Both Birds Claim They Arrived First Panama Mola

Both Birds Claim They Arrived First Mola is a hand sewn textile by a Guna (Kuna) artisan in Panama. The two birds stand side by side, each boxed in by a heavy outline that turns into a maze as it reaches the edge of the cloth, with a little medallion set between them like a prize they both want. You can almost hear the squabble, and it is the friendly kind. It is 16 inches wide and 10 inches high, a good fit for a narrow wall, a cabinet door or a frame on a bookcase. The top and bottom edges are left raw and unbound, exactly as it was taken from the blouse, so you are seeing it the way it was worn.

Molas are built by stacking several layers of colored cotton, then cutting down through one layer at a time so the colors underneath show through, and turning every raw edge under and stitching it closed by hand. The technique is called reverse appliqué, and a good panel is judged by how fine the stitches are and how many layers deep the cutting goes. This one came from Guna Yala, the San Blas islands off Panama's Caribbean coast, where the designs draw on the birds, fish, plants and geometric patterns of the islands and rainforest. It is ready to frame, mount, or sew into a pillow or a quilt panel, and no two are ever alike.

Founded in 1991, TraderBrock celebrates the handcraft of Latin America's indigenous peoples. Every piece comes from Guna, Wounaan and Emberá artisans we know by name, and all profits are reinvested in their communities for education, tools and the teaching of ancestral techniques. Buying from TraderBrock helps keep their culture and their traditions alive.

Width: 16"
Height: 10"
SKU: PM3674T