Festival del Manitos 2009 Ocu Herrera Panama - Typical Dancing (1)

In the interior of Panama the people, young and old, all know how to dance the typical music. It is great to watch and I am determined to learn how.... HELP!

Festival Nacional del Manito in the town of Ocú in the Herrera Province.

The festival was founded 38 years ago by teachers who wanted to keep the traditions of their community alive, according to Professor Bolivar Octavio Ochoa, President of the Festival. “Manito” is a term of endearment used among “Ocueños” (people from Ocú), it is a diminutive of “hermanito”, which means little brother. Feel free to smile, wave and greet others as “manito” at this celebration. The party starts with the crowning of Festival del Manito Queen at the inauguration on Thursday night at the Fairgrounds in San Sebastian. The festivities will include folklore presentations, regional dances, song and dance.
On Friday youth contests will begin at 2:00 p.m. in different categories like playing the “mejorana” (a small guitar) and the “tambor” (drums), girls dancing in the “Montuno” style Pollera dress and the traditional old childrens’ game display, like riding pretend horses. On Friday evening, six or seven citizens who have stood guard over “folkloric values” will be honored with the Dr. Rodrigo Nuñez Quintero Medal, followed by a cultural display. On Saturday, the “Public Country Wedding” will take place at 10:00 a.m., a real wedding after which a couple rides out of the church on a horse. They are followed by the multitude to go to the fairgrounds, where delicious local food (sancocho, lechona, dulce de leche) is waiting. Music and dancing, of course, are in order.
At night, the “Tamarindo Duel” takes place, with 30 actors participating in the recreation of a battle between two young men for a young lady’s heart. The big parade is at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday. Over 45 schools from the surrounding areas and even the capital city participate to recreate a grand folkloric display. The main features are “Working Countrymen” who pay homage to those who stick with tradition and work the land and the “Sick Man in a Hammock”, an act which pays tribute to the way sick people used to be transported when there were no cars. The colorful “Diablicos” of Los Santos and Chitre as well as many beautiful ladies in Pollera dresses will be in the parade as well. Throughout the Festival, three venues will be open with different musical offerings and activities. They are the Jardín Flores del Tamarindo, Jardín Viva Panamá and the Atlas “Toldo”, or stage. Ocú can be reached by express bus, leaving from the National Transportation Terminal in Albrook (schedules and pricing 974-1395) or by car. The turnoff to Ocú from the Pan American Highway is to the left ten kilometers after the Divisa turnoff to Chitre and Las Tablas as one comes from Panama City and to the right 20 kilometers past Santiago when coming from Chiriquí. Lodging is likely to be sparse in Ocú. But plenty of rooms will be available in the surrounding cities of Santiago and Chitré.

Source:PanamaVisitor

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