Dancers Crossing Their Maracas Above The Flutes Panama Mola

Dancers Crossing Their Maracas Above The Flutes Mola is a hand sewn textile by a Guna (Kuna) artisan in Panama. Two dancers fling out their arms with a maraca in each hand, and between them two huge rattles cross at the handle, traced with wavy lines that suggest the seeds shifting inside, with long flutes and gourd vessels close by against the black. It is nearly impossible to stand in front of this without tapping a foot. The panel is 16 inches wide and 11 inches high, an easy size for a frame or a pillow front. Hang it in a music room or a family room where your gatherings tend to end in dancing.

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: 11"
SKU: PM1598T

MACHINE WASHABLE To clean, machine wash in cold water on gentle cycle tumble dry on low, do not bleach or iron