Tribal Gathering rallies people from around the globe to meet on a paradisiac beach in Panama for three weeks. It is themed around Indigenous cultures, and connectivity through music, art and crafts. I was one of these festival goers in March 2025 – but for a seven-day stint. I’ll be returning for the full festival next year, which I wouldn’t have said if you asked me at the beginning of the festival experience. “Get me out of here” lingered for my first few days.
Roughing it in paradise
I’m a serial visitor of PachaMama Eco Village in Costa Rica, where things are more rustic and stripped back, so I thought I was well-primed for Tribal Gathering. Drawing no more than 500 people, the modest festival has a reputation for being pretty bare-bones. But the extent to which, and the levels of chaos, had me wanting to leave by day four. I asked the staff to put me on the next bus out of Hippie Beach, after exhaustion, frustration and my own self-inflicted discomfort had mounted to beyond my capacity.
There was physical, mental and emotional pain. While an ingrown fingernail, splinters, sunburn and back pain were my own doing (and I was unaware of a first aid tent), the lack of organization and a night-long pulse from the psytrance stage had me at my wit’s end.
My arrival to the festival set an unfavorable tone: the volunteers weren’t prepared for us and, after 30 minutes, I learned that I’d need to set up the tent, sleeping bag and blow-up mattress I’d paid for. It was my mistake, but nonetheless frustrating. It was 1:30am and I was exhausted – having been up since 4:30am the night before, traveling from the TBEX conference in Tucson.
Fortunately, I was offered a helping hand by a familiar face from the mini-bus I’d traveled in to Hippie Beach. She was partying at the homemade nightclub on the beach. Her aid, the DIY spirit and open-mindedness spoke to the nature of the festival. One way this open-mindedness manifest was through nude swimming, which many festival goers embraced in place of showers. Those who opted to shower needed a level of dexterity: the ‘shower’ involved pouring a watering can over your head in a muddy outdoor stall.
Settling into the chaos
I was left with no choice but to embrace the chaotic backdrop of the festival if I was going to stay. There was a full coffee and chai tea station on the beach, daily workshops, including qigong, yoga and meditation, and a number of talks led by Indigenous leaders from tribes across Central and South American countries. It wasn’t all that bad. Many festival goers initiated workshops and talks too – from drum circles and intuitive movement classes that involved rolling in the mud, to discussions on how to sail the world safely.
I felt refreshed and open after daily cacao, and a combination of acupuncture, Chinese massage, Japanese shiatsu and qigong worked to recenter me. I topped up my wristband and was granted $2 tokens for food, which was prepared by local afro-Caribbean and Panamanian families. My options ranged from fish soups and empanadas to gallo pinto and salads that sat in tupperwares. There was also a juice bar and pizzeria. But what really hit the spot was a rare cheeseburger and a Coca-Cola – coupled with nine hours’ sleep.
Then when I wasn’t connecting with other festival goers from around the world, I took the opportunity to join talks and listen to viewpoints on shamanism and healing, including what constitutes a shaman from different cultural perspectives. Unexpectedly, but in keeping with life at Tribal Gathering, I watched as a physical fight almost broke out during a conversation on capitalism vs communism.
Two festivals happening at once
Having arrived at the tail-end of the festival, I’d missed the first two weeks which were entirely dedicated to the Indigenous aspect. Although I was there during a pretty full roster of events, including a Temazcal (sweat lodge) and various traditional ceremonies, there were many more talks and ways to interact with the various tribes from Peru, Panama, Mexico and other Latin American countries at the beginning of the festival. You could tell if someone had arrived early on by their semi-permanent body paintings.
It’s fair to say there were almost two festivals happening simultaneously. The nightly partying was a departure from the intentional discussions of the day. This partying element kicked off around 5pm daily with a circus performance of dance, fire and acrobatics, before morphing into two dance stages that ran all night. The music ranged from psytrance to techno and disco. Performers and musicians came from around the globe, while festival goers danced with neon flow arts. I fully immersed myself in the world of neon, dancing under the light shows and matching my face paints with my shirt design.
Next year, I’d like to fully immerse myself in the Indigenous aspect with just as much fervor. I moved through such a raft of emotions in just one week that it leaves me curious about what three weeks might hold. I’ll find out next spring. Tickets are already on sale – maybe I’ll see you on the beach or one of the dancefloors.
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