El Boruca

Jueves, 14 de Diciembre, 2017
Las Cruces Biological Station
13:10

Mike always getting the shot

Today we set out for a day with one of Costa Rica's indigenous tribes -- the Boruca. After a long and hot 2 hour bus ride up beautiful mountain roads, we reached the small village of 1500 people.

 The Boruca have a long history of intricate mask making and died cloths. Today, like many indigenous groups around the world, struggle for respect from their respective government. While they've recently made money from selling their unique crafts, the community is beginning to experiment with eco tourism -- an industry that connects tourists with the Boruca culture and land.






Upon our arrival, we were met with the most lovely hospitality. Our main host Marina provided us with an extensive historical background of the Boruca culture. Following our delicious lunch with locally grown vegetables, Marina walked us through the process of their textile creation. She absolutely stunned us with how different green leaves can bring to life so many different colors of dye. From crushed palm leaves to vibrant red seeds, watching the natural dying process took me back 300 years.

Once the yarn has been died, its time for the weaving process. First, Marina showed us the importance step of prepping the pattern. Following the prep, she got into a back strap weaving chair. By using her weight to support the rug, she's able to move yard strands around to fully develop the patterns.

Our day with the Boruca flew by much too fast. But leaving with fresh bananas and coffee in our stomach, an entire further appreciation for traditional craftsmanship followed with me from their home. As we made our way back to Las Cruces, the slow turns of the road gently rocked our group to sleep -- humbled to meet another indigenous group coexisting across the world.