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The Use and Cultural Significance of the Pita Plant (Aechmea magdalenae) among Ngöbe Women of Chalite, Panama

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Abstract

The Use and Cultural Significance of thePitaPlant (Aechmea magdalenae)among Ngöbe Women of Chalite, Panama. The pita plant-Aechmea magdalenae (André) André ex Baker-has been widely used throughout Ngöbe communities in Panama as a source of fiber for hammocks, baskets (kra), nets, thread, rope, and other fibers and cloth. As Ngöbe society becomes more integrated in regional and national society, the transformation of the pita plant to kra by the women of Chalite (Panama) has changed. Modern materials such as commercial dyes and synthetic threads are now used as substitutes for the pita fiber. As women specialize in tasks that are often linked to economic changes in Chalite, some women have specialized in kra production or even subsets of production while others have discontinued the practice and rely on other women for kiga or kra. Limited production of kra for the tourist trade has been unsuccessful as inadequate markets exist.

Uso y sinificado cultural de la planta depita(Aechmea magdalenae) entre las mujeres Ngöbe de Chalite, Panamá. La planta de pita-Aechmea magdalenae (André) André ex Baker-ha sido usada ampliamente en todas las comunidades Ngöbe en Panamá como material de fibra para hamacas, cestos (kra), redes, hilo, lazos and otras cuerdas y tela. Amedida que la sociedad Ngöbe se integra más a la sociedad regional y nacional, la transformación de la planta de pita en kra (cestos) por las mujeres de Chalite (Panamá) ha cambiado. Ahora se usan materiales modernos tales como colorantes y fibras sintéticas como sustitutos de las fibra de pita. A medida que las mujeres se especializan en tareas que relacionadas con cambios económicos en Chalite, algunas mujeres se han especializado en la producción de kra (cestería), incluso en sub-áreas de su producción, mientras que otras han descontinuado su práctica y dependen de otras mujeres para su kiga o kra. La producción limitada de kra para el comercio turístico no ha tenido éxito debido a que existe un mercado inadecuado

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Acknowledgements

The lead author would like to thank the people of Chalite, Bocas del Toro, Panama, for opening their hearts and homes and sharing their lives with her for 2 years. A special thank you goes to the women of Mesi Chali women’s group, without whose willingness to teach an outsider the ways of kra, this research would not have been possible. Both authors thank two anonymous reviewers for their careful attention to the article and comments that significantly improved the article. Dr. Ciro Sandoval assisted in the final preparation of the manuscript.

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  1. Geographic Consulting, Frederiksted, VI, USA

    Kathryn Lincoln

  2. Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI, USA

    Blair Orr

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  1. Kathryn Lincoln
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Correspondence to Blair Orr.

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Received 12 October 2009; Accepted 23 November 2010.

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Lincoln, K., Orr, B. The Use and Cultural Significance of the Pita Plant (Aechmea magdalenae) among Ngöbe Women of Chalite, Panama. Econ Bot 65, 13–26 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12231-010-9144-x

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