Tembleques & Traditional Panamanian Dress in the Flower Parade - Panama

Yep, I have to admit that the dancing couples dressed in typical dress are my favorite in any parade. These couples were in the flower parade that happened last weekend in our town.

The beaded hair pieces are a work of art. I've seen them at the local tourist market for $15 for a pair of small ones. There is no telling how much these girls pay for their hair pieces! They are made of beads and wire.

A Panamanian friend sat by me at the parade and talked about the participants as they passed. She said the tembleques (hair pieces) used to be made out of fish tails, but now they are made out of beads.

Apparently the more you have, the heavier it is in your hair! Can you imagine how sore their heads are at the end of a 7 hour parade? These girls all still had smiles on their faces and this was about 4 hours in.

I love the traditional fabrics as well as the white dresses. They're all just gorgeous, bright, and fun! I bought fabric a while back to make a skirt for myself, but I just don't know where I'd wear a skirt that drags on the ground and takes hours to make! Ha!

Part of the dress also includes a little purse and gold necklaces. I can only imagine how much love, time, and money goes into each dress! Plus they have to learn the dances!

I have a friend who was making tembleques for her daughter and it took her hours to make a small one! I might need to get her to give me a lesson sometime!

I have always been drawn to bright colors, so I think that's why I love them so much. They just add that special finishing touch to the dresses! This is my favorite photo from the parade. If I knew this girl, I'd send her this photo, but I have no idea where she's even from.