Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
EL “REY NEGRO BAYANO”
While his origins and death remain enveloped in a fog of conjecture, it is unequivocal that
El “
Rey Negro Bayano
” (also known as Ballano or Vaino) was the most successful leader
of the
cimarrones
and the undisputed king, referred to as such even by the Spanish. Com-
manding the loyalty of between 400 and 1200 followers, he constructed an impenetrable
hilltop fortress from where he repeatedly attacked Spanish forces and plundered mule trains
on the Camino Real. Despite conducting three major campaigns against him (1553-56), the
Governor of Panama failed to quell the resistance, prompting the Viceroy of Peru to charge
a certain Captain Pedro de Ursúa with the specific task of crushing the
cimarrones
rebelli-
on. Realizing it would be impossible to take Bayano's mountain stronghold by force, Ursuá
used deceit. Pretending to offer a peaceful settlement in which the land would be divided
equally between the Spanish and Bayano and his followers, the conquistador arranged a
celebratory feast. He then ordered poison to be mixed with the wine to stun Bayano and
his men. The plan worked: feeling the worse for wear from the potent cocktail, they were
easily taken, thus ending six years of triumphant revolt against the Spanish Crown.
Cuevas de Majé
Southeastern tip of Lago Bayano • $2
Lago Bayano's most fascinating destination is the
Cuevas de Majé
, comprising a 1km-long
system of limestone caverns, replete with colonies of bats clinging to calcitic formations.
Towards the end of the dry season, it's possible to wade your way (up to your chest) through
the entire system, emerging in a steep-sided verdant gully, dripping with mosses and ferns. At
other times, the raised water level means you'll need to go partway in a boat before stepping
into the water, and may not be able to make it through on foot. In either case, you'll need a
headlamp, footwear with a good grip and a minimum amount of clothing that you're happy
to get soaked. Make sure your tour also takes in the impressive
rock walls
that enclose the
entrance to the nearby Río Tigre.
Comarca de Madugandi
Entry fee $2
The indigenous community of
Akua Guna
(or Loma de Piedra) at the western end of the
Puente Bayano marks the entry to the Guna
Comarca de Madugandi
, established in 1996,
which includes eighty percent of the reservoir's surface area and extends from the forested
northern shores of the lake up the mountainous backdrop of the Serranía de San Blas. Well
over three thousand Guna inhabit the
comarca
, dispersed among fourteen communities, some
of which, such as
Icanti
,
Pintupu
and
Tabardi
, are beginning to open up to tourists. Enquire
at Akua Guna if you wish to visit.
