On the Road to Las Tablas “Pollera Festival”

Another title for this blog ought to be “Women only - driving to the Gala de Pollera in Las Tablas, Panama in the Los Santos Province.” That is an excessively long title for a blog but I wanted to get it in nonetheless. A few of us (3) decided to make this journey by driving to Las Tablas attending the traditional Pollera Festival in the province of Los Santos. 

Stopping at various points of interest along the way added to our experience discovering some very exciting and charming places as well as meeting an interesting group of creative artisans.

We had a budget – I for one wanted to see if this trip would be possible on less than a hundred dollars per person with enough money for shopping. We booked a room for 3 days 2 nights in the Hotel Versalles in Chitré for under $45.00 per night (we are pencionados/jubilados) receiving a 50% discount since it was during the week, otherwise, on the weekend the discount is only 30%, making it overall undeniably a good deal! The Hotel Versalles is on the main road entering Chitré it has a/c in each room, a small pool, restaurant, one can use the internet by paying for a $3.00 card or bring your laptop, a bar, though most of the time the hotel utilizes the bar as a conference room. Click onto Trip Advisor. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g298426-d1231256-Reviews-Hotel_Versalles-Chitre.html We ate at tipico restaurants throughout our trip the most expensive meal topped at five dollars.
The first stop was lunching in Santiago at one of outdoor cafeteria restaurants. Buses always stop here on their way to David from PC. We then proceeded to the charming town of Parita in the Herrera Province. Parita is the oldest settlement in the Azuero Peninsula, and last August celebrated its 450th birthday. Streets in the town are lined with well-preserved examples of Spanish colonial architecture dating back to the 18th century. Most homes near the church are attached row houses and all have red clay tiles roofs. One place to visit is the Iglesia de Santo Domingo de Guzman completed in 1723. Although we could not visit the church, we had planned to visit another place in town.
We approached one of the row homes across from the church asking where, we could meet and visit the church workshop that specializes in the restoration of church altars – it is the only workshop in the country. We were met by one of the homeowners and immediately was overcome by, the warm feeling entering the home.  The señora of the home greets us, we ask if the home is a museum because it is so flawless with a Spanish 

Victorian theme flowing throughout this impeccably decorated home. As I look up to the cathedral ceiling, the red clay tiles are visible and are sealed. She parades us to a delightful outdoor kitchen located on the patio, which includes a wood burning stove she uses for cooking outdoors, since it so extremely warm in Parita.
She mentions her son is a preservationist using their home as an example for others in the community to follow.


Our next stop in Parita is where the colorful masks of the "dirty little devils" (máscaras de los diablicos sucios), are made. We could not bypass a visit to the home of the country’s top mask maker Señor Darido Lopez whose home is located on the main road in Parita. He has been making colorful masks for folkloric dancers since the 1960’s. Lopez explained the process of mask making by first artistically making a mold out of a mixture of yellow and white soil, using water and Vaseline. Once the clay mold is ready, several layers of soaked paper are placed on the mold and left to dry in the sun. Then the teeth, eyes, and horns attach lastly, lastly the mask is painted. At times Señor López works with a team of 12 people, eight of whom are his sons.
The unusual name comes from the raw cotton “dirty blanket” used for the accompanying costumes, they are painted with the juice of the achiote seed to make the red stripes, and coal to make black stripes, giving them a dirty and sinister look. When the performer dances and sweats the colors run off making a dirty look, hence the name "sucios". They also use castanets and a stick in the dance. There is no narrative sequence in the dance, it is a vivid image of the battle between good and evil that promote conversion. Most of the devil dances are for the religious feast of Corpus Christi, which celebrates the presence of Jesus as the host. The Diablicos Sucios from Los Santos and Chitré are performed in La Villa de Los Santos, 40 days after the Holy Week. The Diablos Limpios (or la Danza del Grandiablo) from La Villa, Chorrera, and Chitré, is the most Europeanized version.

While Señor Lopez continues to make masks and satin costumes worn by dirty devil-dancers, he also exports nowadays to the USA and Europe – most cost between US$20.00 – US$80.00. The cost of the medium masks in his shop priced at eight dollars, I found it to be incredibly affordable.

Entering the town of La Arena on the highway there are many small stores selling pottery. We stopped and window-shopped purchasing a few items since prices are lower than other parts of the country. The next time I will surely go to the Ceramica Calderon where all pieces made on the premises, are done by hand and where one can watch the pottery in the making most likely by the owner Angel Calderon who has been doing this for almost 50 years. His place is located near Calle del Rio Parita and Carretera Nacional. We then made a beeline to San Pablos Panaderia on the left side of the main road for some sweets such as 'bolas de panela' made with panela (molasses sugar) and coconut, molasses cookies, and little cups of panela con leche.

We arrive in Chitré check into the hotel relaxing in our room for a while then decided to drive to Las Tablas to locate “La Gala De Pollera” and the Gimnasio Auditorio where, we would be attending the event the following day and to scout around town. Driving on the Carretera Nacional to Las Tables I, notice stands with fresh red sausages dangling from kiosks. From what I understand, they are pork sausages made on the Península de Azuero and are nationally famous for their high quality.

Las Tablas is home to the country’s famous Carnival. Almost everything of interest to visitors is within five blocks of the Las Tablas Central Plaza including colonial architecture and the beautiful colonial church Iglesia Santa Librada next to the Central Plaza. The church opened its door on March 9, 1789; fire damaged the church in 1950, and restored later. The painted faces on the ornate 23-karat gold leaf alter are original.



We continue to wonder through the town festival and came across a group of musicians playing with “tamboritos” translation "little drum", the tamborito is Panama’s national dance. The method of this dance is a call-and-response, vocal phrasing, and interlocking drum patterns showing an African antecedent as it is more than a dance. The tamborito is contagious, an expression of the Panamanian spirit, soul, grace, faith, hopes, and desires. It is Panama’s typical and folkloric musical theatre. I have included a video and photos showing this tradition.

We checked out some of the vendor stalls, buying jewelry from a South American group spending most of our time and money trying on many "Montuno" hats, the national hat worn by many men in Panama. Montuno hats are brimmed made of grass fiber while some of the fibers are dyed to enhance the pattern of the hat. Fortunately, we found a stall with Montuno hats for women. The vendor was very patient answering our questions, explaining the quality, and letting us try on many, many hats. The prices ranged from $5 on up, I sensed a bargain buying one for ten dollars. Woo hoo!

The next day after purchasing our tickets for the afternoon event, we drove to the town of La Enea where the productions of the finest polleras in Panama are made. Almost every part of the pollera costume is hand sewn. I call to meet one of the best-known makers of this national costume, Senora Ildauna Saavedra de Espina; she made her first pollera in 1946 at the age of 16. Ildauan sold her first dress for US$300.00 – today, she charges US$2000 and up for a dress. It takes 6 to 8 months to finish one pollera. Ildauna welcomed the three of us into her home. Although she does not sew nowadays, a relative displays some of her wonderful pieces of artwork that, she has mastered to carry on the tradition. She explains every little detail that is involved in making the blouse, skirt, and petticoats.

The two basic pieces: a blouse that rests upon the tops of the shoulders and a long skirt divided into two fully gathered tiers. Each skirt requires more than 12 yards of fine white linen or a fine cotton cloth. Elaborate needlework (some being a needlepoint technique) in a single color enriches the white background.


Many of the women living in La Enea sew countless costumes as well. Ildauna however is one of first to begin this custom in her town. Before we leave thanking her, she offers directions to another home around the corner where a young woman, Jaquelin who makes the mundillo lace, which originated in Spain. Mundillos are a type of bobbin lace making, a five century old done by hand. See the photo. Additionally Jaquelin is teaching the young people in her town continuing the “bobbin lace making” tradition for future generations.

After visiting the three accomplished craft

people in La Enea we return to Las Tablas to attend the event “Concurso Nacional de Polleras” translation Pollera National Contest. We arrive around 3pm the event was due to start at that time, however, it began roughly one and half-hour later, providing plenty of time to take many photographs.

The pollera is worn with a petticoat, skirt, ruffled blouse, and a special shoe lines with silk or satin, a variety of specially made ornaments for the head called, "tembleques (ususally white) and many flat gold chains or "cadena chata". The jewelry worn with the pollera in olden days was indicative of one's wealth and sometimes as many as a dozen chains were worn, all of pure gold and precious gems. This day and age many of the women wear gold pieces possibly handed down through generations.

There are eight contest judges three of the judges scrutinize each pollera for uniformity of the stitching, and the variety of stitched designs from the skirts, petticoats, and sleeves. Other considerations judged are the contestant’s jewelry pieces, headpiece, grace, and poise. It was definitely a worthwhile event to attend.

The following day we commence the return trip back to Boquete. I do have to mention if you have never driven on the Panamanian American Highway past David one must be on the lookout. I remember it being pointed out to me, the police use radar and it is best to drive the speed limit or be prepared to receive a ticket. I almost did right before Santiago for going over the speed limit as the policeman mentioned. As a result, two of us in the car speak Spanish, we were very cordial to the officer, and he decided not write a ticket saving me from having to go to David and pay up. Whew! Well after that episode, I was checking the speedometer frequently. Explore Dream Discover