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).