Costa Rica - Bribri Tribe

While in Costa Rica, I really wanted to understand the people and it's culture.  The only local tour owner/operator, Jorge (who knew the owner of the Casa we were staying in), helped book us a trip to eat lunch and make chocolate with an indigenous family.   

Bridge to Bribri

Jorge picked us up in a Jeep at our Casa and drove us to the land owned by The Bribri Tribe.  The tribe is located in the same territory of Cahuita, less than 40 minutes south.  The mountains and greenery along the drive were so lush and unlike anything I have seen.  The mountains were actually the border of Panama & Costa Rica.   We arrived at the Bribri family home after driving down a long rocky road, walking across a suspension bridge and passing thru the grass where chickens scurried by.  We could smell open fire and knew we were there.  This family is home to 6 generations; the oldest man being 108 years old and the youngest being 2 years old.  We were greeted by a woman who was cooking lunch, accompanied by her husband and their son, Jefferson.  

Jefferson is hiding

The husband spoke English and taught us about the way they cook, what they eat, how they build their pre-Colombian homes, and their use for organic medicinal items gathered from their land.   After some conversation, we were served a meal prepared with fresh produce and chicken from their land, served in a creatively folded banana leaf bowl.  In our lunch bowl were 4 different types of potatoes, from tart to super sweet – and from dry to creamy.  It was so impressive to see how they prepared simple food, using only fire and food from their land.  

Plantain, Potatoes & Chicken lunch

After eating lunch, we learned about chocolate (cacao) making.  The Bribri tribe is made up of clans; a child's clan is determined by the clan his or her mother belongs to (matrilineal).  This gives women an important role in Bribri society, they are the only ones who can inherent land or prepare the sacred Cacao.  Jerry was able to participate, but you would never see a Bribri man preparing cacao...only eating it! 

Cacao Beans off the plant....we sampled the fruit

Anna roasting cacoa beans

Using two rocks to make beans into a paste

We got to try our hand at making chocolate

The finished product - all varieties; ginger, milk, orange & coconut were our favs!

Jefferson warmed up to me enough to take a photo

After spending the afternoon with the family we headed out to swim in a waterfall that is on the Bribri Tribe's land.  It was the perfect outing for us and an afternoon well spent in CR!