Diane Snider Photos

A bevy of beauties in the Emberra manner for they are Emberra Indians living up along the Chagres River, source of the water supply needed to operate the Panama Canal locks. Despite appearing so, this photo wasn't really posed but rather the women, busily conversing and quite indifferent to my camera, were just naturally comfortable sprawled out on the bohio flooring - chairs not being part of their culture - as their men folk were cutting banana plants nearby. These Indians are great craftsmen and do excellent small wood carvings of fish and birds, fashion beaded necklaces from dried seeds, and weave intricately patterned baskets and trays from banana plants, bamboo, and other tropical materials.