MOLAS

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REVERSE APPLIQUE BLOUSE PANELS FROM KUNA INDIAN TRIBE.

ALSO CUSTOM FRAMED MOLAS, IN UNIQUE HAND PAINTED FRAMES CREATED TO ENHANCE THE ART WITHIN, AND SIGNED BY THE ARTIST THAT CREATED THEM.

The mola is thought to have been in existence for little more than 165 years. The development of the mola originates from early body painting which was first transferred to cloth painting and then to sewing decorative belts on to sack-like dresses. The Cuna women of 1681 are described as using body paint much like the neighboring Choco Indians use today. 

Kuna women are known for their colorful customs & spectacular traditional dress which consists of a patterned blue cotton wrapped skirt, red & yellow head scarf, arm & leg bands of beads, gold nose rings, earrings & the colorful intricately sewn mola panel blouse, a work of art in itself. The mola panels of the blouse are hand-woven in a reverse appliqué technique using several layers of differently colored cotton cloth. The mola may also be decorated with very fine embroidery.  Mola is the Kuna Indian word for blouse, but the term mola has come to mean the elaborate minute embroidered panels that make up the front and back of a Kuna woman's blouse. The Kuna men have adopted a clothing style more traditional to the men of the western world and appear drab beside the Kuna women, the chiefs of the village wear ties on a bare chest.

The most valued molas are the ones that have actually been worn as part of a Kuna woman's costume.