Welcome to Darien

Darien

Turismo

Turismo

Culture

Culture

The population is primarily indigenous Afro-Descendants and settlers who migrated from other provinces (mainly Santeña, Herrerano and Veraguas) in search of land and opportunity.

The characteristic music of the people of Darién is the bullerengue, a drum dance from Africa. Groups who have migrated to the province are trying to preserve their customs and traditions which are distinct from Colombian culture. Radio stations play bullerengue; stations nearer the Colombian border favor vallenato music.

Common foods include guacho de mariscos (fish with coconut rice) and serendengue. Choca'o (stewed plantain) is a traditional drink.

Women usually wear hand-sewn dresses, while men dress for business. Primary crops grown in the province are maize, rice, plantains, bananas, cassava, yams and beans. In the Gulf of San Miguel shrimp, fish and lobster are abundant; a fishing fleet operates from Panama City. In the inland rivers of the province, fishing is mainly for subsistence. The lumber industry yields valuable woods such as cedar, balsa, balsam, mahogany and cocobolo.

History

History

In 1508, the Crown decided to colonize the mainland, the chosen area extending from Cabo Gracias a Dios in western Central America (in the present boundary between Nicaragua and Honduras) to Cabo de la Vela, Venezuela in the east. The provinces on the mainland were Nueva Andalucía, between the Atrato River in the Gulf of Uraba and the Cabo de la Vela in Venezuela and Castilla del Oro (or Veragua), which stretched from the Atrato River to Cabo Gracias a Dios in Central America.

The Governor of Nueva Andalucía was Alonso de Ojeda and the mayor of Castilla del Oro was Diego de Nicuesa, who became the first governor of the Isthmus of Panama. Diego de Nicuesa founded Nombre de Dios in 1510. Martin Fernandez de Enciso founded Santa Maria la Antigua del Darién, west of the Gulf of Urabá, in September 1510 on the advice of Vasco Núñez de Balboa, who had arrived at those lands earlier withRodrigo de Bastidas.

Dances

Dances

Darien province

Darien

Darién Province

Darién is a province in Panama whose capital city is La Palma. With an area of 11,896.5 km² (4,593.3 sq mi), it is located at the eastern end of the country and bordered to the north by the province of Panamá and the region of Kuna Yala. To the south, it is bordered by the Pacific Oceanand Colombia. To the east, it borders Colombia; to the west, it borders the Pacific Ocean and the province of Panama.

The area surrounding the border with Colombia is known as the Darién Gap, a large swath of undeveloped swampland and forest. With no roads, it is the missing link of the Pan-American Highway.