Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [337]
THE BORUCA DAM THAT ALMOST WAS
Over the past few decades, electricity consumption in Costa Rica (and throughout much of Latin America) has spiked significantly, putting pressure on both the public and private sectors to meet increasing energy needs. One proposal that made international headlines after prompting major environmental and social justice concerns was the Boruca Dam. At 220m tall, this enormous hydroelectric project – if completed – would have spanned the Río Grande de Térraba at Rey Curré, and been dubbed the largest dam in Central America.
Controversy arose when engineers announced that the dam would flood 25 sq km of land and displace thousands of local residents, the majority of which are members of the Brunka (Boruca) indigenous group. The Brunka have strong ties to their land, not only due to their subsistence from agriculture and dependence on plants for medicinal use, but also due to the presence of ancestral burial grounds. Furthermore, the Brunka recognized that relocation would inevitably result in the physical division of their community, something they have already experienced – to a smaller degree – with the construction of the Interamericana highway.
According to Costa Rican law, the hydroelectric project could not go forward without the consent of the residents, but many of the Brunka felt helpless and hopeless in the face of the ICE: a government-owned electricity company that has an incredible amount of weight and capital behind them. However, despite the odds stacked against them, community-based organizations sprung to action, and actively campaigned against the ICE’s initiative with great success. After several years of tense negotiations, the ICE abandoned the project entirely, and agreed to build a smaller dam in a different region.
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Orientation & Information
Rey Curré (usually just ‘Curré’ on maps) is about 30km south of Buenos Aires, right on the Interamericana. Drivers can stop to visit a small cooperative (9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 2-5pm Sat) that sells handicrafts. In Boruca, local artisans post signs outside their homes advertising their handmade balsa masks and woven bags. Exhibits are sometimes on display in the informal museum (hours vary), a thatch-roof rancho 100m west of the pulpería.
Galería Namu (2256-3412; www.galerianamu.com; Av 7 btwn Calles 5 & 7, San José; per person per day US$45) This San José gallery – which specializes in indigenous art – can arrange tours to Boruca, which include homestay, hiking to waterfalls, handicraft demonstrations and storytelling. Transportation to Boruca is not included. For more information, Click here.
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Festivals & Events
The Fiesta de los Diablitos is a three-day Brunka event that symbolizes the struggle between the Spanish and the indigenous population. Sometimes called the Danza de los Diablitos, or ‘dance of the little devils,’ the culmination of the festival is a choreographed battle between the opposing sides. Villagers wearing wooden devil masks and burlap costumes play the role of the natives in their fight against the Spanish conquerors. The Spaniards, represented by a man in a bull costume, lose the battle. This festival is held in Boruca from December 31 to January 2 and in Curré from February 5 to 8.
Many outsiders descend on Boruca and Curré during these events. While the Brunka welcome visitors, they request that guests respect their traditions. Tourists are generally required to pay a fee for the right to take photographs or video. No flash photography or artificial lighting is allowed, and tourists are not allowed to interfere with the program.
The lesser-known Fiesta de los Negritos, held during the second week of December, celebrates the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception. Traditional indigenous music (mainly drumming and bamboo flutes) accompanies dancing and costumes.
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Sleeping & Eating
The only regular place to stay in the area is at the Tico-owned Bar Restaurante