To study Panamanian gastronomy, it is necessary to take a journey through the different stages of history to reach our days. In the first stage, which began thousands of years ago, our indigenous peoples were gatherers and hunters. In the second stage, the indigenous peoples transitioned to a sedentary lifestyle and established dwellings near both oceans. They complemented their diets with domesticated vegetables and animals; polycultivation began, especially of corn, beans, cassava, and pumpkin.
Origins of Panamanian Cuisine
Hunting was abundant and varied, including deer, rabbits, monkeys, manatees, and others; in addition, they engaged in fishing in mangrove marshes, estuaries, and coral reefs. According to some studies, corn was the main dish; however, the diet varied among different ethnic groups, such as the Ngobe-Buglé, the Surru, or the Doraces. For example, they consumed plantains and fruits from a palm tree, the pixbae, and less often corn.
Among the Kunas, corn was part of their daily diet, but the traditional dish was Tule masi, which consisted of several tubers and plantains, in addition to boiled or grilled fish, seasoned with garlic and salt. Therefore, depending on the region and habitat, diets varied without forgetting the millennia-old traditions.
Diversity in Indigenous Food
Indigenous peoples generally consumed seafood, corn, beans, tubers, and fermented beverages made from corn, sugarcane, cacao, and pineapple. Among the dishes, Bodochi always featured, which accompanied grilled fish or meat in family gatherings.
When the Kunas came into contact with Western cuisine, brought by Europeans, and were allowed to work in the canal zone, they introduced variations to their indigenous dishes, which today reach our tables.
