The Jãba: Dugout Canoes of the Emberá – An Ethnoarchaeological Analysis in Darién and the Emberá–Wounaan Territory in Panama

ABSTRACT

This article presents the findings from the field season of 2021–2022 conducted by the Proyecto Etnoarqueológico Jãba in the province of Darién and the Emberá Wounaan Territory, which are the primary territories of the Emberá people in Panama. With an ethnoarchaeological approach, the study documents the exploitation of timber forest resources, the construction of traditional watercrafts, their main uses, and the changes they have undergone. The research is grounded in participant observation and semi-structured interviews, focusing specifically on the construction process of dugout canoes (jãba), including ‘piraguas’, ‘esteleadoras’, as well as boats and rafts.

RESUMEN

Este artículo presenta los resultados de la temporada de campo 2021–2022 del Proyecto Etnoarqueológico Jãba en la provincia de Darién y la Comarca Emberá Wounaan, que son los principales territorios habitados por los emberá en Panamá. Con un enfoque etnoarqueológico, se documenta la explotación de recursos forestales maderables, la construcción de embarcaciones tradicionales, sus principales usos y los cambios que han experimentado. La investigación se basa en la observación participante y entrevistas semiestructuradas, centrándose especialmente en el proceso de construcción de embarcaciones monóxilas (jãba), incluyendo ‘piraguas’, ‘esteleadoras’, así como botes y balsas.

MAÃRĩ JABAD̶EBEMA JARAD̶I

Nama maãrĩ bed̶ead̶ia jãbad̶ebema akʌped̶ad̶a poa 2021, 2022d̶e. Maʌ̃gʌra jãbad̶ebema akʌd̶ira osid̶aa Darieʌ̃ druad̶e kʌapuriarãra taẽna idyab̶a Ẽbera Wounaan Comarca taẽna, maʌ̃ comarcad̶e aud̶ura panabaria ẽberarada. Biara maʌ̃ ewarid̶e akʌsid̶aa jãba tud̶id̶ebemada ara ãdyi dyibarirãba jaradia ped̶ad̶a kĩraka, maʌ̃ jãbara kareã zokabadyid̶ada maʌ̃ awara sãwa id̶i ewarid̶e kira awarabe b̶ead̶a id̶ibema jãbara. Bio kĩrakuita akʌsid̶aa jãba bacuru ab̶aʌd̶eba tuped̶ad̶a pusad̶e b̶eda b̶arid̶i karea bema jãbada maʌ̃ awara pusad̶ebema jãbada idyab̶a mojou ãbaa kãjʌ̃ped̶ad̶a jãbada.

摘要

本文介绍了2021-2022年雅巴民族学考古项目在达连省和安巴拉—吴南领地（巴拿马安巴拉人的主要领地）进行实地考察的结果。这项研究采用民族考古学的方法，记录了船材林业资源采伐、传统水运工具的建造、它们的主要用途以及所经历的变化。研究以参与观察和半结构化访谈为基础，特别关注独木舟（雅巴）包括‘piraguas’型和‘esteleadoras’型，以及船艇和木筏的建造过程。

摘要

本文介紹了2021–2022年雅巴民族學考古項目在達連省和安巴拉—吳南領地（巴拿馬安巴拉人的主要領地）進行實地考察的結果。這項研究采用民族考古學的方法，記錄了船材林業資源采伐、傳統水運工具的建造、它們的主要用途以及所經歷的變化。研究以參與觀察和半結構化訪談為基礎，特別關註獨木舟（雅巴）包括「piraguas」型和「esteleadoras」型，以及船艇和木筏的建造過程。

المُستخلص

يقدم هذا المقال نتائج الموسم الميداني ٢٠٢١–٢٠٢٢ الذي تم أجراه بواسطة المشروع العرقي الأثري بجابا في مقاطعة دارين وإقليم إمبيرا وونان، وهما الأراضي الرئيسية لشعب إمبيرا في بنما . توثق هذه الدراسة استغلال موارد الغابات الخشبية، وبناء المراكب التقليدية، هذا إلي جانب استخداماتها الرئيسية، والتغيرات التي مرت بها وذلك باتباع النهج العرقي الأثري. ويرتكز البحث على ملاحظة المشاركين والمقابلات شبه المنظمة، مع التركيز بشكل خاص على عملية بناء الزوارق الشجرية (جابا)، بما في ذلك “البيراغوا” و"إستيليدوراس"، بالإضافة إلى القوارب والطوافات .‏

KEYWORDS:

• shipbuilding
• ethnography
• ethnoarchaeology
• Emberá
• Wounaan
• Panama

PALABRAS CLAVES:

• construcción naval
• etnografía
• etnoarqueología
• emberá
• Wounaan
• Panamá

BIARA AKʌID̶I KAREA:

• bema bed̶ea Jãba tu
• enograpia
• ébera
• wounaan
• Panama

关键词:

• 造船
• 民族学
• 民族考古学
• 安巴拉
• 吴南
• 巴拿马

關鍵詞:

• 造船
• 民族學
• 民族考古學
• 安巴拉
• 吳南
• 巴拿馬

الكلمات الدلالیة:

• بناء السفن
• علم الأجناس البشرية
• علم الآثار العرقي
• إمبيرا
• ونان
• بنما

Acknowledgments

This project would not have been possible without the generous support and assistance of various individuals and organizations. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all those who contributed to the success of this research.

First and foremost, we express our deepest appreciation to the Research Department of the Vice Rector's Office for Research and Graduate Studies, particularly Dr Jaime Gutiérrez and Ingrid Valdés, for their kindness, guidance, and financial support throughout this endeavour.

We are immensely grateful to the Regional Congress of the Emberá-Wounaan Territory, including the caciques and nokorã, for granting us authorization to conduct this project within their territories. Special thanks go to José Anilo Barrigón, the regional cacique of Sambú, for his invaluable cooperation.

Our sincere thanks also go to the Faculty of Humanities and the Research Center of the Faculty of Humanities. We extend our gratitude to Dr Olmedo García, the Dean, and Dr Olmedo Beluche, the Director, for their unwavering support.

We would like to acknowledge the Director of the Department of History and the School of Anthropology, Dr Fermina Santana, and Dr Gustavo Leal, for their assistance and encouragement.

The Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Ministry of Culture of Panama, under the leadership of Emma Gómez, deserves special recognition for their collaboration and guidance.

We are indebted to Yolanda Fons Grau, Marta Ruiz-Cortina Seco, and Celeste Serra of the Prehistory Library of the Prehistory Museum of Valencia (Spain) for providing us access to specialized literature and the facilities necessary for the completion of this document. Our gratitude also extends to the Ethnology Library of the Museum of Ethnology of Valencia (Spain) for their valuable resources.

We express our individual gratitude to all the people involved in the project, whose contributions were integral to its success. We would like to thank Fulgencio, Jesús, and Judith Ramos; Narciso and Porfirio Samaná; Pinguía; Pompilio Zarco (Moro); José Pretel; Luis Palacios; Apiloro; Marqueliz Valdespino; Ardino; Esmerilio; Crescencio Flaco Chamí; Ricardo; Elisio Dobiaza; José Barrigón; Gustavo Nampia; Brisol Isarama from the communities of Jaqué, Puerto Indio, Garachine, and Sambú.

Our gratitude also extends to Bienvenido Cunampio (and for his translation into Emberá b'dea), Evelio Rodríguez, Bernie Garrido, Ángel Redondo from the Department of Intangible Heritage - Ministry of Culture, and Fran Alonso, a professional photographer, for their valuable contributions to the project. Special thanks to Stella Rendina and Xim Gual for their participation in the field phase of this project and for their valuable feedback on this article.

We are sincerely thankful to each and every individual and organization mentioned above for their support, guidance, and cooperation, which made this research possible.

Declaration of Interest Statement

The author of this work declares having no conflict of interest.

Permissions Statement

This study was endorsed by the authorities of the General Congress of Sambú in the Emberá Wounaán Region of Darién, under the leadership of their chieftain, José Anilo Barrigón. This endorsement was carried out to comply with the traditional norms established by the entity, as mandated by Law No. 22 of November 8, 1983.

Notes

1 One of the members of our research team is a native of the village of Jaqué, which provided us with a unique advantage in our initial exploration of the subject matter.

2 According to a communication with Reinaldo Binder, Velásquez-Runk mentions the existence of a small Emberá Catio group.

3 Jãba Ethno-Archaeological Project: Shipbuilding of indigenous tradition in Eastern Panama

4 The term ‘Noanamá’ is often regarded as derogatory within the Wounaan community. According to oral tradition, this term emerged from a misunderstanding during the arrival of the Europeans, when the name of the village leader, ‘Noaná’, got combined with the corroborative suffix ‘ma’, giving rise to the term ‘Noanamá’. For a more comprehensive narrative of this story, please consult Velásquez-Runk (2017).

5 These measurements may vary depending on the tree's size and the carpenter's discretion. However, they have been provided here to give the reader an approximate idea of the usable dimensions of a tree for canoe construction.