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Kuna Mola Panels - Panama
Molas (mor) are colorful appliqué panels
completely hand crafted by the Kuna (Tule) people of Panama’s San Blas
Islands (Kuna Yala). The technique of appliqué consists of cutting
fabric in an intricate, decorative design and hand stitching it on top
of another piece of cloth. Traditionally, molas are worn on the front
and back of women’s blouses; therefore they have all been previously
used. The production of molas didn’t begin until the 1800's when
machine manufactured fabric became obtainable through trade. Original
molas were comprised of only 2 colors (mor gwinagwad) and a geometric
design using broad lines. Overtime, with greater exposure to and
influence from outside cultures, mola colors and designs have become
more complex depicting flowers, animals, and various figures. The mola
is evaluated based on its design and color, fineness of stitching, the
number of layers it is comprised of, and overall workmanship.
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