These images are taken in southwestern Costa Rica in theĀ NgƤbeĀ territory.Ā The students in the local school demonstrated a traditional dance and we had the opportunity to view and purchase some of the handcrafted bags, wall hangings, traditional dress, and dolls.
The NgƤbe indigenous people are among the poorest people in the country and until recently, there were almost no development initiatives taking place in their territories. The NgƤbe were not considered citizens of Costa Rica until 1993 and had little income, access to health care, and opportunities for progress. Many social and economic obstacles seem almost counterintuitive to progress. I think a problem the people might face is how to maintain culture while moving forward into the future. It is a problem many indigenous people face to this very day. How to move forward without compromising culture. In the case of the NgƤbe people, how can a group of people move forward when tradition prevents their daughters from succeeding?
The NgƤbe idea of success is something so distant from our Western preconception of success. It is not uncommon to see a 16 year old girl in a union with a much older man and have 5 kids by the time she turns 20. When our group visited the local high school, many of the students reached out to us, asked us questions about on going to college and starting a career. I got the sense that this generation wants to succeed, they want to help their people, but they still believe that the opportunities most American students have are unattainable. This notion deeply affected my heart and conscienceā¦ I get scholarships, opportunities to study abroad because of my indigenous heritage.
I admire the NgƤbe community, they are finding that balance between moving forward and reviving their culture. The NgƤbe language is taught along with Spanish and English in the schools and students are educated both traditionally and academically.Ā
