Before being called The Mines, it was known in many parts of the Republic by the name of Mines of Bracamonte or Mines of Forest Cow. Those who called it Mines of Bracamonte suppose that it must have been named after its founder, Don Jose Agustin de Bracamonte. Others say that a Spaniard whose last name was Bracamonte had some gold panning stations in those parts and so people started calling the place Mines of Bracamonte.

As for the name of The Mines of Forest Cow, some believe that the name was given because of the numerous wild animals known as the cow, meaning tapirs, found in the area. What is certain is that in some official documents the name appears as The Mines of Forest Cow.

The pirate raids off the Pacific coast around the year 1740, commanded by Vice Admiral Jorge Anson, who attacked villages in the interior of Panama, including La Villa de Los Santos, perhaps incited a fear of pirates in many of its inhabitants and spurred them to hide in our mountains, and over time they stayed there.

Parita is the oldest indigenous Spanish settlement in the Azuero region, since it was founded in 1558 as a result of the suppression of the Indian mission by the Mayor of Natá, as decreed by the Spanish Crown on March 21, 1551. Among its founders were Don Juan Ruiz de Monjaraz and the Dominican friar Pedro de Santa Maria. This means that this year Parita will celebrate 454 years since its foundation, which ranks it as one of the oldest populations in the country.

Parita preserves the legacy of the colonial era practically intact. The exact date of its foundation is uncertain, and it was not until 1937 that August 18 was established as the official date of this celebration. Parita preserves its ancient church as a symbol of its history, which dates back to the 17th and 18th centuries. Priests and notable persons were buried in this church, as was the custom in those days. In addition, the town has an enormous colonial plaza, surrounded by brick houses, some of which also date to the 18th century. Most of these houses have high porches that were transformed into bleachers to watch bull fights and other activities of the patron saint festival. Parita is named after the Indian chief Paris, who lived in those parts.

The name of Ocú means "Cornsilk", because for many years this has been one of their main crops. In Ocú two styles of the traditional pollera skirt are made, the Ocueña (all white, for weddings) and the Montuno (daily use), which is the local costume for women and men. The production of these folkloric elements has been passed down from one generation to the next, thanks to the handiwork of the regional artisans. This region celebrates the National Manito Festival, a quintessential folkloric festival in the Republic of Panama, recognized for being the most authentic and for best showcasing the customs and traditions of Panama and its countryfolk.

That festival is the result of the vision of a group of educators from Ocú, who saw the need to formalize those festivals and fairs that have been held in Ocú by their ancestors, ever since the era when Panama was still part of Colombia. This important festival was first celebrated in August of 1967 (when those festivities that have been celebrated since the beginning of the Republic of Panama were first named).

It is the largest wetland ecosystem immersed in the central provinces, comprising 2,000 hectares, 1,200 of which are water that floods the area, and the rest dispersed in wetlands.