Indigenous Community Faces Climate Migration from Sinking Island

As the Guna people of Gardi Sugdub contend with rising sea levels, the community's relocation has sparked both hope and division, highlighting issues of cultural preservation amid a changing environment.

On the tiny island of Gardi Sugdub, Delfino Davies remains resolute despite the imminent threat of rising sea levels. "If the island sinks, I will sink with it," he declares, tending to a museum dedicated to his community's history in Panama. Silence envelops the island, once filled with childhood laughter and music. The Guna people, who have called Gardi Sugdub home for generations, face relocation as scientists project the island could become uninhabitable by 2050, prompting governmental action.

Last year, most of the island's 1,100 residents evacuated to Isberyala, a newly built settlement. Although the move was lauded as a blueprint for other vulnerable communities worldwide, it left divisions within. Many families were separated, with people like Delfino opting to stay behind, unconvinced of the climate threat or unwilling to leave their ancestral land.

The Guna, famed for their vibrant "molas," experienced a difficult transition from their overcrowded island, which measured merely 400 meters by 150 meters. As Delfino notes, "The essence of our culture is on the islands." Meanwhile, others, like Magdalena Martínez, accepted the relocation due to increasing flooding that disrupted their lives. "We couldn't cook on our stoves... we had to get out of here," she reflects.

The new community of Isberyala features neatly lined houses and better living conditions, but Magdalena still yearns for her old home, missing the ocean and her friends. Each house comes with a plot, allowing for gardening, which symbolizes a semblance of continuity for the displaced community.

Efforts to maintain Guna culture in Isberyala are evident. The new school promotes traditional music and dance to help preserve their heritage, while leaders like Tito López ensure that their cultural identity remains intact despite the physical displacement. "As long as the hammock keeps its place in Guna culture, the heart of the Guna people will be alive," he states.

However, challenges persist. While electricity supply has stabilized, healthcare infrastructure remains incomplete, with residents still needing to travel back to Gardi Sugdub for medical aid. As the world watches this unfolding scenario, experts stress the importance of studying the Guna's response to climate-induced displacement, as it may provide valuable insights for other communities facing similar fates.