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Panama: History, Culture, & Society Overview

Discover Panama's rich history from pre-Columbian times to present-day governance. Learn about its diverse population, colonial past, canal construction, and modern statistics. Explore the country's cultural nuances, political structure, and significant treaties. Dive into the unique kinship practices and religious beliefs. Gain insights into the Panamanian government, literacy rates, and key political parties. Uncover the dynamic societal norms and ethnic groups that shape Panama's identity.

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Panama: History, Culture, & Society Overview

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  1. The People of Panama

  2. Background • Reconquista • Moore, Jew, Spaniard • Feudalism • God, Gold, and Glory • Charles V (1516-1556)

  3. Colonial Spanish Hierarchy • Peninsulares • Born in spain • Held most prestigious positions • Criollos • Pure Spanish Ancestry • Positions in Government and Trade • Mestizos • Mixed (usually spanish father and Amerind mother) • Retail trade and services • Africans and Indians • Slaves

  4. Geography

  5. Panamanian HistoryPre-Columbus • 60 tribes • 500,000- 750,000 people • Biggest Tribes: • Kuna- largest • Guaymi- Related to Mayans • Choco- Related to South American Indians

  6. Panamanian HistoryEarly Years • Rodrigo de Bastidas reached isthmus in 1501 • Columbus founded Portobelo on 4th voyage • Vasco Nunez de Balboa • 1510: came to Panama (creditors) • 60/800 settlers left • Founded Antigua and became mayor • Made settlers plant crops • Found chief’s Daughter

  7. Panamanian HistoryEarly Years • 1513- Balboa led 1190 man expedition • Found Pacific after 25 days • Claimed all sea and shores it touched for Spain and God • Returned to Antigua in 1514 • Beheaded by “Pedrarias the Cruel” (Arias) 1517

  8. Panamanian HistoryEarly Years • 1519- Pedrarias moved capitol 2 miles east of present day Panama City • Linked with Nombre de Dios by Camino Real • Atlantic-Pacific trade • 3rd richest Spanish colony in New World

  9. Panamanian HistoryEarly Years • Council of Indies declared that Indians should be protected and converted • Little enforced with most good from missions • Bartolome de lasCasas • Outraged by native’s treatment • Indian slaves replaced by Africans • Slave trade begun in 1517 • (continued for ~200 years)

  10. Panamanian HistoryPre-Independence • 1671- Panama looted and burned by Henry Morgan • After 4 weeks, left with 600 prisoners/175 mules • 1673- Present Day Panama City rebuilt (fortified) • Spanish Empire declined from 17th to 19th century

  11. Panamanian HistoryEnter USA • 10 Nov 1821: Panama declared independence • Shortly thereafter absorbed into Columbia • 1821-1847: South American Politics • 1847: Panama Railroad built • Created 2nd largest city: Aspinwall/Colon • Chinese labour • 1856: Watermelon War • 1869: Transcontinental Railroad built

  12. Panamanian HistoryLast half of 19th Century • 50 riots and rebellions • 5 attempted successions • 13 interventions by USA • 36 Presidents in 23 years • Colon destroyed in 1885 • “War of 1000 days” (1899-1902)

  13. Panamanian HistoryCanal Planning • King Phillip II (1556-1598) • “If God wanted a canal he would have built one” • 17th century renewed calls • Spain too weak • 19th Century • England and US stalemated for building • France began canal construction in 1879 • Ferdinand de Lesspes (Suez Canal) • Imported many Antillean Blacks • Canal abandoned after bankruptcy 1889

  14. Panamanian HistoryThe Canal • Hay-Pauncefote Treaty (1902) • US gets sole rights to build canal from Britain • Hay-Herran Treaty (1903) • Denied by Columbia • US encouraged Sepratists • Nov. 1903: US recognizes Panama as nation • Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty (1903-4) • $40 million and $250,000 annuity in Gold • Canal Zone given in perpetuity to US • 1914: Canal finished

  15. Panamanian HistoryPost-Canal • 1930’s: Fascism under Arnulfo Arias • Rising Anti-Americanism after WWII • 1948 & 1955 Treaty Renegotiations • June 1964 Riots • 1968: Torrijos’ Coup • 1977 Treaties: • Panama Canal Treaty • Legal jurisdiction of canal zone transferred to Panama • Canal given to Panama 31 Dec 1999 • Neutrality Treaty • US responsibility for protection of canal permanently • 1981-1990: Noriega Government • 1990- Present: Stability

  16. Modern Panama Statistics • Country roughly size of South Carolina • 80% Catholic Mestizo (Spanish) • 14% Protestant Antillean Blacks (English) • 6% Amerinds (Bi/tri-lingual) • Compulsory school attendance to age 15 • 91% of population literate

  17. Panamanian Government • President with 2 Vice Presidents • 5 years terms • Unicameral Legislative Assembly • 5 years terms • Supreme Court • 9 Members with 9 alternates • Appointed 10 years terms • Parties: • PRD: Democratic Revolutionary Party • PPA: Authentic Panamanian Party

  18. Panamanian Culture • Kinship central to Society • Men expected to be sexually active outside marriage • Mistresses common and acceptable for every class • Men obliged to support any children • Fidelity extremely important for wives, with children overriding concern • Catholic religion required to be taught in schools (spanish) • “Money Whitens Everyone”

  19. “Natives” • Amerinds • Cuna • Guaymi • Choco • Bribri • Bokata • Terraba

  20. Cuna/ Bugue-Bugue • God: Olokkuppilele at Mt. Tacarcuna • Mother God: Earth, man children of mother

  21. Cuna/ Bugue-Bugue • Origin: South America • Majority live in San Blas coral islands (38) • Villages 37-1500 people

  22. Cuna/ Bugue-Bugue • Society centred around Village and household • Households avg. 9.9 people • Ideal: • Senior couple (directs work) • Unmarried children • Married daughters with Sons-in-law (subordinate) and offspring

  23. Cuna Society • Men dominate Political/Social sphere • Kinship doesn’t define succesion • Meetings: • Chanting/singing attended by village • Talking attended by Men

  24. Cuna Society • Conversion attempts unsuccessful • Manliness based on ability to chant and perform rituals • Female Puberty ritual • Albino rate high

  25. Cuna-Hispanic History • Allied with Pirates • 17th Century Spanish Extermination • Halted with Independence from Spain • 1919- CivilisationProgramme • Abolished Nose rings, Bead Bindings, Puberty ritual • 1925- Kuna Yala Reserve Created • Drug smugglers, Guerillas, Mestizo immigration

  26. Guaymi/Ngobe • Second largest native group in Central American (~125,000) • Range: • Bocas del Toro • Chiriqui • Verguas • Divided By Cordillera Mtn. Range • Pacific side: Small, Scattered Hamlets • Atlantic Side: Riverline/Costal enviornments

  27. Guaymi Social Structure • Hamlets (Caterios) of 5-10 huts • Trade and Ceremonies in Mestizo cities • Ideally each settlement composed of: • Cosanguinous males, their wives and unmarried children

  28. Guaymi Social Structure • Strongly Patriarchal • Greater female independence due to migrant work • Kin strongly connected btwn Hamlets • Women come of age at 14 • Men come of age at 18

  29. Guaymi Marriage • Political • Men without daughters to exchange at disadvantage • Polygamy • practiced mainly to show wealth/prestige • Often Co-wife is younger sister of first • Younger wives leave husbands as they age • Up to 10 wives throughout male’s life, but usually dies with only one

  30. Guaymi Life • Hunting practiced greatly until 1960’s • Diet consists of mostly Yams and Bananas • Principal employers banana plantations and ranches (increased in 1950’s)

  31. Other Natives • Choco: • SE portion of Darien on Columbian Border • Bilingual and intermarried with Columbian Blacks • Bribri • Mostly Protestant • Bokata • Close Linguistically to Guaymi • Terraba • 1910-1930’s decimated by TB, expansion in 1950’s • Culture mostly lost, looting gold from ancestral burial mounds common • Illiteracy for Amerinds in Panama over 80%

  32. Do the Indigenous peoples have a future? • Christianity • Education • Economics • Language • Environment • Medicine • Universalism vs. Relativism • What is indigenous?

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