A visit to the neighbours

Nanci and I walked into the jungle today to visit Mayra at her home. It was my first time in there. Until now, I hadn't been willing to dedicate the kind of time it takes to make the trip - 30-45 minutes each way in and out. Recent medical news said I need much more exercise than I'm getting, So this partly-rainy Sunday morning, in we went.

Each home is really a cluster of small buildings, made of available wood and galvanized sheet metal roofing material. Some of the buildings are traditional Bribri-style thatch construction. One building in the cluster is the kitchen, another is the sleeping quarters, yet another the meeting area, and another the outhouse.

At Mayra's place, each level is about one story above the next. The water source, a r

iver, is where fresh water is obtained, and clothes are washed. It’s about two stories up to the kitchen.

(Photo by Dan Swank - Mayra cooks a pot of pejibaje while holding baby Khrys. Sandara looking on.)

From the kitchen, it’s another story up to the living area.

(Photo by Dan Swank
Family in the living area, still under construction in this shot..)

(Photo by Dan Swank: It’s another story up to the sleeping quarters. That trail up is quite a bit of work.)


The trail to the sleeping quarters is very nearly at a 45-degree angle.

The trail between the areas is at about a 45-degree angle, and it's all dirt. Unless it's raining, as it was today. Getting up and down the trails today had me grabbing for trees and branches, reaching out and grabbing a root sticking out of the trail ahead, slipping and falling in the mud, remembering not to grab a banana tree for support, (banana trees are notorious for just falling over), watching out for terciopelos, and in general getting very tired and covered with mud.

With both of my hands busy keeping me from falling on my face in the mud, I marveled at the thought of Mayra walking that trail carrying two babies, a bag of baby stuff, and a bag of groceries. I'm amazed that any water these folks have is carried in 1 and 5-gallon containers 2 or 3 stories from the river up a steep muddy trail. I admire the kids who are so determined that they go up and down that trail every school day with a heavy knapsack filled with books. These folks are tough.

The floor in Mayra's house is packed dirt, very uneven, with variations as much as a foot in places. Baby Khrys is still learning to walk, balancing her little body as she goes along the uneven ground. The sleeping area has a raised platform and a number of beds. The slats in the floor in places are so far apart you could lose a child through them. A late-night trip to the outhouse could be downright dangerous.


Photos by Dan Swank
Left, a view through Mayra’s hammock. Right, Daniel sits on one end of the sleeping platform.

Photo by Daniel
Mayra, baby Khrys, and Sandara sit in Mayra’s Hammock in the sleeping quarters.

Stairs come down from the platform to the ground, where there is a hammock, a chair, and a wood-fire stove on a platform. Children’s boots and shoes are scattered around the ground, as are a number of plastic toys. Chickens go in and out, keeping the place bug-free. A gorgeous colibri - hummingbird - drinks in a flower nearby. A nearly starving dog that looks like it's all ribs tries to sleep near the fire, being teased by Irene and Sandara. The smoke from the wood fire gives the place a homey touch, and when the wind is right the ylang-ylang tree next to their quarters produces a heady, exotic perfume that drifts in and out.

As we sat talking with Mayra and the girls, 75-yr-old Ynez came up from the next level down to visit with us. She appeared to have come up that trail very easily - the same trail that had me grabbing for trees, branches, and roots, and checking out the local mud. Grandma's pretty tough, too.

As Nanci and I walked home, I had a lot to think about.

These photos were taken by Dan Swank on August 15, except for one taken by Daniel Rugama.