Buzzard Birds Comparing Their Best Feathers Panama Mola

Buzzard Birds Comparing Their Best Feathers Mola is a hand sewn textile by a Guna (Kuna) artisan in Panama. The two buzzards stand beak to beak, and their chests are filled with narrow bars cut in so many colors that no two stripes match, each bar a channel cut down through the layers. It is like watching two show offs who are both secretly a little unsure. At 16 inches wide and 12 inches high, it suits a framed spot in a hallway, an office or a lively family room. Hang it where you get ready each morning, a bedroom or a walk in closet, and let it set the tone.

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: 12"
SKU: PM3706T