When we visited the Embera village on Friday, we learned about their way of life, and some of that includes subsistence: their source of food, how they eat, and how they earn an income. When it comes to food, the Embera have very different ways than us. Since they live by the river, they catch their own fish, and cook it themselves. They also have a lot of fruit that grows in the village, such as plantains, that they use as a source of food.
Another part of subsistence is how you eat food: what utensils you use, if you use any, who you share it with, etc. In the Embera village, every family is responsible for cooking their own meals, unless there’s a celebration in the village (tourists visiting, a new house being built, a baby being born). Every family has a small kitchen space where they cook, which usually consists of a large bowl to cook things in on top of a fire. We didn’t use any utensils when we ate, and our food was placed in bowls made out of leaves, so they wouldn’t cause litter when thrown away.
For income, the Embera strongly rely on the tourism industry. They are very friendly and welcoming and gladly receive visitors in their village. Along with people paying to visit, they also have booths set up when tourists come where they can buy things the Embera have made: baskets, plates, jewelry, and so on. When it comes to working around the village, each person will be assigned with a task to do, such as helping build a house or finding food. Aside from this, they usually work around 2-3 hours each day on the crafts they make when tourists visit.
