STAY IN THE KNOW

An intimate knowledge of the land is something that the Kuna Indians of the San Blas region most definitely possess. Like most indigenous groups that have determined to stay true to their traditional way of life, the Kuna are remarkably enmeshed in their environment. Despite enormous and formidable outside pressures, they have had the tenacity to fight for their land, their culture, and their right to live as they choose.

Much of the discussion surrounding the formation of a food system for Kalu Yala has involved, first and foremost, the process of self-contemplation. During Kalu Yala’s Naked Development Forum at Serenbe I was privileged to attend a lecture given by environmental lawyer turned author and sustainable farmer, Nicolette Hahn Niman. The reoccurring theme of the post-lecture discussions was clearly the fundamental disconnect that we as Americans had with our food. Unlike the past thousands of years, when food production and consumption was almost exclusively on the local level, today’s food system has grown into a highly industrial and mechanized behemoth. Looking to the native populations and their practices here in Panama will allow Kalu Yala to have a foot firmly planted in resistance to this forceful current that is drawing people further away from historic conventions concerning food.

In my preliminary analysis of the Kuna Indians I am stuck by their intensely close relationship with the flora and fauna of the land. They rely on the earth to sustain them, and they in turn see themselves as its caretakers. To illustrate this symbiotic relationship in which the Kuna refrain from exploiting their land, consider their lobster fisheries. Lobster is an incredibly valuable asset to the Kuna, and yet by decree from the Kuna General Congress, the use of SCUBA in harvesting them is prohibited. Those who harvest lobsters off the San Blas coast must do so with fins and mask, and generally cannot dive deeper than 20 meters.[1] Below that depth a refuge is therefore established, and the harvesting of lobsters can continue in a sustainable manner. This type of foresight is commendable because it acknowledges that there is not, as many would believe, an unlimited supply of most natural resources.

The Kuna lifestyle is not only beneficial to the environment, but also to the Kuna themselves. The majority of their diet contains unprocessed and fresh foods, and for this reason the Kuna generally maintain good health and a normal weight throughout their lifetime. High blood pressure and cardiovascular disease are rare, if not non-existent among The Kuna. Studies attribute this to the consumption of 40+ ounces of flavanol-rich cacao daily.[2] As my research continues I hope to discover more benefits the Kuna lifestyle, and especially those that can be incorporated into the Kalu Yala vision.

[1] Castillo, Arcadio; Lessios, H. A.; Smithsoni an Tropical Research Institute. “LOBSTER FISHERY BY THE KUNA INDIANS IN THE SAN BLAS REGION OF PANAMA (KUNA YALA).” Accessed via GALILEO July 5, 2010.

[2] “A Cup of Cocoa a Day Keeps the Doctor Away.” USA Today Magazine, 01617389, Feb 2007, Vol. 135, Issue 2741. Accessed July 5, 2010.

Main page image photographed by JEAN-PHILIPPE SOULÉ, 2001. Accessed from:  http://www.nativeplanet.org/indigenous/kuna/kuna87.htm

Lobster mola: http://artshiftsanjose.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/lobster-mola.jpg

Kuna man image: http://image18.webshots.com/19/7/29/7/191872907XEyMru_fs.jpg