Sh-shhh-Shaman

My project while being down here is to collect plants in our area and also to go see the local shaman. The shaman is the father of a friend of ours who works for La MICA so they helped make our trip possible. The shaman lives in the neighboring town of Colicito which is about six or so hours away. This first trip to his house we had to take a trail that was a four hour hike in the mud with vertical hills and blistering sun. The mud was up to our knees and we walked through two streams that were up to our waist. This was my first experience riding a horse and I found out that I’m allergic to horses but I’ve gotten some what better at getting on them haha. They live in the middle of no where and live off the land for the most part. When his son Pablo and his fiancé Julie go visit they bring things like meat and rice but they mostly eat ucha which they harvest themselves. The shaman has two women who take care of him and the home and these women are amazing. They take care of all the children and because the shaman isn’t in the best health, they know about his medicinal practices and can go get any plant\plant part he needs. One of these women took us out on a hike into the property and showed us some plants they use. I was surprised at how willing she was to show us what she uses but very thankful that she did! At one point she told us to stay where we were and then she disappeared into tall vegetation and she was so short that we couldn’t see her anymore. The next thing we know she is taking her machete and hacking this huge plant and all we can see is the plant moving from side to side. Then she reemerges, handing us the huge plant with its bulb still attached at the end. The first day the other lady showed my group some plants and she carried a baby and had ucha on her back. One thing is for sure: Panama has some fierce women. They have fierce people in general, considering when we go on hikes they blow past us going twice our speed and carrying twice the weight we are. We weren’t really prepared to collect plants this time so when we go back we’ll bring our press and be ready to take notes! Hopefully we’ll actually get to talk to the Shaman next time. From the stories that Julie has been telling us; he’s the real deal.