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Nereida Valdes came to the United States 24 years ago from the Panamania province of Chiriqui. Since arriving here, she has lived in five states. She now splits her time between her residences in Georgia and North Carolina.
After living among varying cultures at military bases across the US, Nereida has been inspired to share her Panamanian heritage and culture with the community. One of the many ways that she has done this has been by performing with a group of dancers called Ecos de Panama.
Translated, the group name means “Culture of Panama,” and they travel across SC, NC and GA performing at international and local festivals. They perform to traditional Panamanian Folklore music and wear traditional Polleras, which are intricately constructed and decorated dresses. Nereida makes her own Polleras, as well as those of some of Ecos de Panama’s other dancers and her granddaughters’ who perform with her. The dresses can take anywhere from 6 months to a year to make, depending on the intricacy of the patterns and designs sewn on them.
When asked about all of the festivals and dances that she’s performed in, Nereida flashes her warm smile and says, “I have always made an effort for everyone in my community to get to know our culture.” She simply wants everyone around her to enjoy the beauty of her culture as she has enjoyed the beauty of the many cultures that she has lived among since moving to the United States.
Nereida works in the Human Resource Department of the Nalley Car Company in Duluth, Georgia.
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