Otniel & Anne on her first trip to Embera' Puru.

    In early 2004,  Anne Gordon traveled to Panama to work as a film animal trainer on the movie End of the Spear.  She was looking forward to spending time in the jungle, but she had no idea at the time how life changing her experience would be.  

    The film hired about 40 Embera' people to work as actors on the movie.  Anne immediately fell in love with the Embera' and traveled to several of their villages to experience their culture and get to know them better.

    About half way through the film one of the Embera' men, Otniel Barrigon, approached Anne at a weekend pool party and began a conversation.  The next day at work on the film, he asked her out on a date.  They connected from day one, despite the language barrier, and he invited her to meet his parents in his village at the end of their first date.  

    They have now been married, by tribal custom since November 2004.  Anne speaks near fluent Spanish and a little Embera', and Otniel is working hard on learning English.  

    Their relationship continues to grow and fluorish, despite the odds against such an improbable pairing.  Both Otniel and Anne feel they are the luckiest people on earth to have found each other.