About The Cuna

Most Cuna Indians live on a narrow strip land covered by a pristine tropical rainforest and an archipelago of 365 small islands just off the coast of Panama. The Cuna tribe has virtual autonomy over this territory, yet constantly struggles to preserve traditional customs and to resist the threat of slash-and-burn settlement within its borders.

Their territory is split into three provinces called comarcas. The largest population of Cuna live on the islands along the Caribbean coast, formerly know as the San Blas Islands, in the comarca called Cuna Yala.  This  autonomous region was established in 1938 after decades of assertive and consistent measures by the Cuna to fight the Panamanian government's intention to strip the Cuna Indians of their rights and culture.

The two smaller comarcas  consist of  the Cuna de Madugandi and the Cuna de Wargandi  established in1996 and 2000 respectively.

The entire Cuna tribe is roughly 50,000 strong.