Tales & Traditions · Majé, Panama

Crab, Wounaan-Style

A day spearfishing crabs on the river with Arturo, and a meal back in the village with Raquela.

By Ed · 3 min read

On one of my early trips to Panama for RFB, I found myself swapping crab stories with Sebe, our longtime friend and collaborator. I told him about my family's love for crabbing on the Oregon coast, and about eating blue crab in Baltimore with my grandparents. He smiled and said, "We love crab too. You've just got to try it Wounaan-style."

Spearfishing with Arturo

Next time I was in Majé, Sebe had something lined up. I joined Arturo, the village's best fisherman, for a day out on the river. We set out fishing nets first, then Arturo grabbed a snorkel mask, a sharpened metal rod, and without hesitation, slipped into the river. I was still thinking about baited traps and chicken strings. He was already spearfishing crabs underwater.

Not long after, he came up, crab in hand. At one point, Sebe even leapt from the boat to grab a crab that surfaced nearby. It was fast, skillful, and a little wild. I loved it.

Back in the village

Back in the village, Raquela cooked the biggest crab we caught and served it alongside arroz con pollo. After a good helping, we passed the rest around to friends and family gathered nearby. As night fell, Raquela set up a rope-hung smoking rack over the fire to preserve the fish we'd caught earlier. It would be breakfast the next morning.

Resourcefulness, woven in

The resourcefulness in Majé isn't showy. It's woven into daily life. Food is caught, shared, smoked, and saved. Like most things in this village, it's done together. As we plan our next trip back, I'm most looking forward to those quiet, generous moments.

— Ed

Frequently asked questions about Majé and Wounaan village life

Who is Sebe?

Sebe is a longtime friend and collaborator of RFB Woven Art in the Wounaan village of Majé, Panama. He has hosted multiple sourcing trips over the years and is the connection point for many of RFB's relationships in the Darién.

What is Wounaan-style crabbing?

In Majé, Wounaan fishermen catch river crabs by spearfishing them underwater. A snorkel mask and a sharpened metal rod are the basic equipment. The fisherman slips into the river and spears the crabs by hand, surfacing with each catch.

Where is Majé, Panama?

Majé is a Wounaan river village in Panama's Darién rainforest, one of the most remote regions in the Americas. The village is reached by boat, with no road access. Daily life centers on the river and on the family-based weaving tradition.

What's daily life like in a Wounaan village?

Daily life in Majé centers on shared work: fishing, weaving, cooking, and preserving food. Catches are shared with friends and family. Fish are smoked over fire to preserve them. The resourcefulness is woven into routine life and rarely showy.