Excerpt:
"The lullabies sung by the Cuna Indians of Panama are a vehicle for informal learning. Whereas the lullabies of most cultures are learned in a formalized manner and serve primarily to tranquilize the child, Cuna lullabies are spontaneously invented at each sitting and do more that induce sleep. In fact, Cuna mothers use these lullabies as an effective tool of enculturation. They prepare the children for the different stages of their lives by describing how their daily activities and responsibilities will relate to their family and tribe. Rather than scaring the children to sleep by threatening descriptions of bogeys, a feature found in other Indian lullabies, Cuna lullabies are generally positive in nature as are the people who sing and listen to them."

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