Diplomacy

The Frisbee was a winner. It broke the language and cultural barriers and within minutes the previously shy indigenous Kuna Indian children were laughing and smiling as we played with them on the beautiful San Blas beach.

A reserved race with strict tribal culture, the Kuna live a subsidence lifestyle in primitive conditions and shun contact with the outside world. Non-Kuna are forbidden to buy land, settle, run businesses or marry into the conservative Kuna clan, although tourists are tolerated.

The San Blas archipelago (or Kuna Yala) is their home and they live an incredibly simple life on breathtakingly beautiful islands that stretch along the Panama coast. Houses are bamboo-sided, thatched-roof huts devoid of furniture as the Kuna sleep in hammocks, cook what they catch over open fires (there is no power) and wash by hand.

The men spend their day fishing and are happy to sell excess crayfish ($3) and fish ($1) to sail cruisers. The women make intricate molas (applique panels) which are part of their colourful traditional dress and a hit with tourists. Like most cruising boats that visit the San Blas, Bandit now sports a half dozen stunning molas.

The Kuna we met were mostly shy, until we arrived on the gorgeous island of Combombia where the children were intrigued at these gigantic white visitors to their tiny, remote island. (The Kuna are the shortest race after the Pygmy).