Agua.

     The music video contains images of "Culecos" or "Mojaderas" which are held every morning of the 4 days of Panamanian Carnival. There are images of various Interior’s places inside the country during these days.
     The song is a "merengue" of Dominican Wilfrido Vargas and sung by him. The lyrics of the song were inspired by the "Culecos" of the Panama's Carnival's, where people gather in the town's central park to be doused with water by tanker trucks parked at the edge of the street. People shout: "Agua", "Agua" (Water!, Water!) while the man which has the hose is dousing water to all the people, while they jump and chant the "tonadas" (songs) of the “Tuna” (group of people and musicians who accompany and support their queen, either Calle Arriba-Up Street or Calle Abajo-Down Street, during their performances). See:  Las Tablas Carnival 2010: “Culecos”.

 



Mola: A Textile Art.

     Molas are the textile art made by the Kuna Indians who live in the northwest of the Isthmus of Panama, known as “Comarca de San Blas”.

     The origin of the mola comes from the painting of the body (tattoos) which was then transferred to fabrics. The Molas represent the cosmogonic thought, a graphical view of a world full of colorful and full of anthropomorphic and zoomorphic meaning of the indigenous culture. The striking and colorful geometric shapes paint mythological scenes, the creation of the world, custom scenes, flora and fauna of the region inhabited by the Kuna Indians.

 

     Molas are the decorative apparel fabrics, square or rectangular shapes, worked inside out with the embroidery technique called applied embroidery (appliqué / reverse), made with colorful cotton fabrics of different colors. Stack consists of 3 to 5 layers of fabrics of different colors, and cut the shape in the form of ornaments, from the first layer to show the color underneath. The cutting then finally is folded. The color of the lower layer creates the outline of the image. Only the last layer is not cut. The best molas consist between 4 and 6 layers, embroidered with tiny stitches, with regular and balanced colors.

     The confection of a MOLA can take 30 hours to double or triple the time, depending on the degree of design complexity and the number of layers of fabric they have.

     Kuna women are who make the molas and each one is unique and unrepeatable. Traditionally it’s part of the Kuna’s feminine attire (chest and back of the blouse of the woman) and an element of cultural identity that characterizes the people. The mola is drawn up by the woman who will use it, so its characteristics depend on the taste of the author, as well as its texture and size.

 

     In addition to making the molas for clothes, Kuna Indians make molas to sell to the people that appreciate the beauty of the design and colors. They are usually sold in rectangular or square cloth to put them in a picture frame to hang on the wall or where you most appreciate them. For example, I have seen molas in furniture cushions, framed molas, decorating offices or homes, in blankets for bedding, and on clothing as well as in women and men.

     I made a video of all the molas I found online and had good resolution in order to appreciate the details and colors in video of this wonderful art of the Kunas.

An Isthmian Festival.

      I would like to "post" a news that appeared on a Panama’s newspaper and I found it interesting to post on the blog. I hope that you find it interesting.

     “34 years ago, Henk Van Der Kolk was an architect who wanted to turn around his life and did so.

     This Canadian is one of the founders of the Toronto’s Film Festival, considered one of the most important in the world alongside Cannes and Venice.

     Beginning in November, he will reside in Panama, in the community of Santa Clara, home of T. Rob Brown, a patron of the arts, who is married to Yolanda, Van Der Kolk’s painter daughter.

     As he was in love with the isthmus, he wants to make a film festival here (Panama).

     Perhaps it couldn’t be difficult if with a handful of employees and enthusiasm founded in 1976 the Toronto’s Film Festival.

     He believes that Panama is the ideal spot of Central America for this project because it has a stable currency, safety, an efficient network of air links and has become a popular place to go to retire and says he is proof of that.

     We are pleased that Panama also offers the option of being in a tropical rainforest in the morning and be back at night to sleep in a five star hotel.

     Such variety is another impetus to develop, because in his opinion it wouldn’t be more difficult to convince Hollywood producers to shoot in this land.

     His Isthmian Festival would have a strong Latin American component, and he regretted that a high percentage of the screen quota in Panama is lead by commercial Hollywood cinema.

     The first version of the festival will be in April 2012. "Panama has a better infrastructure than Toronto had 34 years ago when he started the festival. Perhaps it not achieved the same worldwide, but will be as similar as possible."

     He is pleased to have been well received by the Ministers of Tourism, Salomon Shamah, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Roberto Henríquez and INAC Director, María Eugenia Herrera.

     How much required investment is not known , but he began to knock doors in North America.

     It should not be difficult if your team is able to get the $ 7 million that is needed each year to “jump-start” the Toronto Film Festival.”

     On the other hand, it is already taking the first steps for the development of cinema in Panama. In the City of Knowledge (Panama City), since 11th to 22th October, 2010, it developed the II Meeting of “Cine Iberoamérica Panamá, 2010”. Among the films to be projected highlight two that have seal of Panama: “Chance” and “Business”. During this meeting, film workshops and film competitions were held.

By: Daniel Dominguez Z. La Prensa.

Translation: Jack
See Spanish publication at: vivir + LA PRENSA 

Door Spot - Panama, It will never leave you

     The commercial says everthing...

The Harpy Eagle.

     The Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja) is a falconiform bird specie in the Accipitridae family living in the Neotropics and it’s the second largest eagle in the world, but the most powerful and robust. It’s surpassed in size (distance between the ends of the wings) only by the eagle of the Philippines (Pithecophaga Jefferyi). The female’s average size is 100 cms. length, size of 200 cms. and weight of 9 kgs. The male has smaller dimensions up to 196 cms. in size and weighing approximately 8 kgs.

   Its plumage is gray on the head; black on the back, upper wings and chest; and white on the underside of the wings and abdomen. The tail is black with three gray bands. It has an erectile crest of feathers on its head. It also has a sharp beak and claws that can reach 15 cms long. It can live even 40 years.

     The Harpy Eagle is a predator. It’s favorite prey are climbing mammals such as monkeys, sloths and coatis. It also feeds of reptiles (such as green iguanas, snakes) and birds. Despite its size, it has the ability to penetrate the dense and thick foliage of the jungle to hunt their prey, one of the animals proportionately strongest in the world (up and carried in flight three times its own weight). It prefers to live in dense virgin forests, so the loss of its habitat puts it in endangered extinction species, their morphology is highly adapted to the habitat in which hunting. For this purpose, their wings are proportionally over the trunk not too long (allowing it to fly swiftly into the dense canopies of trees).

     The harpy eagle is the Panama’s national bird. The Act was registered as No. 18 of April 10, 2002 in Official Gazette No. 24,530, with four items, setting the third items fines up to five thousand dollars (B /. 5,000.00) for those who capture, traffic, cause injury or death of adult Harpy Eagles, offspring, eggs or nests. It is protected by institutions such as ANCON, ANAM, The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (...), “Patronato Amigos del Águila Harpía”, among others.

COAT OF ARMS OF PANAMA

"Square Trees".

     Have you ever heard about square trees? Only in Panama, a tourist place known as “El Valle de Antón”, you can find these kinds of trees.

     Physically, the trees are not square. They are called "square trees" because the base of the trunk is totally square. If you measure with a measuring tape each side of the trunk, you get the same dimension. In addition, as a curious fact, the inner rings of the tree, which are used to tell the age of a tree that grows one each year, are square too.

     The trees can reach a height of 12-15 meters.

Messi and his Friends Team vs The World Team.

 

     A few days after the World Cup South Africa 2010, with the victory of Spain, on Wednesday, July 14, 2010 was a great joy for all Panamanians. Under the sponsorship of Samsung and organization of 141, was held in Panama City the friendly game of “Messi and his Friends vs The World”.
     The event was held at the newly renovated National Soccer Stadium “Rommel Fernandez”, with a full capacity of 26,000 spectators and the most modern in Central America.

Rommel Fernández Stadium

     In addition to the Panamanian fans, fans came from Central American countries and Colombia, through tour packages sold in those countries. Furthermore, these tourists took to shopping and visiting the Panama City.

     That night the stadium was filled to its full capacity. Nobody wanted to miss the World football star, the Argentinean, Lionel Andrés Messi, FC Barcelona player and winner of the title FIFA WOLRDPLAYER 2009.

  

                   

The teams were composed of the following players:

Messi and his Friends Team

Lionel Messi, Martín Palermo, Sebastián Abreu, Franco Zuculini, Cafu, Gabriel Milito, Juan Arango, Lucio, Leandro Lázzaro, Ariel "Burrito" Ortega, Mario Yepes, Josué, Nicholas Otamendi, Juan, Ricardo Sá Pinto

The World Team

Marco Materazzi, Christian Vieri, Mariano Pernía, Fernando Couto, Iván Helguera, Fernando Morientes, Edgar Davids, Dwight Yorke, Kevin Kuranyi, José Francisco Cevallos, José Pinto, Jaime Penedo, Blas Pérez, Gabriel Gómez, Nelson Barahona.

Technical Directors: Hernán "Bolillo" Gómez and Cesar Farías.

Football Referee: Horacio Elizondo.

Press conference at Intercontinental Playa Bonita Resort and Spa

     Although it rained that night, this did not stop the game from being held. More than 25,000 people attending the stadium between Panamanians and foreigners, most of who were Central Americans and Colombians, were shouting the name of the Argentinean star: Messi, Messi! It was a magical moment for all present and TV viewers who watched live transmission of the friendly game. They could not believe seeing a soccer game with many Football World Stars in Panama. It was like being in a World Cup.

     In brief, the first goal was made by the Spanish Fernando Morientes, from the World team, to Ecuador goalkeeper José Cevallos in the 8th minute of the first half. Then in the 13th minute, Brazilian Lucio, who belonged to Messi and his Friends team, evened the score, beating Barcelona goalkeeper, José Pinto.

     Messi scored three goals in the 32nd, 45th and 87th minutes. The other two goals from Messi and his Friends team were scored by Leandro Lázzaro in the 53rd minute, and the other by Zuculini Franco in the 89th minute.

     Blas Pérez,, from the Panama’s National team striker and World team, scored three goals to minutes 72nd, 79th and 90th, the latter being the most precious, a "hat trick" (chilena), ending the game 6-4 in favor Messi and his Friends team.

Some moments of the game!!! 

Blas Pérez's "HAT TRICK" (Chilena)

Players' withdrawal at Rommel Fernández Stadium

Las Tablas Carnival 2010: “Culecos”.

     In the Interior towns of the Republic of Panama is where most Panamanians celebrate the carnival tradition, by four consecutive days before Ash Wednesday.
     The carnival is organized by the people, divided into two streets, "Calle Arriba" and "Calle Abajo" (Up Street and Down Street), although in some villages or towns there is a third street. During this carnival festivities, the two streets are rivals and they compete to see who is better in the town's central park, where both "tunas" face other. They compete on who is better: the most beautiful queen, floats, fancy dresses, "murga" and "tuna". Generally, both “tunas” are considered winners by themself in each presentation.
     In this post I want to define three words that are important in Panamanian carnival tradition.
     “Tuna”: group of people and musicians who accompany and support their queen, either Up Street or Down Street, during their performances.
     “Murga”: group of musicians who play the songs of the queen during carnival; usually, they go in a float behind the queen; the song lyrics are to ennoble their queen, or to make fun of the Queen's family and her “tuna”. But they don’t mention names, only assumptions facts. You have to investigate who they talking about. All people who sing are behind their Murga or queen.
     "Culecos" or "Mojaderas" are made on the morning of carnival from 9 in the morning in the town's central park. The "Culecos” are made with tanker trucks parked on the streets around the park and throw water through hoses to all who attend. Each "Tuna" (Calle Arriba and Calle Abajo) presents a single float with the company of their "murga".
     In the "Culecos" or "Mojaderas" each queen goes on a float inspired by a specific theme, like her dress, trimmed with rhinestones, sequins, and feathers of exotic birds. Definitely, the queens are the only ones that are not wet, obviously, because the water would damage the dress and they would lose their grace.
     The videos that I posted are from Las Tablas Carnival 2010. The background music is played by a "murga", but it is only to give it a carnival atmosphere. They are not the songs that were sung and performed in this carnival. In addition, I posted the pictures of the costumes or fancy dresses that were exhibited at the "Reina Torres de Araúz Antropology Museum" in Panama City, weeks after the carnival. In this way, you can see the details of the costumes.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13th, 2010.
Calle Abajo de Las Tablas Theme: Cards Games
Calle Arriba de Las Tablas Theme: Diwali: Lights Festival - Nepal

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14th, 2010
Calle Abajo de Las Tablas Theme:  Valentine
Calle Arriba de Las Tablas Theme: Aphrodite

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15th, 2010
Calle Abajo de Las Tablas Theme: Romany Lineage - Gipsy Lineage
Calle Arriba de Las Tablas Theme:  Marie Antoinette Josèphe Jeanne de Habsbourg-Lorraine: Forerunner of French fashion.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16th, 2010

Calle Abajo de Las Tablas Theme: Cockfights

Calle Arriba de Las Tablas Theme: The Music of My Land

Amador's Causeway - Calzada de Amador.

     Amador’s Causeway or “Calzada de Amador” is located, exactly, in the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal. It’s a path that connects Panama City with Naos, Perico and Flamenco Islands. This road was built with material from the extraction of soil from Culebra Cut, when building the Panama Canal. During the Spanish conquest, the islands were a favorite anchorage of Spanish galleons arriving in Panama City and loaded with treasures snatched from the Inca Empire. In 1913, the islands became part of Fort Grant. This fort was used to defend the Panama Canal entrance against possible attacks from Germany or Japan during the First World War.

     The Amador Causeway is now a tourist spot and perfect for walking, jogging, skating, biking and enjoying beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean: the ships awaiting permission for transit through the Panama Canal and the fabled Bridge of the Americas; whereas at the other side, you can see the smashing horizon and modern Panama City and its skyscrapers, as well as the Old Town of Panama City (Casco Antiguo).
     Throughout the entire roadway will find fast food restaurants, American franchising, Italian, Mexican, Cuban, Greek, International restaurants and, of course, Panamanian restaurants. There are also seafood restaurants, as well known in Panama for their freshness, quality and taste.
     Both the beginning and end of the road, you can find bars, nightclubs, discos, some with dance floors and music for all likes.
     Another attraction is the Smithsonian’s Marine Exhibition Center, a place to learn about the flora, fauna and see some exotic species of marine life both the Caribbean and the Pacific of Panama.
     Small shopping centers, marinas for yachts, hotels and a convention center, could not miss in this wonderful place of the country.
     In 2011, will be inaugurated the Museum of Biodiversity, designed by Frank Gehry, which will be one of the biggest attractions of the place. You can see more information on Categories-Megaprojects-Panama: Bridge of Life – Museum of Biodiversity.
     I made a video with my photos. I hope you enjoy it.

Real Estate in Panama, January-June 2010.