Visiting the Guna Yala archipelago is a fantastic choice for anyone spending time in Panama. This 350-island archipelago is home to the Guna indigenous group, who make the incredible textiles known as mola.
Originally painted onto peoples’ bodies, the mola designs are now sewn into cloth. Usually rectangular in shape, mola panels are dominated by red, yellow and dark blue or black threads.
These days the textiles are a favored souvenir among visitors to the area, but the Panamanian government previously tried to ban the use. As part of attempts to Westernize the Guna people, the government cracked down on cultural traditions. However, the locals engaged in heavy fighting with government troops and eventually won the right to govern their territories as they saw fit.
A high-quality mola will use multiple layers of fabric, fine stitching and even cutouts. Look out for these features if you do want to buy one. The best option is to buy a used mola from a local woman, who customarily sells textiles from their personal collection when they get bored of the design. It’s a great way of ensuring the authenticity of the piece, and you’ll know it has been made with the utmost care.
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