History of Bocas Del Toro


History of Bocas Del Toro

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Written by Administrator

Wednesday, December 20 2006

When Christopher Columbus sailed his two ships into a bay the Indians called "Caroboro" in 1502, the principal inhabitants of Bocas Del Toro were the Guaymi, Teribe and Bokota indians. He decided to name the large bay he found Admiral Bay or Almirante. Columbus even cleaned his ships in Bocas near island later called careening cay.

During the colonial period, the Spanish never obtained much of a foothold on the islands or the province in general. As a result the islands became popular with the English who took advantage of the lack of Spanish authority by establishing villages and farms here. As early as 1745 they settled in a place called Boca del Drago where it was reported they survived by raising cattle and chickens.

During this period English ships would come down from Jamaica to do business with the inhabitants of the Central American coast. On the way, they would stop by Bocas Del Toro and trade with the Indians. Among other things, such as muskets and iron, they would trade mahogany wood, turtle shells, cocoa, and zarzaparilla (a type of herb).

Scottish and English planters from the islands of Jamaica, San Andres and Providencia founded Bocas Town in 1826. In addition, a few American planters from the south came to Bocas with their slaves. After the first years of it´s founding, the town of Bocas looked more like a camp of ramshackle temporary huts. Most of the population were slaves, transients or hustlers looking for a way to make a buck. In 1837 the canton of Bocas Del Toro was created. However, during the next fifty years Bocas Canton would belong to the three provinces- Chiriqui, Panama and Colon.

Up until now with tourism booming, the banana industry was crucial to the economy and survival of Bocas. This period begins in 1880 when the Snyder Banana Company moved into the area in 1890 and then later the United Fruit Company in 1899.

Large plots of land designated for the growth of cocoa, sugarcane, and coconuts were a major fixture of the landscape on Isla Colon. The Surgeon Brothers company made big money here with the shipment of merchandise and passengers to Colon and other ports around the Caribbean. Sadly, the sale of turtles and turtle products was also important to the Bocas economy.

The province of Bocas Del Toro was finally created after the Thousand Days War with Colombia in 1903. Bocas was actually the scene of some battles between the Colombian army. Up until a pest started to wreak havoc on banana trees in Bocas, the economy of the province was the third most powerful in Panama. From about 1915 to 1934 the banana trees were almost completely destroyed and thus ushered in an era of economic misfortune. Without bananas, the fabric of the islands slowly started to come apart.

Today the future looks bright for Bocas Del Toro as the region is experiencing an unprecedneted surge of tourism, which no doubt is improving the lives of many people in Bocas.

Panama History

Comments (1)

Madre Una niRiain: bocas

no, tourism is NOT improving the lives of the "real" people in bocas.... and you did not mention the truly evil banana republic of Chiquita, where your bananas are fertilised by human blood and human bodies, MURDERED humans...

the water in unpotable in all of bocas province. one cannot shower in rain water in changuinola because of banana chemicals

all of us who come to panama should make a point of NEVER eating a chiquita banana again..or ANY chiquita product...and only eat organic, Ngobe bananas in panama

March 24, 2008

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