Maleku Indigenous Reserve

The journey, in full

The Maleku Indigenous Reserve is in the Northern Region of Costa Rica. The reserve consists of 3 different towns that are called Palenques; Margarita, Tonjibe and El Sol, all within a territory of 2993 hectares (7396 acres). The population of 1000 inhabitants speak the dialect known as Maleku Jaica around 80% of the time. The main objective of this tour is to learn about the indigenous lifestyle in the present and what they have done to rescue their traditions and customs. Our tour starts at 8:00 am from La Fortuna. After a 1-hour drive through the northern plains, we will arrive at Margarita Palenque where we will be welcomed by the locals. After a short presentation and explanation about how they lived in the past compared with the present, we will begin a walk through the traditional ranch to learn important details of the village, such as the way in which its dead are buried, the type of palenques that they built in antiquity, craftsmanship as a way of subsistence in the present, the use of cocoa in their agriculture, and the way they created their clothing. Later, we will continue with a walk along a small path in the forest to receive interesting information about medicinal plants and trees that their ancestors used and which they currently profit from. We will have the opportunity to practice the traditional archery and arrow, ancient hunting method used by the ancestors of these tribes that can be revived in very few places. At the end of the tour we will return to the palenque (main ranch) where we will have the experience of living a demonstration of a traditional Maleku rite dramatized with its dances, songs and music characteristic of its culture; of which we will also have the possibility of being participants. To end this great experience full of history, nature and Maleku culture, we will taste a typical Costa Rican lunch: a homemade Casado; It is accompanied by a natural fruit juice. Around 1:00 p.m. we will have finished the visit to this village and begin our drive back to La Fortuna.