Long Billed Bird Catching A Fish On Maroon Mola

Long Billed Bird Catching A Fish On Maroon Mola is a hand sewn textile by a Guna (Kuna) artisan in Panama. A fish hawk with a long straight bill stands over a striped fish, its wings worked in bands of lime, pink, orange and black, while a small owl watches from the left edge. You can feel the moment of the catch, quick and sure, with a curious onlooker taking it all in. At 18.5 inches wide and 13 inches high it's a large panel that can hold a wall alone. Hang it in a lake house, a den, or the room of anyone who loves to fish.

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: 18.5"
Height: 13"
SKU: 22040372T