'The initial call for autonomy came as a backlash to the Panamanian governments policy of “civilisation and Christianisation” of the Kuna people.'

The San Blas archipelago is a group of islands situated off the Caribbean north-east coast of Panama, it is home to the unique and fascinating culture of the Kuna people.

The region comprises around 365 tiny islands, many surrounded by pristine coral reef, which, along with a strip of land on the coastal mainland of Panama, has been run as an autonomous region since 1938. Its autonomous status ensures control of internal social policies and laws and that all land and business is controlled by the Kuna people and not foreign entrepreneurs.

The initial call for autonomy came as a backlash to the Panamanian governments policy of “civilisation and Christianisation” of the Kuna people, banning all traditional dress and customs.

Many of the 37,000 Kuna people inhabit parts of the mainland in the inhospitable jungle region called the Darien Gap which separates Colombia and Panama. The Kuna first began to inhabit these isolated regions of Panama to escape the Spanish, in a time when many indigenous peoples of the Americas were decimated by war and foreign disease, or used as slaves.

Cultural identity

The culture of resistance ingrained in the Kuna psyche and their relative isolation from the rest of Panama has ensured that they have lost little of their cultural identity and customs.

Descendents of the Cribs, they live in much the same way as they have for centuries, living in simple huts with palm roofs, fishing in dug out canoes and growing basic staples on the mainland of Panama, passing to and from the islands to maintain their crops and trade with other islands.

The most striking feature of the Kuna people is the traditional dress still worn by the women, particularly the embroidery on the Molas, small pieces of cloth used to decorate clothing.

Also impressive is the jewellery made from multicoloured beads that cover the whole of the lower leg or forearm in complex patterns.

The village unit is still organised and stratified in much the same way as before, men assume the role of village chief and appoint a number of assistants, they meet to decide on matters concerning the community and recite poems relaying their history.

Religious practitioners, called seers, are village elders whom the Kuna believe to perform magic through rituals and chanting. From the early times of missionary conversion in the Americas to the more recent evangelisation attempts, the Kuna have remained a hard group to convert, only a handful have accepted the bible over their traditional beliefs.

Recently, tourism has begun to impact the lives of the Kuna people and whilst there is concern over how to manage the influx of tourists they have managed to maintain a balance of pride in their heritage and customs whilst welcoming a lucrative industry, inviting tourists to stay in rustic accommodation on some of the islands and selling their handicrafts, lobster and fish to passing pleasure yachts.

Protection

They are the first indigenous group to create their own protected reserve and in 2005 a program of bilingual education was established with the backing of the Panamanian ministry of education, ensuring that the Kuna language will not be lost.

With improvements in health also promised by the government and the strict management of tourism by community leaders, the Kuna people stand out as an example of an indigenous community proud of its traditional culture whilst benefiting from contact with outsiders, an example many other indigenous groups would like to follow.

Martin Piper is a former employee of Christian Aid who now lives and works in South America.

These are personal comments and not necessarily the position of Christian Aid or its partners.

• Read other columns from Martin Piper