Bushika Adventures
Ethno-toursim in Costa Rica
Welcome to Bushika Adventures
We are dedicated to ensuring that each participant has a safe and meaningful learning experience.
Friendship is the passport to a borderless world.
Pica Lockwood and Anibal Maroto Rojas
ABOUT US
Our journey into Ethno-tourism and student travel began somewhat accidentally, as a result of wanting to share with others our connection with the Indigenous community of Boruca, Costa Rica. While this unique Indigenous community has played a central role in both of our lives for many years, our relationships with the community started very differently.
Pica Lockwood: I was born and raised in the United States. After completing my BS degree in Biological and Environmental Sciences at UC Berkeley, I joined the Peace Corps and was assigned to the community of Boruca where I served as a Forestry volunteer from 1991 to 1993.
While serving with the Peace Corps, I became involved in the Costa Rican youth movement and participated in forming the first Indigenous youth group in the country. After completing my Peace Corps service, my interest and love for the community continued and I remained in the community until 1997.
During my 6-year stay in the village, both my interests and relationships were constantly changing. As my relationships deepened, so did my understanding of the culture and the people. While working with the youth, I observed how they proudly claimed their own culture, while also showing an ever increasing interest in the non-Indigenous culture outside of the village. During this time, I found myself wanting to learn more about the Boruca of the past and began forging friendships with the elders. I spent my last three years, of my 6-year stay, working with the community elders to document their personal life stories.
Anibal and I met during the years that I was living and working in Boruca. We are married and have an 13 year old daughter named Kanani Ialea.
Anibal Maroto: I was born and raised in Boruca. My family is Indigenous and has lived in the community as long as we can remember. When I was growing up, there was no electricity or running water in the community. My family collected water and bathed in a nearby spring. I remember when my family lived in the mountains, away from the village, so that my family could attend to our crops. My family moved to the center of town, where they still live today, when I was old enough to start school. I recall many evenings sitting in my mom's kitchen, by candlelight, listening to my parents and my grandparents talk. Like my seven siblings, I spent my youth split between school and my home responsibilities - I collected firewood, I attended to the crops, I learned the trade of mask making and contributed financially to my parents' household.
Pica and I moved together to the United States in 1997. I was interested in learning English and pursuing my studies. In the US, I discovered my interest in documentary film and my passion for editing video. I have been working with the community to produce short videos about our culture and traditions. Since our return to the US, Pica has been teaching Spanish at Redwood Day in Oakland, California. Our daughter attends Sixth Grade at her school.
Although we have lived in the US for the past 26 years, our lives have continued to be intertwined with Boruca. We return to the village twice a year and Anibal remains active in his traditions and festivals. We feel fortunate to have the opportunity to spend our summers working with the community.
Together we founded Bushika Adventures in 2003 and have been leading trips to Boruca ever since. Our life together is a testament to the power of bi-cultural friendship -- something we love to share with others.
We are proud of our program. We know that we offer something completely unique. Our students are able to learn about the Borucan culture, and connect with the community, in a way other programs don't offer. We work with local teachers, guides and youth. Almost everyone employed by Bushika Adventures is Borucan. Only our chaperones, that travel with the students, are from the United States. In addition to serving our students from the United States, Bushika Adventures has become a summer camp for the local children and youth. Our program has empowered the local youth by providing an outlet in which to share their culture.
