Maluku Village

After the falls, we visited an indiginous Costa Rican village.  I would compare this to setting like Plymouth plantation or Sturbridge village.  It was a replica.  It was super muddy but it didn't matter because we were already wet from the falls.  

They greeted us with capi capi, their traditional greeting, gave us a traditional fermented drink and told us about some of their medicinal plants. We tasted one that made our tongues tingle which they use this as an antiseptic.  

They showed us some masks they make and the leader, through a translator, explained the meaning oft he designs:

Jaguar represents the Leader and one who loves Mother Earth.  

red macaw or oola.  The feathers stad for fidelity.  

Prampa or the blue morphology butterfly means peace, love and good luck..

Toucan represents the beauty of women.

Coral Snake represents the shaman.

Owl is good vision and wisdom.

They did a dance ceremony for us called the God nature and man ceremony dance and again, again, through the translator,  the leader said the following,  

I look at the sky 

I look at the earth

I see the great spirit 

Something is happening here.

Great spirit what is happening with plants and animals? 

I see jaguar.  He is in danger of extinction.

I cannot drink water.

What's happening great spirit?

I know you are here.

Don't destroy Mother Earth.

Thank you Mother Earth for our medicinal plants.

Thank you Mother Earth.   Thank you Great Spirit.

We look to you for guidance because we are killing her.  

Help us Mother Earth. Help us Great Spirit.  

Soooo.    despite the fact that whole thing smacked of a sales pitch, I still got something out of it because it reminded me that there still are cultures in the world which are in danger of extinction, including their language and all their customs and traditions. Once these cultures are lost, they are lost forever.