Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-19
INDIANS OF PANAMA
TALAMANCANS OR ABORIGINES
OF THE IsrHMUs.
Live in the Mountains Midway Be-
tween the Seas - As Colum-
bus Saw Them.
From the Scientific American.

bus Saw Them.
From the Scientific American.
Within less than one hundred miles of
where the United States intends to- COM
plete the greatest interoceanic ditch the
world has seen. in territory where the new
! ly created republic of Panama is situated,
there dwells al Indian nation that Is to all
intents and purposes identically the same
today as it WAS when Columbus first dis
covered the western hemisphere. These are
the Talamancans. who inhabit few square
miles In the mountains almost midway be-
| tween the two oceans and but a compare
! lively short distance from the Panama rail-
| road. though 1t is much to be doubted If
| they have ever seen It or are aware of its
| existence.
| For upward of four centuries the mediae-
| val civilization Of Spain has surrounded
| them on all sides. but they have neither
| been contaminated by it's influence nor ex-
terminated by Its kindness, as was the case
| IN Cuba and other Spanish colonies. Their
| language Is still their own and seems to
have lost little of its original character
through contact with the execrable mixture
! of English. Spanish and French spoken by
| the lower classes throughout the West In
| dles and along the Spanish Main. Living
! In Virtually an unknown region, at least
three days Journey from the nearest settle
ment, their solitude is seldom broken. The
visitor Is received with the greatest hospi-
| tallty. and is welcome as long as he desires
| TO remain Their visits to the outer world
are fnfrequent. rarely extending beyond the
nearest port, and are undertaken only in
quest of luxurieS. Extra fowls and porkers
| are bartered on these occasions for tobacco,
| geWgaWs and ammunition. The spear and
| oloWgun are used more than firearms. for
various reasons. The former are not only
| INFINITELY cheaper, but usually more effect
| I've in the handS of the Indian than the
| cheap muzzle-loading fowling piece Of
french or German origin, with it's paper
| like barrel-the only arm he can afford 10
purchase besides the machete.
Language and Customs.
Their language and customs in some re-
spects resemble those of the score or more
of widely differing peoples that are scat
| tered over the territory lying between the
Mexican border and the isthmus. Their an
cestors doubtless served Aztec masters for
centuries before Cortez appeared ON the
scene to impose a worse slavery upon them,
Ior they are not Of the superior race of
"hlch so many reminders in the shape of
| gold and silver ornaments, stone idols and
| curious specimens Of pottery have been un-
| eafthed in quantities in several of the Cen
traI american states, and being the oppo-
| bondage.
| They are not idolaters in any sense of
the word, nor do they profess religion or
mold public worship Of any nature though
tnelr benef tends more to fear of an evil
spirit than faith In good one; in fact the
TalamanacanS present an instance of a ma
| ton without doctor, lawyer or priest the
sokee, corresponding to the medicine man
or the North American tribes, usually com
plhlng the functions of all three. Polyg-
amy Is the most important feature of their
domestic relations, few If any of the MEM
pers OF the different tribes being content
"a hra e. l.Ic
while his Talamancan majesty might we'll
exclaim with Launcelot Alas! Fifteen
wives is nothinge." His seraglio is usually
better provided in point of numbers.
Authority of the King.
The government of this Indian nation is
entirely hereditary, and it IS astonishing TO
learn OF the many points of the doctrine of
pflmogenlture as practiced by the reigning
| families of Europe, with which they are
| familiar. Their laws are naturally few in
| number. both the legislative and judicial
power, as is usually the case where no fixed
principles OF either have been acquired be-
| Ing vested exclusively in the king In com
mon with others in his position the world
over, he Is a despot, and rules according
20 IoyaI "hlm where this does not conflict
with long-established custom The martial
relation Is held sacred. The engagement of
| a girl begins within few hours of her
olrtn, the br1degroom-to-be making a con-
| usually consummated when she reaches the
| age of ten or twelve custom that is re-
| sponSible for great disparity In the age and
| longevity of the sexes.
The needs of the Talamancan are nrir,
| tive to degree characteristic of the early
ages of man, and nature provides for
! him with bounteous hand his is an ex-
,stence OF dreamy contentment undisturbed
| by thought OF the morrow or fear of the
| hereafter, for the missionary has never pen
| etrated to his forest home. The rivers TEEN
| with many varieties of edible fish. and
| game abOundS to a degree unknown Outside
| the tropics. while the soil is so fertile as TO
| give rise to the saying that it will raise
| pickaninnies. A little corn and csssava
| are planted, and the soil and climate do the
rest; when they mature, which in the cas
| of corn is four times a year. they are pra-
pared In the same manner as that practiced
by their forefatherS from time out of mind
CLOTHING, whether for man or woman, Is Of
the ScantleSt description Imaginable exceDt
| On gala occasions visit to the settle
| ment when the trousers and shirt of civ
illzation are donned by the former. the
| children running about absolutely naked
| until several years old.
| Art Of Thatching.
| The Talamancan's hut, which Is a MASTER
piece in the art Of matching. is a huge af-
| fair. and shelters his entire family and all
his worldly possessions, including the do
| nestle animals, that continually root
| "iouiio INC iHteiiof uurlhg the DAY and re-
| tire with him at night. AS he is a mast
| master In the art of demonstrating the wild
| deer, the peccary, the tapir, and even the
| tiger cat. numbers Of these animals are
present in every village, taking the place Of
| the motley pack of mongrels that usually
| greet the visitor at such humble settle
ments. His oed consists of the trunk of a
certain species of palm, cut into strips and
| supported three four feet from the
ground on frame, and few earthen pots
! with now and again an iron one complete
| the furnishing of his house.
While adept with the spear and deadly
| biowgun, In which various of the South
| American tribes employ poisoned darts. he
Is OF the most peaceable nature, and his
| traditions contain no stirring tales of con-
! quest nor does his conversation boast of
4 personal valor. for he knows not war In
| short, the Tal.mancan is forever az na.ca
| with all the world and only dosi.os II -