Drawing with Scissors: Molas from Kuna Yala

After Panama became an independent nation in 1903, a law was passed that said the “wild indigenous tribes,” notably the Kuna, had to be “compelled to lead civilized lives.” Women’s blouses called mola, with their geometric and pictorial patterns that articulated the Kuna understanding of the world, were banned. At this point the Kuna had had enough of colonial interference, and the result was their 1925 Revolution. Following a period of negotiation, the Kuna established the right to practice their traditions as well as gaining virtual autonomy over their own territory in the San Blas Islands, now called Kuna Yala.

Type: Exhibition

Date: Jul 21, 2010 - Feb 13, 2011

Curated by: Max Allen