Help the Naso Tjer Di
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Hello, I hope this letter finds you well!
Please help us to make a sustainable tourism project possible; one where people can learn and experience unique cultures, and the importance of the environment. This will help indigenous families to keep there land in Naso Tjer Di tribe of Panama.
The nitty gritty:
Who this is for: The family of Abdiel, an indigienous family of the Naso Tjer Di tribe.
What is this about: Raising money to help Abdiel's community build an income from eco-tourism.
Where: In the indigenous protected community of San San Druy, Panama.
Why: Because no one is better suited to maintain and protect the world's jungles than the indigenous tribes who live there, and without an income they are at risk of losing their land.
When: Now is the time! There is a urgent need to sell land to cover the necessary expenses of providing for a family facing the ever increasing pressure of western society.
The author: Ben Reed, sweaty and tired in the jungle, as usual.
Just a quick word about myself. My name is Ben Reed; I am a US citizen traveling and learning abroad in Central America. I have fallen in love with the plants, animals, trees, and subsistence agriculture that surrounds me. Unfortunately, I see the jungle and trees disappearing at a staggering rate and I would like to help protect the environment in the area of the Teribe river, in Panama. There are actions that can be done right now to protect untouched jungle areas against future deforestation. I believe there are people best suited to protect the land and environment, and those are the indigenous peoples that have already done so for thousands of years.
The Naso Tjer Di, or Teribe people of Panama are in serious danger of losing both their culture and their land. This is the smallest and most isolated tribe of indigenous people living in Central America. Their priceless connection to nature and the medicines of the forest are in danger of quickly disappearing.
The Naso Tjer Di in traditional dress.
I was lucky enough to visit the Naso Tjer Di indigenous village of San San Druy, in the province of Bocas del Toro, Panama.
Abdiel, Alexander, and Ben - San San Druy, 2024
Abdiel and Ben - San San Druy 2024
I had been working with two brothers, Abdiel and Alexander. As we spent more and more time together we grew closer. I knew they were indigenous people from Panama, but I did not know much more about them or their culture than that. I asked one day what is the name of your people, and they told me they were the Naso Tjer Di.
Alexander and Abdiel in the lands where their ancestors have always lived.
This was the first time I had ever heard of the Naso Tjer Di, and after some internet searches I realized why. They are a very small tribe of people; in recent history their numbers dwindled to fewer than 500. Thankfully, they are on the rebound, and number around 3,000 people as of 2024. However, they remain the smallest and most isolated tribe in Central America.
Many qualities make the Naso Tjer Di unique. They are the only tribe in Central America to have a ruling monarchy. King Santana is currently the ruler of the Naso Tjer Di, and he comes from a long line of succession of kings and queens dating back before known history.
Their land has been under constant threat. In 2009, a powerful ranching company tried forcibly taking their land. They cleared forests, burned houses, and even set fire to the school and church. The government turned a blind eye to this violence, and the police stood by and allowed it to happen.
In 2014 the Naso Tjer Di were unable to prevent the Bonyic Dam being built on their land. The dam damaged the environment, disrupted fish migrations, and displaced many Naso Tjer Di from their homes.
Legal battles have continued in the courts. In 2018, the Naso Tjer Di won legal protections from the courts for their lands, however, then president Juan Carlos Varela vetoed the law, and the fight for the Naso Tjer Di continues.
A photo I found of Naso Tjer Di protesting for their lands.
In 2019 Panama had a new president, and a more sympathetic government. Groundwork for a Comarca - or semi-autonomous region - has begun, but there is much that needs to be decided in order for the Naso Tjer Di to keep their lands.
While talking to my friends Abdiel and Alexander, they invited me to go with them to Panama to visit their community of San San Druy. I learned this is a region that few outsiders get to visit. There had been a few anthropologists who had visited in recent years, but tourism continues to be nothing more than a dream.
The economy of the Naso Tjer Di is mainly subsistence farming. They make a tiny amount of money by selling what they can from their farms. In order to survive, Abdiel tells me that they need to follow the example of larger and more connected indigenous tribes of Panama, and bring tourism to their land. His mother is the head of their household, and she feels she is out of options; she may have to sell land they have to outsiders to continue supporting her family.
A subsistance farm
A talapia pond
A subsistence farm up closer
A hillside ranch
Greater connection to the outside world has put pressure on the Naso Tjer Di. Powerful domestic and international countries are doing everything they can to get possession of traditional indigenous land. Many Naso Tjer Di communities have to sell off small parcels of land every year to continue to survive. The deforestation rate of indigenous lands is even ¼ the total rate of that of State Protected lands, but the Naso Tjer Di have so little land left, that it has become imperative that they can keep every piece that they still possess.
Discussions on the Naso Tjer Di Comarca, or Indigenous autonomous lands
Abdiel and Alexander dream to save their land and preserve their culture and heritage. The Naso Tjer Di have a language, of which there are only about 500 fluent speakers left. Their family and community remain one of the few places left where the language survives. Although both brothers are younger than me, I am often impressed by their wisdom and patience that I’ve seen them display while we discuss sensitive issues. These men set a good example for everyone around them, and I believe they are the best people to continue to protect and preserve the knowledge and culture of the Naso Tjer Di, along with the nature and ecosystem of the nature around them.
They would like to set up a program for visitors from the outside world to visit and experience the real indigenous way of life. The plan includes the brothers meeting tourists to bring them to their village, where they can eat, sleep, learn, and experience life alongside the Naso Tjer Di. People can learn about the different crops and traditional methods of cooking and preparing foods. Many different experiences are available, from visiting beautiful waterfalls, to river walks, river boat cruises, bird watching, and night walks.
Near the center of San San Druy
Welcome to San San Druy; a place with clear waters, clean air, and the tranquility of indigenous peoples living the way of life that they have been experiencing for thousands of years.
The Naso were the last people to be defeated by the Spanish in the conquests and colonial periods of the new world. They have a tradition of fierce warriors and a hunters spirit. The Naso lands are among the most remote and biodiverse in the entire world. They have been able to maintain a distinct and unique culture.
I had the great fortune to visit the family of a man named Abdiel. Abdiel and his mother live in a small house in the tiny community of San San Druy; along with Abdiel’s wife, his wife’s two nieces, her niece’s husband, her two daughters, and their son, Junior. San San Druy is mainly located along the San San Druy river and the adjoining watersheds, of which there are many. This gives San San Druy a blend of both flat pastoral subsistence farms, and high mountain jungles.
Members of my host family during my stay.
To arrive in San San Druy has been a difficult feat until recent times. The new bridge has expanded the nearby border between Guabito and the neighboring Sixaola on the Costa Rican side. With new Costa Rican infrastructure being rapidly built, more tourists are arriving from the Costa Rican side every year. The biggest improvement has come with the building of a small country road built to service the Naso Tjer Di communities of San San, San San Druy, and San San Tigre, along with San Mona, Alto Salon, and Loma Bandera. (Romulo is another two hours away and the only way to get there is by walking).
After crossing the border to Guabito from Costa Rica, I was greeted by my friends, the brothers Alexander and Abdiel. Both had grown up in the mountains above Guabito. Both of them were from the community of San San Druy. They had invited me there to meet their family, stay the night, and enjoy a big barbeque with the community.
Prior to leaving Guabito for San San Druy, we stopped at a green grocer to stock up on food for tonight's feast. I thought the woman who worked here was very nice.
A small yellow van drove us a distance of 10 km from Guabito downtown. It then turned off the road before a bridge, and drove up a dirt road upstream along the river.
Transportation from Guabito to San San, San San Druy, and San San Tigre
I was stunned at how picturesque and beautiful everything was. The center of the community was a collection of wooden poles supporting thatched roofs. This area was used for community gatherings, as almost all the families live in small houses surrounding the center. This is where we ate and stayed the night. Everyone seemed happy and the atmosphere was lively as the family made a fire and started barbequing chicken and “American sausage” that I believe they got so I would be comfortable. Everything was delicious. In addition we ate rice and beans. I had been hoping that Alexander would make his delicious Pollo Caribeno, but I know from experience that that takes all day to make, and either way the food was amazing.
The center of San San Druy, where the van dropped us off.
It gets dark early near the equator, and once the sun goes down in San San Druy there are no lights except those made by candles or batteries. Soon we were all going to sleep. I had the option of sleeping on a matt on the floor, or sleeping in a large hammock. I decided to give it a try and I slept in the hammock. I was really comfortable, and slept great. It did get a bit chilly, but I had remembered to bring warm clothes.
Arriving in San San Druy
In the morning I woke up early again with the sun. I wanted to be the first one awake, because I knew the house had a very rustic toilet and shower. When you visit San San Druy, remember to bring your toilet paper. Also, there is no hot water, and no western style shower. Luckily for me this wasn’t my first bucket shower, so I was soon clean, dry, and fresh. One important thing to remember when visiting other cultures is to keep an open mind. Not everything will be what you are used to, and because something is different doesn’t make it either better or worse. This is something I hope all world travelers will understand.
Starting out on our hike up the San San Druy river
After a delicious breakfast including eggs, bread, fruits, and vegetables, Alexander and Abdiel took me on a beautiful walk up the San San Druy river. The path was remarkably free of garbage and signs of humans. Every few hundred meters we might encounter a small house, with its adjoining subsistence farm. The Naso Tjer Di have never needed much to survive. They are remarkably independent, so the farms are small and compact.
A ranch house on a small rise
Mostly I was enjoying views of gigantic trees growing over large boulders in the river. July was a perfect time of year to visit. The water was cold and clear, and the sun was lighting up the canopy.
river boulders in the San San Druy
After a leisurely 30 minute walk upstream, Abdiel took us on a side path up the mountain side to the small farm of his Tio Leonicio, who lived at the base of a waterfall that seemed to come magically from the peak of the mountain above. Abdiel’s uncle is 65 years old, and in remarkable shape. When we arrived he was relaxing in a hammock, and I was rather shocked to see a man in his 60s with the abdominal muscles of Brad Pitt. Abdiel pointed to one of the many different kinds of fruit and banana around the house of his uncle, explaining to me that this is the reason.
Uncle Leonicio. I was going to objectify his abs, but he wisely put on a shirt before agreeing to a photo)
After sitting and visiting with Uncle Leonicio for a while, the three of us again set out uphill along the trail, and quickly arrived at the waterfall. I must have taken a hundred photos and videos. My phone was soon complaining about a lack of storage space. The waterfall was more like a collection of smaller and medium waterfalls that continued up and up and up the side of the mountain. There were places where easy handholds made scaling the waterfall easy, and switchback trails going up the side for those who would rather stay dry.
Up, and up, and up we go!
We explored and meditated among the sounds of nature, far removed from any trace of western influence. The cool clean water from the waterfalls were suitable for drinking, and I made sure to drink and refill my bottle of water that I had brought with me. I wish now that I had had the forethought to bring my swimming suit; the warm morning and the cool water offered many excellent chances for swimming.
Alexander taking in the view
Abdiel at the top of the waterfall
The entire day's hike took almost exactly one hour to walk to the top of the waterfall, and about another hour to descend. I could have easily spent a few more hours in the comfortable environment, and on my next visit I definitely will. I’ve been told about many different waterfalls in the area, and I would certainly like to see more. On the return walk back home along the river we encountered a few people traveling on horseback. Parents traveling with their children, or men transporting goods and training new colts, all of them were on horseback. Personally, I love riding horses; I asked that the next time I come back that we ride horses along the trail as well. I was told this would be very easy, and now I have one more reason on my list of why I am going to come back.
Alexander swimming in the San San Druy; Ben feeling envious
There are also other ways to explore and travel up and down the river. Traditional canoes are another way I would like to experience getting around, and I am told that many of the communities have a very distinct style and character. I am excited to return.
a man traveling on hourseback in San San Druy
When we got back to the house of Abdiel and his family, the water from the waterfall was quickly consumed by the members of the family. I believe that everyone got at least a small glass of water, and the bottle was again quickly empty. I understand this completely, as the water from the fall tasted clean and fresh.
Then it was time for me to leave. We made the walk to the bus stop together, and waited for the small yellow van to pick us up. I think next time I wouldn’t mind traveling back to Guabito on horseback. From Guabito it is a quick and cheap onward journey to Bocas del Toro and beyond.
The cultural experiences I gained felt invaluable, and I hope to share these experiences with others, while helping Alexander and Abdiel preserve and protect both their culture and the environment. I believe that there is no one better suited, and no one better capable of protecting the treasure of biodiversity, ecology, and medicinal plants that is their home.
I am creating a website and hosting their internet domain. (thenasotjerdi.com coming soon). I am providing graphic and logo design, and assisting with marketing. I have already convinced one local business (Thank you Villa Yolo!) to help financially as well. Unfortunately I’m broke, and I can’t do anything without you, so I am asking you to please help.
For this reason, I am trying to raise $5,000 USD for Abdiel and his family. This money will be used to begin their tourism business, This will also be used to pay the guides, set up infrastructure, purchase insurance, cover operating costs, provide a safe and secure environment for visitors, and obtain licenses from the government.
I am asking and praying to god for help for my friends. Please help me help the planet by helping them. Every dollar you donate will go directly to the family of Abdiel, and used for the good of all of us by allowing them to retain their land for future generations to come.
Thank you, and I look forward to hearing from you, answering your questions, and providing updates on the future of my friends, the Naso Tjer Di.
Sincerely,
Ben Reed
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