Alfred Nobel- The Dynamite Trail to Panama

Alfred Nobel 1833-1896. Image thanks to Nobelprize.org.

When we hear the name Alfred Nobel we immediately associate it with the revered Peace Prize that is awarded every year in Stockholm to a number of deserving candidates in the arts or sciences who have earned the recognition through their hard work and professional achievements. Actually, since 1901, the Nobel Prize has been awarded for achievements in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature as well as for peace. What we don’t associate his name with is the explosive- and I mean this literally- history of the substance known as dynamite, which he improved and named and which made him an extremely wealthy individual.

María Pantalones Carter- A Legend of Altruism

In this old photo, María Pantalones appears in her signature shorts posing next to her pelaos to whom she donated bicycles. Image.

This is a more recent photo of María Pantalones. Image.

When we heard of her death on April 3rd, 2013 we remained in a quandry about this unusual figure we occasionally saw walking about our neighborhood, especially hovering around El Carmen Church, always sporting the familiar Bermuda shorts. My husband, being one of the thousands of exiled West Indian Panamanians who left Panama in the late 1950′s and lost touch with our West Indian community here, never knew her story until just recently. I was, however, moved when I heard that this tremendous personality passed away almost forgotten by the thousands of people she helped.

The Catherine Brown Home- a Slice of Panamanian History

A Christmas Party at the Catherine Brown Home in Panama’s Rio Abajo District.

Every so often we encounter a real jewel of history on other sites and friends’ on line publications.  A brief history of “The Catherine Brown Home” here in Panama City’s Rio Abajo district was one of them which Eric Jackson, Editor in Chief of The Panama News has so graciously shared with us.  We’re reposting it with his permission here on our heritage site so that you may have a glimpse into Panama’s dynamic history as lived by the Silver People of Panama.  Thank you Eric!!

No Sankey Don’t Sing So

1840-1908

Probably Sankey’s most popular hymnal.

During the vibrant days of Panama’s West Indian presence, there was a popular saying whenever someone questioned the veracity of what someone else was saying. Their tart response to the liar’s statement was “No Sankey Doan Sing So.” This exemplified the veneration attached to Ira D. Sankey’s hymnals which were freely circulated throught the U.S., Canada and the English speaking Caribbean as well as Panama amongst the population of West Indian descent. If it didn’t appear in Brother Sankey’s hymnal, it wasn’t Gospel truth.

A Visit To Panama After Fifty Years

Reverend Peter Perowne.

The following descriptive account was written by Reverend Peter Perowne, the first minister assigned to the Rio Abajo Methodist Church, who has graciously given us permission to publish here this account. We are delighted that we are able to provide for our readers this historical, as well as cultural and spiritual view of the Silver People of Panama and for their descendants and our  friends all over the world. As Reverend Perowne informed, the original of this narrative was published in the publication The Methodist Recorder last week’s issue, for those of you who are subscribers to that publication.