Culture and Community Day

¡Un gran saludo de Chitré!

Today, we were the Líderes del Día, which roughly translates to the Dora Explorer of the Day. Anyway, we had a fabulous day full of activity and exploration!

We visited Don Lucrecio’s Pottery Workshop and the women of the AMURAM mangrove conservation community in Paris (no, different Paris). At the workshop, Don Lucrecio gave an in depth demonstration and explanation of the history and craft of their clay making. In the community of Paris, the AMURAM ladies fed us lunch while explaining their efforts to preserve the local flora.

Some major takeaways from the group came from seeing the community with a fresh set of eyes. Did they live the lives we do back home? No. Did that take away from their quality and way of life? Not at all. In Don Lucrecio’s community, after one researcher of Mexican pottery brought over their turntables and technique, the people of Chitré quickly adopted and expanded access to the rest of the community. The craft has been passed down from generation to generation, adding to their identity.

With the women of AMURAM, we learned about their efforts to conserve the local mangrove ecosystems. Almost counterintuitively though, our task was with beautification projects. Back in the States, we often live in a state of monotony, go-go-go, get stuff done. In Paris, life is simpler. People live and work as one. They ensure their environment is not only beautiful, but sustainable, while getting all hands on deck to bring this image to life.

In many respects, we are not so different from the Panamanian people. As a matter of fact, we hope to bring back with us the same sense of union, hospitality, and laid-back attitude toward life.

Looking forward to an amazing day tomorrow where we will be exploring Panama’s biocultural diversity. Stay tuned!

Buenas noches, everybody!

Sincerely,

Morgan and Jonny