A Fledgling Manakin In A Maze Of Keys Kuna Mola

A Fledgling Manakin In A Maze Of Keys Mola is a hand sewn textile by a Guna (Kuna) artisan in Panama. A small bird stands at the heart of a Greek key maze, wings folded into stacked chevrons, with blocks of fret pattern tucked into all four corners. Your eye keeps circling the little figure, as if helping it get out. It is 15 inches wide and 10.5 inches high, a wide and low shape that frames well in landscape. Set it above a desk or along a hallway.

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: 15"
Height: 10.5"
SKU: PM0972T