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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; They wore feathers, flowers and swirling bright pollera. They performed the Congo, the Tamborito and Ngobe Bugle dances. And except for the language, they could have been performers from a Native American tribe, line dancers in a night club, or street performers from Philly or the Big Apple.</p><p>Panamanian students attending Wilkes University under an arrangement with Panama&#8217;s Ministry of Education bilingual program put on a show for some 200 Wilkes students and staff Tuesday, displaying the depth of cultural diversity in a country only 480 miles long and as narrow as 60 miles east to west.</p><p>&#8220;Panama is a country forged by various cultures and traditions that come together to create a unique complexity and exotic environment,&#8221; emcees Gabriel Humberto Merel Caballero and Ana Yaritza Rodriguez Pinto said, taking turns offering snippets of information on each performance.</p><p>La Murga had the look of the Carnival dances made famous in almost any footage of Brazilian celebrations before the beginning of lent, the women sporting either tight outfits with sweeping feathered fans on their backs or the elegant pollera, a dress richly embroidered in bright colors.</p><p>The Ngobe Bugle dance was more reminiscent of Native American performances, with women in simpler dress and headbands adorned with feather, the only accompaniment from the leader shaking a gourd-like rattle, the dancers stomping in unison while forming shapes and making motions intended to represent behaviors of animals including a monkey, a bat and a dragonfly.</p><p>El Punto Santeno was an elegant duet, the man in simple straight-legged pants, white shirt and straw hat, the woman in sweeping green skirt dress of hundreds of pleats that fanned out beyond arms length, countering each others steps, introduced by the emcees as &#8220;considered by many as the most elegant, delicate and romantic version of those dances that have rightly gained a place in the country&#8217;s wide and varied folklore.&#8221;</p><p>Wilkes officially inked a deal with Panama in February 2016 with the goal of hosting cohorts of about 20 Panamanian teachers for several months, at least three cohorts a years. Demonstrations of Panamanian culture heritage have become one of the features evolving from that deal, each a bit more elaborate than the last.</p><p>Tuesday&#8217;s presentation was held in the university&#8217;s Marts Gym, with video images of Panama live in the background as the various groups performed. Each side of the section of gym used was lined with displays on various aspects of Panama.</p><p>Dance, the audience was told, is a big part of the culture. &#8220;Panamanians love to gather together and dance, whether it is among friends and families or for local or national celebrations.&#8221; </p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Exchange Students from Panama held a Panamanian culture and heritage day at Wilkes University on Tuesday, showing off dances, dress and traditions of Panama. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/web1_TTL022818panama2-2.jpg</photo0><caption0>Exchange Students from Panama held a Panamanian culture and heritage day at Wilkes University on Tuesday, showing off dances, dress and traditions of Panama. </caption0><photoCredit0>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/web1_TTL022818panama1-2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Sarah Bokari, 5, waves a flag of Panama during the Panama Culture and Heritage Day at Wilkes University on Tuesday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/web1_TTL022818panama1-2.jpg</photo1><caption1>Sarah Bokari, 5, waves a flag of Panama during the Panama Culture and Heritage Day at Wilkes University on Tuesday. </caption1><photoCredit1>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/web1_TTL022818panama3-2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Exchange students from Panama show off dances and dress from theur homeland during an event at Wilkes University.  </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/web1_TTL022818panama3-2.jpg</photo2><caption2>Exchange students from Panama show off dances and dress from theur homeland during an event at Wilkes University.  </caption2><photoCredit2>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/web1_TTL022818panama4-2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Alicia Martinez dances during the Panamanian culture and heritage event at Wilkes University on Tuesday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/web1_TTL022818panama4-2.jpg</photo3><caption3>Alicia Martinez dances during the Panamanian culture and heritage event at Wilkes University on Tuesday. </caption3><photoCredit3>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit3></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Mark Guydish</p><p>mguydish@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Mark Guydish at 570-991-6112 or on Twitter @TLMarkGuydish</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Panamanian culture celebrated at Wilkes University