Deep in the Amazon, on the banks of the river Bonyic, a civilisation that has survived for centuries is under threat. The Naso kings are the only tribal leaders in the Americas whose monarchy is recognised by the government but despite they're having survived the rise and fall of the Aztec and Mayan empires as well as the threat of European imperialists, they're way of life is in jeopardy.

As a result of plans to build a hydroelectric plant, the tribe is under the threat of exposure to the outside world. Although the plant will no doubt bring wealth and development to the tribe, many are concerned by the negative influences that will no doubt follow. The tribe will have to make a very important decision. However, this decision has already manifested itself in a fierce civil-feud between tribal members.

When Tito Santana, the young Naso King, was offered a government proposal to build a hydroelectric plant 7 miles from his settlement he readily accepted. The tribe had been poor and isolated for some time and were being offered a school, a clinic, a water pump, land purchases and $322,000 in scholarship grants for its inhabitants.

Tito was sure that this move would empower the tribe and allow them more chance of preserving their ancient rites and rituals. This view was not however accepted by the hard-core of tribesmen led by Valentin Santana, Tito's uncle, who in the same year surrounded the royal palace and forces Tito into exile.

The scene in Seiyik shows how the tribe has been torn apart by Tito's decision. The jungle is uprooted and spoilt all around and prefabricated housing has been erected to deal with the influx of construction workers, the palace is empty and decaying.

Valentin's concern is that his ancestral lands, which have already been damaged by the construction, will continue to suffer as the volume of hydroelectric projects increases. The tribe are concerned for the spiritual and archaeological sites of their forefathers, that they might become lost under the damning waters.

Valentin sits in his hometown of Druy, unable to occupy the palace, Tito in Changuinola, unable to return. Both wear crowns of feathers and hold spears but between them there lies a great discrepancy of opinion and little chance of resolution. The damage appears to already be underway and with Valentin an unrecognised monarch with little knowledge of Spanish and an uncertain support base the future of the tribe has been left in the hands of Panama's government

Posted under Articles, Environmental News