Photograph courtesy of ACDThe Naso king (front row), Lucho (far left) and several Naso community members pose for a picture in front of their future cultural center.
In April 2008, the Genographic Legacy Fund (GLF) supported the Naso indigenous people of northwestern Panama with funding to establish a community cultural center, including a library of documentation done about and/or by the Naso people. Alianza para la Conservación y el Desarrollo (ACD) is a Panamanian non-profit organization that has worked closely with the Naso people for many years and is providing administrative and other assistance for this GLF project. Genographic team member Danae Tuley recently visited Panama and was invited to hear first-hand about the progress around establishing the Naso's community cultural center:
Though a couple of days in Panama was not enough time to travel to the beautiful province of Bocas del Toro, the indigenous home of the Naso people, I was fortunate to spend a day with ACD in Panama City to hear how the project was progressing. Lucho, a member of the Naso community and one of the project leaders, made the journey to the capital city to share an update with me.
The Naso, the only indigenous group in Panama ruled by a king, are surrounded by rich forests and river reserves. Naso livelihood, traditions and beliefs are all closely connected to their environment. The Naso cultural revitalization project officially began in August of last year. Despite flooding and other unforeseen obstacles, community members have been highly motivated to complete the center on schedule so that they can begin using the anxiously-awaited facility.
The cultural center project had been at the top of the list of community priorities when ACD came across information about the Genographic Legacy Fund and applied for support. Though the GLF has supported the cultural revitalization projects of communities all around the world, the Naso project was the first in Panama to receive a grant through the GLF.
Photograph by Danae TuleyRepresentatives from ACD assist Lucho (center), a member of the Naso community, in providing an overview of the community's the center and developing a library of Naso history and culture.
Lucho described some of adversities that the Naso people face, including their increasing marginalization and the encroachment of their ancestral lands due to Boca del Toro's hydroelectric and ecotourism potential. Though still fairly isolated, Western influences have been a major threat to the Naso culture. Lucho estimated that only about 20% of local Naso can now speak their traditional language.
Also, like many indigenous communities, much of the documentation of Naso history and culture has been generated by explorers, scholars and other outsiders and, historically, has been housed elsewhere and not made easily accessible to the Naso themselves. To establish their own Naso library, the community is gathering as many materials as possible from libraries in neighboring Costa Rica and in the larger cities of Panama.
The two-story center will not only house the Naso library, but also make space for traditional worship, dancing and receptions, a community museum, and a classroom to teach the traditional language and culture to younger Naso generations. The cultural center is scheduled to be completed later this month with a large gathering planned for the official opening in March.
Read other Genographic Legacy Fund posts on Genographica.
Visit the Genographic Legacy Fund's website for additional information about the Genographic Legacy Fund and how to apply for a grant.
