References

Works Cited

"About the Kuna Indians." The Kuna Indians Inhabit the San Blas Islands. N.p., 30 Nov. 2013. Web. 01 May 2014.

Bowerman, Eddie L. "About the Kuna Indians." About the Kuna Indians. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 May 2014. <http://public.cwp.net.pa/~bowerman/page3.html>.

"The History of the Kuna Indians." Panama City, Panama Real Estate and Travel Reports. Ed. Andrew Cowman and Claire Saylor. The Panama Report, n.d. Web. 04 May 2014. <http://www.thepanamareport.com/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=342>.

"The Kuna Indians." The Kuna Indians. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 May 2014. <http://www.ms-starship.com/sciencenew/kuna_indians.htm>.

Olson, James Stuart. "Cuna." The Indians of Central and South America: An Ethnohistorical Dictionary. New York: Greenwood, 1991. N. pag. Print.

"Sailing with Nine of Cups San Blas Islands (Kuna Yala) of Panama." Sailing with Nine of Cups San Blas Islands (Kuna Yala) of Panama. David Lynn & Marcie Connelly-Lynn, n.d. Web. 04 May 2014. <http://www.nineofcups.com/Panama_San_Blas.html>.

Sherzer, Joel. Stories, Myths, Chants, and Songs of the Kuna Indians. Austin: U of Texas, 2003. Print.

Stevens, Stan, and Terry De Lacy. Conservation through Cultural Survival: Indigenous Peoples and Protected Areas. Washington, DC: Island, 1997. Print.

Sumner-Fromeyer, Dr. Janet. "The Kuna Indians." The Kuna Indians. Starship Millennium Voyage, n.d. Web. 04 May 2014. <http://www.ms-starship.com/sciencenew/kuna_indians.htm>.

Kuna Music

The Kunas mainly play pan flutes and maracas as music. They are usually played during ceremonies and important events. While playing these instruments, there is sometimes chanting going on. These chants usually tell some sort f story pertaining to what they are celebrating or recognizing.

Kuna man playing pan flute and Kuna woman dancing

Kuna maracas

Here is a clip of a couple of Kuna men playing the pan flute for tourist in the area: 

Native Birds

Since the Kuna Indians have preserved most of their lands from tourists and such, there are quite a lot of birds species in their reservations. Here are a list of local birds from Eastern Panama and the San Blas Islands and some facts about them:

Agami Heron:
This species occurs in swampy stream and lake margins within tropical forest, and also in seasonal marshes. It tends to remain in lowlands. The breeding season appears to coincide with the arrival of rains.

 Aplomado Falcon:
Aplomado Falcons are not migratory and spend most of the year on their territory. When not actively hunting, they perch on fence posts, in trees, or along power poles, taking in their surroundings. During nesting season, Aplomado Falcons are quick to defend their territory against any intruders.screaming loudly at intruders with a sharp cack, cack, cack and sometimes knocking them on the back of the head. The birds will continue this behavior until the offending animal is far enough away that it no longer poses a threat to the falcons’ young.

Hepatic Tanager:

Although the Hepatic Tanager has the most restricted range of the four tanagers in the United States, in fact it is the most widespread member of its genus. It breeds from the southwestern United States southward all the way to Argentina. It also flycatches its food (insects). It moves slowly and deliberately through foliage, working out from base of lower limbs. Flies out and catches flushed insects.

Rufous-vented Ground Cuckoo:
They are a large terrestrial species of Cuckoo in the Cuculidae family.  They are found in humid forests from southern Nicaragua, through Costa Rica and Panama, into north-western Colombia. However it is
highly inconspicious and infrequently seen.

Keel Billed Toucan (Rainbow Billed Toucan:
They live in holes of trees with several other keel billed toucan individuals. To make room they all sleep with their beak and tail tucked under their body to create more room. They are extremely sociable birds. The keel billed toucan travel in small flocks which usually contain between 6 and 15 individuals. Surprisingly they are not very good at flying and does most of its moving about by hopping between tree branches.