This molas has a large turtle with a fish in its mouth. Other figures float around them: a fish with a fisherman and various plants and flowers.

The Kuna believe strongly in beauty and an aesthetic life. Artfulness is integrated into all aspects of life, including personal style, adornment, ritual, politics and dwellings. In general, the men are the weavers; they provide all manner of baskets, fans, fishing nets and some tools. A few specialize in making canoes, although even purchased canoes are finished and customized by the new owner. The men are also responsible for the verbal arts, including singing, chanting and lengthy eloquent political oratory which embodies the rich and complex oral histories and narratives of the culture. Visual arts are the domain of women, who have created a style of dress that is unique to the Kuna Indians.

In the Kuna's native language the word mola means any fabric, blouse or covering for the body. To the rest of the world it has come to mean the distinctive and colorful panels that Kuna women make to decorate their blouses. Intricately hand-stitched from layers of brightly colored fabrics using both reverse appliqué and direct appliqué techniques, molas comprise the most visible and best-known outward aspects of Kuna culture. They
have been collected by individuals and institutions beyond the borders of Kuna Yala since the 1920s and have found their way into both public and private collections around the globe.

Mola-making is said to have its roots in the time-honored Kuna tradition of body-painting and tattooing. When contact with western missionaries necessitated the development of clothing, Kuna women experimented with painting trade cloth in the same manner and with the same motifs used in body art. Eventually the designs were sewn on the cloth and used first as borders and then as larger embellishments.

Nearly all Kuna women make and wear molas. Since sewing is not a leisure activity, but a necessary skill taught in early childhood, women continue to sew and make molas as long as they are able. Chanters tell the story of mola-making from its origins to the present, emphasizing the importance of molas to contemporary Kuna society. Women are urged to make molas, perfect their skills and use their imaginations. Traditional healing practices and medicines are available to women to enhance their creativity and artistic vision. Although women sew whenever they can, they often sit and work on molas together, discussing ideas and patterns and critiquing each others work. Copying patterns and motifs is accepted as it is understood that the design will be adapted and refined.

Techniques: Reverse applique
Culture: Kuna
Geographic Location: North and Central America, San Blas Islands of Panama
Credit Line: Gift of Isabella Lively