Editing Panama (section)

==Culture==
{{Main|Culture of Panama|Mass media in Panama}}
{{See also|Music of Panama}}
[[File:Ruben Blades by Gage Skidmore.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Rubén Blades]] is an icon singer of the Salsa music.]]

The culture of Panama derives from [[Music of Europe|European music]], [[European art|art]] and traditions brought by the Spanish to Panama. [[Hegemonic]] forces have created [[Cross-genre|hybrid]] forms blending [[Culture of Africa|African]] and [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native American]] culture with [[Culture of Europe|European culture]]. For example, the ''[[tamborito]]'' is a Spanish dance with African rhythms, themes and dance moves.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://panama-culture.com/ |title=The online almanac of Panama culture with travel links |publisher=Panama Culture |access-date=December 23, 2010 |archive-date=March 14, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180314074449/http://panama-culture.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Dance is typical of the diverse cultures in Panama. The local folklore can be experienced at a multitude of festivals, through dances and traditions handed down from generation to generation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vacationtopanama.com/travel-guide/cultural-melting-pot/|title=Panama Culture and Traditions, a True Melting Pot of Mesoamerica|website=Panama Vacations|language=en-US|access-date=February 22, 2020|archive-date=June 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609185905/https://www.vacationtopanama.com/travel-guide/cultural-melting-pot/|url-status=live}}</ref> Local cities host live ''[[reggae en español]]'', ''[[reggaeton]]'', ''haitiano ([[compas]])'', [[jazz]], [[blues]], ''[[salsa music|salsa]]'', [[reggae]], and [[rock music]] performances.{{citation needed|date=May 2016}}

===Handicraft===
Outside Panama City, regional festivals take place throughout the year featuring local musicians and dancers. Panama's blended culture is reflected in traditional products, such as [[woodcarving]]s, ceremonial masks and [[pottery]], as well as in Panama's architecture, cuisine and festivals. In earlier times, baskets were woven for utilitarian uses, but now many villages rely almost exclusively on income from the baskets they produce for tourists.

An example of undisturbed, unique culture in Panama is that of the [[Guna Yala|Guna]] who are known for ''[[mola (art form)|molas]]''. ''Mola'' is the Guna word for blouse, but the term ''mola'' has come to mean the elaborate embroidered panels made by Guna women, that make up the front and back of a Guna woman's blouse. They are several layers of cloth, varying in color, that are loosely stitched together, made using a reverse [[appliqué]] process.

===Holidays and festivities===
{{Further|Public holidays in Panama}}

The Christmas parade, known as ''El desfile de Navidad'', is celebrated in the capital, Panama City. This holiday is celebrated on December 25. The floats in the parade are decorated in the Panamanian colors, and women wear dresses called ''[[pollera]]'' and men dress in traditional montuno. In addition, the marching band in the parade, consisting of drummers, keeps crowds entertained. In the city, a big Christmas tree is lit with Christmas lights, and everybody surrounds the tree and sings Christmas carols.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs|date=June 23, 2010|url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2030.htm|title=Panama|access-date=May 21, 2019|archive-date=June 4, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190604191011/https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2030.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Traditional cuisine===
{{Further|Panamanian cuisine}}

Since Panama's cultural heritage is influenced by many ethnicities the traditional cuisine of the country includes ingredients from many cultures, from all over the world:
a mix of African, Spanish, and Native American techniques, dishes, and ingredients, reflecting its diverse population. Since Panama is a land bridge between two continents, it has a large variety of tropical fruits, vegetables and herbs that are used in native cooking.
The famous fish market known as the "Mercado de Mariscos" offers fresh seafood and [[Ceviche]], a seafood dish. Small shops along the street which are called kiosco and [[Empanada]], which is a typical latinamerican pastry, including a variety of different ingredients, either with meat or vegetarian, mostly fried. Another kind of pastry is the [[pastelito]], with the only difference in comparison to [[empanada]]s is that they are bigger.{{citation needed|date=July 2018}}

Typical Panamanian foods are mild-flavored, without the pungency of some of Panama's Latin American and Caribbean neighbors. Common ingredients are [[maize]], [[rice]], [[wheat]] flour, [[Plantain (cooking)|plantain]]s, ''yuca'' ([[cassava]]), beef, chicken, pork and seafood.

===Traditional clothing===
[[File:Tuna panama.jpg|thumb|A couple dancing Panamanian Cumbia]]

Panamanian men's traditional clothing, called ''montuno'', consists of white cotton shirts, trousers and woven straw hats.

The traditional women's clothing is the ''pollera''. It originated in Spain in the 16th century, and by the early 1800s it was typical in Panama, worn by female servants, especially wet nurses (''De Zarate'' 5). Later, it was adopted by upper-class women.

A ''pollera'' is made of "[[cambric]]" or "fine linen" (Baker 177). It is white, and is usually about 13 yards of material.

The original ''pollera'' consists of a ruffled blouse worn off the shoulders and a skirt with gold buttons. The skirt is also ruffled, so that when it is lifted up, it looks like a peacock's tail or a ''[[mantilla]]'' fan. The designs on the skirt and blouse are usually flowers or birds. Two large matching [[pom pom]]s (''mota'') are on the front and back, four ribbons hang from the front and back from the waist, five gold chains (''caberstrillos'') hang from the neck to the waist, a gold cross or medallion on a black ribbon is worn as a [[choker]], and a silk purse is worn at the waistline. Earrings (''zaricillos'') are usually gold or coral. Slippers usually match the color of the ''pollera''. Hair is usually worn in a bun, held by three large gold combs that have pearls (''tembleques'') worn like a crown. Quality ''pollera'' can cost up to $10,000, and may take a year to complete.

Today, there are different types of ''polleras''; the ''pollera de gala'' consists of a short-sleeved ruffle skirt blouse, two full-length skirts and a [[petticoat]]. Girls wear ''[[tembleques]]''<ref>''[https://web.archive.org/web/20170518133519/http://panamafolktembleques.com/ tembleques]''</ref> in their hair. Gold coins and jewelry are added to the outfit. The ''pollera montuna'' is a daily dress, with a blouse, a skirt with a solid color, a single gold chain, and pendant earrings and a natural flower in the hair. Instead of an off-the-shoulder blouse it is worn with a fitted white jacket that has shoulder pleats and a flared hem.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110726000349/http://discoverytheater.org/education/guides/2010/Celebremos%20Panama!%20Resource%20Guide.pdf Celebremos Panama!]. Discovery Theater and Smithsonian Latino Center</ref>

Traditional clothing in Panama can be worn in parades, where the females and males do a traditional dance. Females gently sway and twirl their skirts, while men hold their hats in their hands and dance behind the females.

===Literature===
{{Further|Panamanian literature}}

The first literature relating to Panama can be dated to 1535, with a modern literary movement appearing from the mid-19th century onwards.

===Sports===
[[File:Roberto-Duran-1994 (cropped).png|thumb|Four-weight world boxing champion Roberto Durán]]

In a 2024 survey, 48% of Panamanians said baseball was their favorite sport, 30% said [[association football|football]] (soccer), 4% boxing, chess and tennis. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Caballero |first=Boris Alexander Cruz |date=2024-12-01 |title=Participa de la encuesta para determinar el deporte que más gusta en Panamá |url=https://www.tvn-2.com/tvmax/mas-deportes/encuesta-deporte-boxeo-beisbol-tenis-futbol-flag-football-panama-noticias-de-panama-hoy_11_2167451.html |access-date=2025-04-30 |website=Tvn Panamá |language=es}}</ref>

Baseball is the most popular sport in Panama. The [[Panamanian Professional Baseball League]] is the country's professional winter league. It was first held in 1946, but had multiple interruptions spanning several decades. The [[Panama national baseball team]] has earned one silver medal and two bronze medals at the [[Baseball World Cup]]. At least [[List of Major League Baseball players from Panama|140 Panamanian players]] have played professional baseball in the United States, more than any other Central American country.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thebaseballcube.com/cities/PN.shtml |title=Baseball in Panama |publisher=The Baseball Cube |access-date=December 23, 2010 |archive-date=July 20, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100720044412/http://www.thebaseballcube.com/cities/PN.shtml |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Football is the second most popular sport in Panama. The top tier of domestic Panamanian football, [[Liga Panameña de Fútbol]], was founded in 1988. The [[Panama national football team|men's national team]] appeared at the [[FIFA World Cup]] for the first time in [[2018 FIFA World Cup|2018]], appearing in group G, facing [[Belgium national football team|Belgium]], [[England national football team|England]] and [[Tunisia national football team|Tunisia]]. However, the team lost all three games, failing to advance past the group stage.

Club competition is played in the [[Liga de Fútbol Femenino (Panamá)|Liga de Fútbol Femenino]]. The [[Panama women's national football team|women's national team]] debuted in the [[FIFA Women's World Cup|World Cup]] in [[2023 FIFA Women's World Cup|2023]] as the final team to qualify. They joined Group F with [[Brazil women's national football team|Brazil]], [[Jamaica women's national football team|Jamaica]], and [[France women's national football team|France]], where they finished last with three losses but scored three goals against France. [[Marta Cox]] scored Panama's first ever goal at a World Cup.

Basketball is also popular in Panama. There are regional teams as well as a squad that competes internationally.

Other popular sports include [[volleyball]], [[taekwondo]], [[golf]], and [[tennis]]. A long-distance hiking trail called the [[TransPanama Trail]]<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20160728065540/http://www.transpanama.org/ TransPanama Trail]</ref> is being built from Colombia to Costa Rica. [[Panama's women's national volleyball team]] competes in Central America's AFECAVOL (Asociación de Federaciones CentroAmericanas de Voleibol) zone.<ref>{{cite news |title=Belize drops game to Nicaragua, drops to 1-4 at Central American Senior Women's Volleyball Championship |url=https://www.breakingbelizenews.com/2021/10/23/belize-drops-game-to-nicaragua-drops-to-1-4-at-central-american-senior-womens-volleyball-championship/ |accessdate=December 28, 2021 |work=[[Breaking Belize News]] |date=October 23, 2021 |archive-date=April 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404035656/https://www.breakingbelizenews.com/2021/10/23/belize-drops-game-to-nicaragua-drops-to-1-4-at-central-american-senior-womens-volleyball-championship/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Other non-traditional sports in the country have had great importance such as the [[triathlon]] that has captured the attention of many athletes nationwide and the country has hosted international competitions. [[Flag football]] has also been growing in popularity in both men and women and with international participation in world of this discipline being among the best teams in the world, the sport was introduced by Americans residing in the Canal Zone for veterans and retirees who even had a festival called the Turkey Ball. Other popular sports are [[American football]], [[rugby football|rugby]], [[field hockey]], [[softball]], and other amateur sports, including [[skateboarding]], [[BMX]], and [[surfing]], because the many beaches of Panama such as Santa Catalina and Venao that have hosted events the likes of ISA World Surfing Games.

Professional boxers from Panama to be inducted in the [[International Boxing Hall of Fame]] include the first Latin American to be a world boxing champion, [[Panama Al Brown]], as well as [[ismael Laguna]], [[Roberto Duran]], [[Eusebio Pedroza]] and [[Hilario Zapata]].