Introduction: Growing up with National Geographic on my suburban American coffee table, tribal life always held a special fascination for me. The exotic imagery of topless women, loin-clothed men, intricate tattoos, and vibrant adornments, combined with the unique community structure and absence of modern technology, fueled my desire to explore the other side of the world and reconnect with our roots. After extensive research, my partner and I decided to book a tour with Embera Village Tours, and Shirley, the American woman who runs the website, was instrumental in arranging our visit. Booking Process and Cost Breakdown: Six settlements are situated near Panama, with the second furthest being Embera Puru and one more (further still) that doesn't accept visitors. The four closest to town can get swamped with dozens of day tourists and cruise-ship travelers. Embera Puru seemed the most authentic for us. The website displayed captivating photos of joyous children, busy villagers, and centuries-old traditions. Excited about the photographic opportunities (we’re both street photographers) and eager to immerse ourselves in tribal life, we were willing to pay the high price for this unique adventure and life-long dream. The total cost for two nights amounted to $1,300, part of that sum being an additional $240 charge ($120 per person) for visiting Embera Puru due to the ‘challenges posed by low river levels.’ We paid a deposit of $325 and settled the remaining $970 upon our arrival. It is important to note that the tour company likely retained the deposit while the remaining $970 was distributing among the guide, the tribe, and the taxi driver. We have no way of knowing how much ultimately went to the village. Arrival and Initial Impressions: Our guide, Jose, picked us up from our hotel in his small car and drove us approximately an hour and a half along roads that got increasingly worse. We eventually switched to a 4-wheel drive truck, which took us about 30 minutes to reach the river. 30 minutes after a fun walk through the mud (bring disposable shoes!), two male Embera villagers arrived in their longboats, and we embarked on our river journey. While the water levels were low in three places, the journey was smooth, leaving us questioning the justification for the extra charge. We noticed plenty of other longboats carrying people along our journey and throughout our stay. What was the cause for the high price increase?! (Silly tourist tax I guess) ;) Upon arrival at the village, we realized that the experience was about to diverge wildly from our expectations. There was no welcome or anything. I wasn’t expecting a mai Thai, a lei place around our necks or Mr. Roarke saying ‘welcome, welcome’ - but we were just meekly marched up from the rocky beach and shown our accommodation with no fanfare. The villagers' houses, built on stilts approximately three meters high, surrounded us. As tourists, our accommodation consisted of a flat platform with a thatched roof adjacent to the the meeting hall (which was as impressive as our lodgings were unimpressive) . From our vantage point, we could see three other huts. However, as a hint to future travelers - don’t linger on the sight of the three huts as you will soon discover it will encompass your only visual stimulation throughout your stay. Living in a Fishbowl: Most of the huts in the village had a porch with a kitchen (sand stove) area attached, followed by a walled-off living area for the families. Colorful fabric hung in various places, adding aesthetic appeal and perhaps providing privacy. Unfortunately, we did not have such luxuries. Instead, we spent our time on a raised platform without any semblance of privacy. Strangely, the initial concern about exploiting the tribe faded, and we began to feel like the animals in a zoo. At any time, the villagers could look out from their private huts and observe the foreigners, turning our experience into a performance on a theater stage. Limited Interaction and Activities: Shortly after our arrival, the village leader greeted us, and a woman showcased the tribe's handicraft abilities, answering our questions about tattoo washes and how she made the handicrafts. However, these interactions marked the extent of our engagement with the villagers. For the remainder of our stay, we were left largely to ourselves, with meals being prepared for us three times a day. This lack of interaction proved to be our least favorite aspect of the experience. Contrary to the photos on the website, depicting joyful children playing and a link suggesting items to bring for them, we found ourselves with little opportunity to interact, play, or take photographs. We had brought bags of individually wrapped candies, a frisbee, balls, a deflated soccer ball, balloons, bubble wands, and other toys, envisioning a vibrant exchange with the children. However, our hopes were pretty much hammered as we were taken to the schoolhouse later in the day to drop off our gifts and then promptly ushered out. We never saw the children again. The village offered minimal attractions. We could ascend a hill for a view of the schoolhouse or take a 20-meter stroll to the river. During long stretches of six hours, we would be fortunate to spot two villagers in the distance or observe a child descending and ascending a ladder. Despite the village supposedly comprising 28 houses and a population of 128, we encountered fewer than 10 houses and a mere fraction of the population - and only when it came time to sell us goods. Questionable Authenticity: The village's authenticity turned out to be a mix of traditional and modern elements. While a schoolhouse existed, with mandatory attendance for children and a teacher sent from the city on weekdays, it hardly resembled a traditional tribal education. Moreover, electricity had infiltrated the village to varying degrees. Some parts of the village were connected by electric cables spanning the river, while others relied on flashlights for illumination. One house on the left was even full lit up with electricity! There was a double freezer for the tribe. Although we enjoyed observing the preparation of our meals, the absence of visible crops or livestock, except for banana, lime, and mango trees, raised suspicions that the village may have become reliant on their weekly grocery store trips. Additionally, the vibrant fabric that adorned the village was sourced from China, raising doubts about its authenticity. Although our guide claimed that the villagers had designed the fabric, its distinct Asian motifs, such as lotus flowers and birthday cake designs, seemed incongruous with the rainforest environment. We couldn't help but question the validity of these claims - but who knows. We waited all day, and nothing happened, darkness fell and we had 12hr to swing in the hammock or take turns laying on a mattress covered in plastic (which made it very hot). There were no lights and that’s fine, this is what we came for. I’m not bemoaning the lack of comforts - in part this very long night was our favorite part of the trip! In the morning we woke up at first light and were told that later the tribe would like to show us some of their handicrafts. Cool. We were both interested in any silver, beads or hand-wrought jewelry they might have made. A few hours later - inside the main hall 8 or 9 families unpacked their sacks of items and laid them out. Note - at this time being the only visitors here, there’s quite a bit of pressure to buy. No overt pressure - just the kind of pressure that comes from having 14 villagers watching you as you walk from table to table. Underwhelming Handicrafts and Souvenirs: There were a few quick dances and beating of drums, then the shopping began. Note: we both felt simply horrible for not being able to buy something from each other the tables.. We felt like we were letting them down, but the prices were just too high. I’ve often found when visiting a place that makes something - looms, shoes, carvings etc - they’re eager to show you where these things are made and show off their artisanship. This didn’t happen in the village, which increased my wariness. I asked Jose (our guide) and he assured us these were all made in the village. Cool. One table had some turtles that were carved out of nuts - the guy looked me in the eye and said ‘I carved this’ - and it was pretty cool. Another table the woman said my family makes these (wooden statues), woven bowels, bracelets etc. We ended up buying about $70 worth of stuff - a bowl ($12), a jaguar pendant ($20), bracelets ($5), fabric ($20), beads ($10). After shopping, we had a quick internal discussion and found the experience for us ended promptly at 6:30pm, when the sun set - and we were left with 12 hours in the dark, sweating and swinging in hammocks. We decided to give our second night pass and head back to the city a day early as there was nothing more to experience here. I jumped in the river (on my bucket list) then dried off - and we repeated the trip down the river (no problems and lots of boats) and back into the city (oddly totally exhausted). Sadly, the next day in the city - we perused the souvenir shop indeed we found almost every single item that was in the village - often for 50% less. That $20 Jaguar pendant that was hand carved by the villager? There were a dozen of them in many shops for $7. The hand weaved bowls? Absolutely everywhere. The hand designed fabric? Half price hanging in the shops with many of the same lotus flower. Wooden statues of animals that are guide assured us were ‘amazing and beautiful’ - were again fractions of the tribal price and omnipresent.. (sigh) Conclusion: Our visit to Embera Puru Village ultimately proved to be a disappointment. The lack of interaction with the tribe members, limited activities, and questionable authenticity left us feeling dissatisfied. If you don’t make anything in the village, that’s fine - but please don’t lie to our face. While the boat ride and the night spent in hammocks had their charm, the overall trip did not live up to our expectations. Our guide failed to provide meaningful engagement, and the tribe members appeared uninterested in interacting with us. As a result, we returned home with very few photographs, save for some shots of thatched huts, dogs, and plenty of chickens. Worth a day trip at best, and skip Embera Village Tours.
Thank you for taking the time to share your impression of the tour. We are sorry it did not live up to your expectations. Unfortunately, you won’t find the type of experience you were hoping for in a village that accepts tourists. While some issues that you mentioned are correct and have been dealt with, there are others that appear to be misconceptions. Please allow us to clarify them. Roughly 50 years ago, the families of Embera Puru migrated from the Darien to the area where they now live in search of a better life for their children. That area is now a national park and as such, the Embera have strict guidelines on the things they can and cannot do. While they do farm and fish, they are not able to produce everything they need. So, they (like most of the other villages) looked to tourism to fill that gap in their lives. They enjoy sharing their culture with outsiders. They are proud of it. But with that comeas small changes to their traditional way of life. There have been social, religious and medical groups who have visited the village and have tried to make the Embera’s life a bit easier. The ”electric cable” stretching across the river that you mentioned, is actually a water pipe installed by Engineers Without Borders to bring fresh drinking water to the village. It is supported by wires, but not electric ones. A missionary group donated a solar powered freezer to the village so that the food that they catch and grow doesn’t go bad in the heat. Many visitors leave their lanterns and flashlights to the villagers. They are much safer to use in their houses, which are quite dark and hot inside. We are sorry you felt like you were on display and sleeping in a fishbowl. As you can see on our website and Facebook, previous guests have enjoyed the open air tambos. It is unfortunate that you didn’t notice those pictures. Jose was correct in saying the Embera design the cloth for their skirts and it is then produced in China. They select designs based on what they have seen and what they like. Who doesn’t like beautiful flowers? The handicrafts sold in the village are made in the village; often inside the craftsman’s home. The craftsmen of Embera Puru and of the other villages sell to the stores in Panama City. Because the stores purchase large quantities, they get a significant discount. Panama is in low season right now and all sorts of stores are offering special deals on all sorts of articles, including Embera handicrafts. The villages, however, don’t have “seasonal discounts”. Again, we are saddened that your tour was a disappointment.
