maleku, costa rica, indigenous

We are catching the bus(es) to San Rafael Guatuso, which is closer to the Nicaraguan border. Ron and I will speak with a couple of Maleku leaders and others in local communities. We will head up today and spend a couple of days there, returning either Thursday or Friday, depending on how things go. The Maleku are one of the more acculturated tribes of Costa Rica, having nearly been wiped out by rubbertappers starting in 1940s, they are now reduced to three palenques or small towns. Ron is especially curious about their art, since they seem to be paying attention to the Boruca success with masks and starting to craft some rudimentary masks of their own.