The mola is
the signature craft of the Kuna Indian women of Panama.
The Kuna Indians live in Kuna Yala, known commonly in the dominant
culture as the San Blas Islands, an archipelago of more than
300 islands on Panama’s north coast.
Although
mola is the Kuna word for blouse, the word most often refers
to the front and back panels of the traditional blouses worn
by Kuna women. The front and back panels are always very similar
but never identical, representing simultaneous continuity
and change.
Utilizing a technique called reverse appliqué,
the women layer fabric and cut intricate patterns, exposing
colors in the underlying pieces of fabric. Typical motifs
are geometric, mythological/biblical, animals or marine life.
Molas are a relatively recent craft, and
are thought to have derived from a tradition of elaborate
body painting.
Kuna families live in matrilineal groups.
Each family lives in a compound comprised of a thatched sleeping
hut, a thatched cooking hut and a courtyard. Mola making is
one of the most important activities among the Kuna. Typically,
older women in the family group tend to household tasks such
as cooking so that younger women may concentrate on mola making.
What makes a good mola?
Kuna women use several criteria to evaluate
a mola’s quality:
Smooth, even, narrow lines;
A central design or primary motif
that stands out from the background;
Symmetry: visual balance within
the panel;
Stitching nearly invisible to the
naked eye;
Number of fabric layers;
Intricate cutouts, such as curves,
zigzags or tiny squares.
Crossroads Trade molas are priced by quality.
The more expensive molas reflect more complexity, outstanding
craftswomanship and fine design.
Crossroads Trade buys molas directly
from individual Kuna Indian women in Kuna Yala. The women
receive a fair price for their work. Crossroads Trade’s
annual purchases in Kuna Yala make a huge difference to the
lives of the mola makers and their communities.
Molas
are available in
the following
categories: Animals
