Perched Bird In A Maze With Four Medallions Panama Mola

Perched Bird In A Maze With Four Medallions Mola is a hand sewn textile by a Guna (Kuna) artisan in Panama. A dark red bird with a leaf shaped wing perches at the center of a dense maze, and four round medallions hold the corners, each quartered by a cross around its own small spiral. Finding the little perched figure in all that pattern gives you a small, satisfying moment of discovery. At 16.5 inches wide and 13.5 inches high, it frames well as a feature piece. A study, a library nook or a puzzle lover's den suits it.

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: 16.5"
Height: 13.5"
SKU: 22051593T