Two Whistling Ducks Mid Debate Kuna Mola

Two Whistling Ducks Mid Debate Mola is a hand sewn textile by a Guna (Kuna) artisan in Panama. Two long necked ducks turn to face each other with round heads and bright eyes, their bodies stacked with rainbow bands and small zigzags filling the space below. It looks like an argument neither of them is going to win, and you will happily watch it go on. The panel is 16.5 inches wide and 12 inches high, a handy size for a frame over a desk or a side table. Hang it in a lake cabin, a kitchen or a family room where debates happen.

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: 12"
SKU: PM1001T