Foodie Adventures in Panama: The "Mantanza"

The day after I landed in Panama City, my friends and I drove to the countryside where the indigenous people live, to a small town called Torti. We were there to help with the preparation of a "mantanza" which roughly translates to mean "killing". The reason for the mantanza was to host a large celebration for three graduates. Two cows were selected, and luckily I was not witness to this part of the event. Later in the afternoon, the men returned and the meat was skinned, cut and marinated.

With so much meat, it took many hours, "mucho cervezas", and alot of volunteers working together late into the night in preparation for cooking. I wasn't willing to jump in and help out with the actual meat handling, but I did assist with the chopping of massive amounts of garlic used to flavor the beef, the result of our handiwork shown below.

After a long night of work, we all woke up early (hard not to when you have roosters as your alarm clock!) and the cooking began. Huge pots were hoisted atop makeshift firepits and were soon full of boiling yucca, potatoes and meat. In this picture you can see one of the women using her machete to peel the thick waxy skin off of the yuca.

As they worked to prepare the meat in different styles, they also hung the remainder of beef to dry under a tarp and be used another time. 

When I returned in the afternoon from meeting and visiting with additional family members who lived in the community, the food was ready to serve. My friend asked if I minded helping out with the serving, which of course I was happy to do. This involved working with a partner and loading up a large metal sheet pan with 6-8 plates of food and then walking as a pair around the vicinity offering meals to the guests.

After I had worked for awhile and felt that I had earned my keep, so to speak, I decided it was time to sample for myself. I tried something that looked like beef jerky. It was sweet and replete with garlic, so I was happy. Unfortunately I didn't get an opportunity to taste a tamale, although they looked delicious!

As the sun set, and everyone had eaten as much as they could, it was time to get the party into full swing. The crowd pulled a circle of chairs around the dance area. Bottles of rum were passed around, dancing ensued. With cerveza in hand, and a willing instructor, I hit the dance floor myself. It was the beginning of carnival, after all.