The Mola or Molas is a hand-made textile that forms part of the traditional women's clothing of the indigenous Guna people from Panama. Their clothing includes a patterned wrapped skirt (saburet), a red and yellow headscarf (musue), arm and leg beads (wini), a gold nose ring (olasu) and earrings in addition to the mola blouse (dulemor). [ 1 ]

Aug 10, 2022 · Tourists can purchase authentic molas at a number of places in Panama, including Centro Nacional de Artesanías, a handcrafts market, and Mi Pueblito, a park that features folklore exhibits,...

Oct 8, 2020 · These blouses, called molas, are so visually striking and uniquely Guna that they have become the single most recognizable element of Guna cultural identity. 1 Fashioning Identity: Mola Textiles of Panamá explores the mola as both a cultural marker and the product of an artistic tradition, demonstrating the powerful role women artists play in ...

Nov 14, 2024 · Molas began as the decorative panels worn on traditional Guna blouses, crafted exclusively by Guna women. Originally, these textiles were not just about aesthetics but represented the community’s heritage, worldview, and spirituality.

Nov 17, 2021 · Molas are hand-sewn cotton textiles traditionally fashioned into blouses and worn by Guna women. They often sport vibrant, geometric designs that range from abstract patterns to intricate...

Molas are simple yoke-type blouses richly decorated by intricate needlework. Mola can mean the blouse that is daily wear for Guna (previously spelled Kuna or Cuna) women but most often refers to its front or back panel. They have been made for about a century.

What is a Mola? Mola, which originally meant bird plumage, is the Kuna Indian word for clothing , specifically blouse, and the word mola has come to mean the elaborate embroidered panels that make up the front and back of a Kuna woman's traditional blouse.

Mar 17, 2023 · Panama Molas are a fascinating and colorful textile art form that has captivated the hearts and minds of people around the world. Originating from the Kuna people of the San Blas Islands off the coast of Panama, these intricate, hand-sewn panels tell a story of cultural preservation and evolution.

Sep 10, 2019 · The Mola Museum is a “virtual museum” dedicated to the art of the Kuna (Guna) Indians. The Kunas live on the San Blas Islands east of Panama, in the Darien region of Panama, and in Colombia. Kuna women make and wear blouses decorated with appliqued cloth, reverse appliqued cloth and embroidery.

Traditional molas, great for wall decoration. Mola artwork from Guna Yala.