Embera and Wounaan People, Darien Region, Panama

Embera and Wounaan People, Darien Region, Panama 

Wounaan Indigenous people for many years were joined with Embera Indigenous people. The Embera-Wounaan were formerly and widely known by the name Chocó, though both Embera and Wounaan speak different languages and live in different villages.

Emberá began settling Darién during the late eighteenth century, and by the early 1900s had occupied most of the river basins. Wounaan families had entered Panama during the 1940s.

For centuries both the Wounaan and Embera tribes were expert hunters and fishermen who more than survived, but flourished in the dense jungle and rivers that inhabit the Darien Region of Panama and border of Colombia.

Wounaan and Embera Indians mastered many different methods of hunting and fishing over the centuries and were known for their marksmanship. Spears, bows and arrows, and blowguns were the primary hunting weapons used by Emberá and Wounaan for hundreds of years. Later shotguns and rifles were also introduced in 1900’s. Underwater spear fishing developed later when diving masks became available in the mid-1900’s. Today, you will find spear fishing is one of the most popular methods for fishing and it takes a lot of skill to master. 

Today, these communities maintain a very close connection and appreciation with their surrounding environment. Their ability to fish, hunt, and forage off the land still remains a very important part of their survival and culture. This rich culture, history, and passion for the outdoors can also be seen through their art, dance, primitive tools and methods.