How Do We Get To Boruca?

Entrance to Boruca town by Dagmar Reinhard
Throughout the year, but especially in December, there are many events and festivals in the village of Boruca. The directions below will take you straight to this beautiful village where you can experience a world of art, culture, and history.
From San José, take the highway known as Autopista del Sol Route 27, exit Tárcoles - Jaco. Follow Highway 34 to Dominical and from there continue driving down the Coastal Highway to Palmar Sur, about one hour and 15 minutes.
When you reach the junction with Palmar, turn left, taking the Pan-American Highway toward Buenos Aires. After approximately 25km, you will see a sign on you left hand side indicating the town of Boruca.
It is a slightly steep road and requires a 4x4 vehicle. The uphill road is approximately 8km, and it offers a spectacular unobstructed view of the two valleys on either side; you will also admire the Térraba River and the Cordillera on the horizon. Nearest airport: Palmar Sur.
Read more information on Indigenous Culture:
Indigenous Culture in Costa Rica
Fall in love in Costa Ballena, Costa Rica Free Travel Guide #97
Fall in Love in Costa Ballena, Costa Rica Free Travel Guide #97
Hello, dear audience, advertisers, and collaborators
Thanks to your support, we are a local media outlet that has promoted this destination for over a decade. Without that support, our magazine would not have been published.
In this edition, we celebrate the arrival of summer; the sunsets are truly incredible these days. Walking on the beach at dusk is an enjoyable experience for those who visit us and those who have the good fortune to live in this wild paradise.
Likewise, we remember with nostalgia the departure of our founder, who celebrated two years of her death last January. With great affection, we have continued her legacy. In February, the day of love and friendship is celebrated, and with those feelings characteristic of our founder, we dedicate this 97th digital edition to her.
Isabell Márquez, in her article VValentine'sDay in Paradise, highlights her experience as a volunteer at our destination, describing it as an ideal place for blossoming feelings of love and friendship.

The South Pacific of Costa Rica has much to offer and care for. An example is the initiative carried out in the Corcovado National Park by the JaguarOsa organization, in collaboration with Osa Conservation, to protect the Jaguar, an imposing feline living in this protected area. Read the information on the page......
Bonfires on a summer night are an experience many enjoy on the beach. However, this practice has adverse effects on the surrounding ecosystem. Read why in the article in this edition.
Given the importance of the coral restoration initiative, we are republishing the article referring to the Costa Rican organization Costa Rica Coral Restoration, which carries out vital work to restore corals in the Marino Ballena National Park.

This edition also offers other content. Dr. Monica Alfaro writes about a novel medical practice based on genetic information that helps make more precise clinical diagnoses.
Professor Kattia Retana from the COSTATIKA language school writes about how much she loves helping others learn new languages.
These days, a problem affecting human relationships and health is the excessive use of connectivity through electronic devices. In the article from Vargas Medical Center, you will find recommendations on this matter.
Our destination's natural beauty of PURA VIDA attracts more people worldwide who want to reside here. Dr. Christopher Pirie, in his article, presents his recommendations so that buying a property in Costa Rica does not become a headache.

Whoever visits us can enjoy many experiences that will make their stay with us more memorable; whether they visit us or live here as usual, we remember to minimize their environmental footprint.
We cordially invite those who have not had the good fortune to enjoy a summer in the South Pacific of Costa Rica.
Pura Vida
Editorial team.
Ballena Tales is an essential free digital magazine and travel guide in Costa Rica, valid for travelers, residents, and investors covering Costa Ballena in the Canton of Osa in the South Pacific of Costa Rica. It is a fully bilingual, bi-monthly, and full-color digital magazine.
The magazine introduces the reader to the life of the local community, with interviews of pioneers, writers, and artists, as well as extensive information on restaurants, hotels, experiences, natural attractions, and wildlife of the Costa Rica South Pacific.
We are not just a magazine; each edition (print and digital) is linked to a robust web platform; the editions are published online, and the advertorials are included in our blog and the brand in the commercial directory. We also add links to the advertising company's website and social networks. At this time, the openings of digital publications in all their expressions exceed 80 thousand openings, and the advertised brands have a global reach.
We have a loyal audience of over 8,000 readers in the South Pacific's Costa Ballena region who will view your news in each printed edition.
We prioritize our readers' satisfaction by delivering a variety of engaging content while showcasing the value of our advertisers' brands.
What to do, Where to eat, and Where to stay…
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Email: carlos@ballenatales.com
Phone: +(506) 8946 7134
Boruca Art, the Colors of Nature
By Susie Atkinson – Ellen Hoël
Did you know that a great source for natural dyes can be found right in your own yard? Leaves, roots, nuts, flowers, barks, berries, lichen, and fungi are sources of natural colors.
Yellow, orange, blue, red, green, brown, and grey are all on the color pallet used for dyeing fabric or yarns.
The essential process of dyeing has changed little over time. Typically, the dye material is put in a pot of water and the yarns to be dyed are added to the pot with water, which is heated and stirred until the color is transferred.
Many natural dyes require the use of mordants to bind the dye to the textile fibers. The ones used by the Borucans are salt or lime/mandarin orange.
The examples in the photos are as follows.Orange is from the seeds of the achiote bush (Bixa orellana).
Yellow is from the rhizomes of the Turmeric plant (Curcuma longa) that is smashed and can become fixed and more vibrant with the addition of lime. Green is from the leaves of Gavilana (Neurolaena Lobata) that are boiled for several days to get the green color. Blue is from the leaves of Azul de Mata (Justicia tinctoria), similar to indigo.
These are just a few of the sources of the the colors of nature used by the Borucans. A more extensive list can be seen on their website.
If a trip to the village of Boruca isn’t an option, then visit the Boruca Gallery Gift Shop at Pacific Edge Cabins in Dominicalito.
InFo: tel: 2200 5428 – www.borucacostarica.org
Follow the Roots ~ the Road to Boruca
By Susan Atkinson
Photo by Pam Capista
Have you ever wondered about the origins of the people living here in Costa Rica? Do you want to learn more of the folklore and traditions? Well, you can! A visit to the village of the indigenous Boruca is a very do-able day trip. You can see weaving and dyeing demonstrations as well as mask carving. There are two routes. Both require a 4WD vehicle.
You go south from Costa Ballena on the Costanera to Palmar Norte. Turn left on Hwy 2, head east approx.25 minutes/25 km, passing four bridges (the last being a long bridge over the Puerto Nuevo River).
A few minutes later, there is the sign “Territorio Indígena Boruca 8 km.” In the dry season, turn left here; this will take about 20 minutes and has beautiful ridge views. At the T-junction, turn on the lower left and go 50 meters to the museum, and park there.
During the wet season, do not turn off at the first sign, but continue north about 15-20 minutes/23 km more; having passed the right turn to San Vito, turn left at Térraba. After 10 minutes on this road, there is a Y-junction, with Flaco’s Bar on the right. Take the left fork. Continue on this road for about 20 minutes passing villages, you will come to a T-junction with a very small grocery store on the right.
Turn left and follow this road until you come to the museum with the stone sphere, then Marina’s rancho. She gives the demonstrations (in Spanish only). You can purchase woven and carved goods, but if you don’t, please leave a tip. t’s best to call beforehand (Marina (español ) 8780 8648 / Susan (English) 2200 5428); lunch is available for $10 per person. A bilingual guide to see the village is $15.
The Culture of Boruca
by Susie Atkinson – photos: Isabelle Aubin
Hidden within Costa Rica are different cultures and ethnic groups. There are eight indigenous groups in the country, and Costa Ballena’s closest community is the Borucans.
Boruca’s history has been extremely challenging as they live on a reserve high in the Talamanca Mountains.
Farming alone was not enough to sustain their tribe and people were experiencing extreme poverty. They were losing their pride quickly in their decaying culture.
With the completion of the Inter-American highway in the late 60’s, tourism began to trickle in with renewed interest in the annual ‘Fiesta de los Diablitos.’ This is when the local economy began to shift from agriculture to tourism. Daily life in Boruca now has changed to a focus on cultural preservation. Today eighty percent of the Borucans are artisans, either carvers or weavers.
The history and traditions of Borucan masks began hundreds of years ago. ‘Diablito’ masks, were originally created and worn with the intent to scare unwelcome invaders. When the Spaniards arrived with advanced weapons, the Borucans only had animal spirits to guide them. The conquistadores, seeing uncircumcised men with devilish looking masks, assumed that they worshipped the devil. The Borucan people were triumphant in keeping the Spanish from conquering their land and their spirit.
Every year since the Spanish Crusade, the annual ‘Danza de los Diablitos’, (December 30 to January 2,) has traditionally occurred in remembrance of the Borucans’ fierce resistance to colonization.
So, if you want to add that cultural experience to your Costa Rican trip, why not take a day trip to their village?
With advance notice, you can see demonstrations of weaving, dyeing, and carving. Also you can have lunch and a guided tour of the village (limited English spoken). Or view authentic carvings and weavings locally at the Borucan Gallery Gift Shop.
Milking of the Murex snail at Ventanas Beach
Milking of the Murex snail
By Susie Atkinson y Ellen Hoel
The art of milking of the Murex snail has its origins in the 4th century B.C.
Cleopatra used that procedure to dye in purple the sails of her boat with the intent of flattering Caesar. The gathering of those fluids is a practice that has passed from generation to generation. The Murex snail discharges a milky-white secretion that changes colors once it is exposed to air and light. This transformation starts with a shade of yellow, followed by a pastel green, and finally, under the direct exposure to the sun, it turns into a lovely shade of purple, also called imperial purple.
The women of Boruca use this unique extract to dye the cotton yarn they will use in their weaving. During the waning moon, the Borucans make a special trip to the rockiest of Ventanas beach in Costa Ballena in the months of January and February, knowing that they will find the Murex snails hiding and mating along the rocks.
It is a dangerous and treacherous work to find and “milk” the snails. Doña Marina and others, pull the snails off the slippery rocks at Ventanas beach, they proceed to blow on them very carefully to cause the snails to release the fluid, letting it drip over the yarn they are holding. This fluid cannot be stored; therefore, the yarn has to be dyed on site.
The Borucans are one of two indigenous groups left in the world using this process. They preserve the life of these snails by returning them back to the rocks after taking the fluid.
Doña Marina goes to the Farmers´ Market in Uvita almost every Saturday morning. Her weavings and carved masks are also available at Pacific Edge Cabins in Dominicalito.