Caught between two worlds, these Panamanian men set off to work in a cayuko rigged with a sail. Their boat is carved from a single tree. Tree branches hold out the sail. Hiding in their pockets are cell phones. But there is no electricity in their homes, so they will charge their phones any place they can. (I know, they've stopped by my house just to borrow a little electricity)
Work today might be hauling dirt or hand mixing cement and the few dollars they will earn will buy big bag of rice, and maybe a little chicken.
These men understand the way of the rain forest. They know how to harvest wild mangos, bananas, icecream beans and jack fruit and they know how to fish. They also know how to build a house from hand felled logs. But times are changing. The old ways are being lost. The younger generation is going off to work and not practicing the skills of how to live "off the grid"
The funny thing is, there are gringos moving to these parts because they want to learn to live "off the grid." Of course, the homes they are setting up use solar panels and rainwater catchers. Still, a simpler way of life is very appealing. I hope we can learn from these simple people. And I understand that they will continue to learn from us. Time must go forward and development has its ups and downs. But in the meantime, these two men need to feed their families....and I want to help them.
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