Isla Tigre / Digir island

I was sailing with my friends in the eastern part of Gunayala (San Blas), and while we passed through various community islands, our captain introduced us to Eleuterio, a Guna guide who wanted to share his island, Isla Tigre, with us.

This island, although dotted with Guna homes, still welcomes visitors. Every sandy street is spotless, with no trash visible, and it's clear they practice some form of recycling. We even saw a trash can made from recycled plastic bottles; thoughtful and creative! Eleuterio shared with us the importance of addressing garbage and environmental issues. On this island, they are working hard to become more sustainable. Eleuterio said: Nana is the most important thing for us. Nana is the Guna word for Mother Earth.

We visited the school, which was partly damaged by storms that caused most of the roof to be lost. But that doesn’t stop the Guna from making sure their children go to school; they’ve adapted different recreation areas for the children to take their classes.

The island is full of young people everywhere: kids running around in their uniforms, and younger children and babies playing almost without clothes, enjoying the sun.

We even had the honor of visiting the Congress of Isla Tigre and meeting the “Saila”,  the chief of this particular Guna community. In his words, and in his language, Dulegaya (the Guna language), he taught us a little about the rules on the island and how to become a Saila. He explained that Sailas don’t get fired; they are chiefs until the day they die… which I found quite fascinating.

We also enjoyed some Dulemasi, meaning Guna food, that they kindly prepared for us. It’s a coconut fish soup with several boiled plantains, and some very well-cooked fish on the side. It was a wonderful experience, and we are so grateful for their kind offering..

Last but not least, I even had a “wini” woven onto my left wrist, a traditional Guna beaded bracelet. It was so beautiful, and I was thrilled! It was woven by an elderly Guna lady in just five minutes.

We saw, smelled, experienced, and enjoyed every moment on this island, guided by the best local Guna guide. Thankfully, we were able to take amazing photos of beautiful Guna women who wanted to be photographed in their traditional attire.This is an experience you must not miss if you visit Gunayala. The Guna are kind, welcoming, and eager to share their culture with visitors.