would taste like this at home! 

After lunch, each family had a craft table that they set up around the room. We were then free and encouraged to shop and buy. 

Oh the little babies were SO cute and friendly!!! This one loved Brielle and her phone. 

At the end they offered us tattoo with ink from a plant that they had. It would last for about a week they said. They asked for donation so I dug in my purse and grabbed all the change and handed it over. I thought they'd be grateful. Apparently I offended them because they wouldn't do one for Rylee now claiming that they were $5 each. I tried to track down the guy and give him more money but he was out of sight. Sorry guy, if you want $5 out of it you need to say it's $5, not donation. 

So we all walked around Panama for the rest of the time with arm tattoos. I kind of loved it though! 

After we returned home, we rested for a bit before we went out to a FSY concert that a famous singer named Carlie was singing at. She was in my parents ward and such a good performer and singer. She travels all over singing and was in a TV talent show equivilant to America's Got Talent and made it to the final round, only losing to someone else who was a native. She was Philippino.  But she was a tiny thing with such a powerful voice. We even recognized a few American songs that she sang in Spanish. Before her concert started, they had traditional dancers come out in their dresses and do a few dances for us. Those dresses would be so fun to spin around in! 

We were all starving (beacause some of us wouldn't eat the tilapia for lunch) so we left a little early after meeting some of mom and dad's friends at the half point of the show. Such a fun filled day!