The opportunity to study the impact of traditional culture on people being assimilated by western society by observing their house construction, use of space, and living arrangement is something archaeologists are very interested in. The opportunity to study these phenomena and improve the lives of the host families provides a win-win opportunity for anthropologists and indigenous people. The opportunity to aid families making this transition is the goal of this project.

Mauricio Mendez, "Wago" was brought to Statesboro, Georgia to participate in classes that were studying his native culture. The students were studying an ethnography that Mauricio helped to produce. The money from their purchases of the ethnography was deposited in the Georgia Southern University Foundation's Kuna Heritage Fund (# 0727) to employ Mauricio and other Kuna from Playon Chico in the Commarca de San Blas in projects designed to preserve their culture. Four members of the community of Playon Chico were brought to Georgia Southern University for training in Cultural Preservation. Mauricio Mendez, Domingo Diaz, Fulgencio Del Valle and Nadili Alvarado learned media production skills and ethnographic procedures.

Community members who knew Mauricio donated money that he could use to buy some clothes for his family. During dinner conversation one evening he talked about the need to move his family into better housing. He had been living in the structure occupied by his parents and sister. People who had donated money for clothing were asked how they would feel if we used the donations to help Mauricio purchase land to build a house adequate for his family. Individuals in Statesboro were very supportive of the idea, so Mauricio purchased land for the construction of a house.

Upon visitng Mauricio in July, 2005, we found that his house was now on land that he owned, but the construciton of the house was unacceptible. In fact, none of the houses in which any of the Kuna were living were acceptible. This was in stark contrast to the housing for almost of all the Hispanic families living nearby.

A meeting was held with Otton Rene Quiñonez Carías, the Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity Panamá (hphp_directorejec@cableonda.net) and it was decided that we would initiate a program to raise funds and support to improve the housing of ten families of this Native American culture. The Anthropology Club, Spanish Club, and Georgia Southern University Chapter of Habitat for Humanity are raising funds to support this construction. The work will be coordinated in the country of Panama by Bishop Morales and the Methodist Church.