Molas were originally used as part of the women’s blouses . Molas are traditionally made and worn by the Kuna women and girls in pairs to serve as front and back panels of the blouses they wear everyday. Nowadays they are also sold to collectors and framed and exhibited.
What is a mola used for?
Mola panels have many uses. They can be framed as art or made into pillows, place mats or wall hangings . Some people even make them into bedspreads or incorporate them into quilting projects. Molas are very sturdy and well sewn.
Where did Molas come from?
Molas, a traditional textile craft, are made from layers of colored fabric that are stitched and cut using applique techniques to create patterns and pictures. They originated in Panama, with the women of the Kuna tribe in the San Blas islands .
Why are Molas important to the Kunas?
Mola motives have their origin in body painting like they are still used by many indigenous groups of Latin America. A main concept in Molas is to leave as little unworked space as possible as the Kunas believe that evil spirits can settle in the free spaces.
What does Mola mean Kuna?
Molas are simple yoke-type blouses richly decorated by intricate needlework. Mola can mean the blouse that is daily wear for Kuna (sometimes spelled Cuna) women but most often refers to its front or back panel. They have been made for about a century.
What are some ways to use mola panels?
Mola panels have many uses. They can be framed as art or made into pillows, place mats or wall hangings . Some people even make them into bedspreads or incorporate them into quilting projects. Molas are very sturdy and well sewn.
What does a mola look like?
Sunfish, or mola, develop their truncated, bullet-like shape because the back fin which they are born with simply never grows. ... Mola in Latin means “millstone” and describes the ocean sunfish’s somewhat circular shape. They are a silvery color and have a rough skin texture.
What does molas mean in Spanish?
It means “Cool” . A synonym in spanish could be: ¡Guay!. The verb “Molar” is used when you want to mean that something or even someone is good for you or you like it. For example, “Este disco mola”, o lo que es lo mismo “este disco está muy bien”.
What is a mola quilt?
A Mola is the decorated yoke of a traditional woman’s blouse of the Kuna people of Panama and parts of Columbia that have been made in the last century. They were originally inspired by body paintings of local flora, fauna and images of daily life.
What does the word molas mean?
1 capitalized : the type genus of the family Molidae including solely a large widely distributed ocean sunfish (M. Mola) 2 plural mola or molas : any fish of the genus Mola broadly : ocean sunfish.
What is a mola design?
A mola is an appliqued fabric panel created by Cuna women , an indigenous people from the San Blas Islands of Panama. The term “mola” refers to a traditional blouse made by women to serve as front and back panels of the blouses they wear everyday.
Why did the name change from Kuna to Guna?
Etymology. Guna Yala in Kuna means “Land Guna” or “Guna Mountain”. The area was formerly known as San Blas, and later as Kuna Yala, but the name was changed in October 2011 to “Guna Yala ” when the Government of Panama recognized the claim of the people that “Guna” was a closer representation of the name.
What is the Gunas traditional food?
The most common dish “ Tule masi” (literally meaning Kuna food) is a soup whose main ingredients are plantain and fish. It’s also very common for them to smoke fish as a way to preserve it.
What do Kuna men wear?
The Kuna men wear traditional t-shirts and paints , while the women wear very colourful dresses and traditional Molas, reverse-appliqué designs on their chest. They also wear all over their arms and legs the traditional bracelets of multi colour beads called Winnis or Chaquiras in Spanish.
Where can you find molas?
Molas are colorful panels sewn by the women of the Guna Indian tribe, who reside here in Panama in the San Blas Archipelago on the Caribbean Sea . Molas are part of traditional costumes worn by Guna women.
