MiCultura signing historic agreement with the Kuna region of Kadugandi

Following the 29th anniversary of the establishment of the Kuna region of Madungandi, in 1996, the Ministry of Culture and local authorities welcomed the signing of an unprecedented cultural cooperation agreement in the Wagandi community.

That agreement aims to strengthen the safeguard and promotion of the intangible cultural heritage of the Guna community, including its tongue, artisan, musical, gastronomic and ancestral knowledge.

The firm will facilitate an update of the inventory of traditional events and will promote training programmes in safeguard plans, education, sustainable tourism and creative economy. A language lab and a sound map will be established to preserve the Sulegan language and local histories, aligned with the International Decade of Indigenous Languages.

El Cacique General, Placido Espinosa Herrera, and the Minister reaffirmed their commitment to the preservation of the cultural wealth of Madungandi. María Eugenia Herrera, Minister of Culture, represented the National Government as a symbol of recognition and partnership with the national indigenous communities.

That convention marks the beginning of a new stage of cooperation and cultural development for the region and thus for Panama, stated the Minister of Culture.

The residents of the Wawandi community have been presenting a cultural event with examples of their variety of dances, examples of the mantle singing and theatrical representation of their oral tradition. The representatives of the congresses of culture, woman and youth have interacted with Emma Gómez, Head of Intangible Cultural Heritage, with potential plans to strengthen and document their dances, to promote the project of mantle singing and the accreditation of artisans.