Monthly Archives: October 2009

A Pot of Rundon and Sensuality Calling

The image is of an exquisite pot of Rundon, or rundown, as it is variously called- Jamaican style.

Image.

That school year, in fact, I had stayed off the streets as much as possible and stayed at home mostly reading all the books I was able to understand from the odd collection amongst the three small bookshelves in the home of my now retired grandmother. School would soon be a thing of the past I thought as I leafed through some French volumes left to me by Miss Del Marie just before she left to return to Martinique. Continue reading

Miss Polly

This is a rather tourist like shot of
Bocas del Toro. Image.

It was the year 1950 and the seemingly endless year of 1949 had passed with many political happenings that I would remember all my life. I would usually end my days at the dental clinic where I had been drawn to in order to stay off the streets. It might have been the place that I would end up spending my summer as that year closed on my adolescent activities. Continue reading

The Black Christ of Portobelo is as Popular as Ever

This beautiful image of the Black Christ
of Portobelo never fails to evoke for me
the intensity of feelings that the devotees
have for this Christ’s manifestation.
Image thanks to gonomad.com


With the annual
Black Christ celebration practically upon us- every 21st of October it is commemorated here in Panama- we felt the need to recall the details of this important religious tradition in Panama. This Wednesday promises to see the small town of Portobelo, on the remarkably beautiful Atlantic coast, packed with thousands of pilgrims and devotees not only from Panama but from all over the world. Now, more than ever, with tragedy stalking the streets and homes of Panama, the pilgrims have many urgent petitions to carry to this figure and symbol of Panamanian faith. Continue reading

Our Silver Cemeteries Made it to the International “Endangered List!”

We just had to break the wonderful news to all our readers and descendants of the Silver People who have been following our progress!

Our “Silver” Cemeteries here in Panama- Mount Hope as well as Corozal Cemeteries, the resting places of our historic Silver ancestors who built the Panama Railroad and the Panama Canal- have been included on the World Monuments Fund’s prestigious “100 Most Endangered Sites” for 2010. Continue reading

Susú Messenger Boy and Slave

I wholeheartedly support the strong anti-child labor movement in the world as we must put an end to the attitude of adults who feel they can take advantage of the vulnerability of children.

Presently, I’d gone back to doing what I knew best to do which was helping my grandmother, but I got the impression that I was beginning to feel too comfortable being around my grandmother and her adult female friends and associates, especially running Susú. It was a time that, at every turn it seemed, I’d become so trained by my grandmother that I was feeling taken for granted. I was not only the general handyman to her but to every one of her friends. Continue reading

The Importance of Lineage and Ancestry

Our ancestors have left behind for us all their
love and dedication and years of struggle in Panama,
as can be seen in this touching inscription on a mother’s tomb
in Corozal Cemetery in Panama.


One of the facets of African derived religion that I have found missing from the Panamanian Westindian Beji-Nites as opposed to the Hispanic brand of African religions in the Americas has been that of the inclusion of our African ancestors in their ceremonies. It was when I became involved with a Latino Spiritual Center (Centro Espiritual) that I would become aware of the importance of having our African ancestors revealed during the ceremonies. Continue reading