so privileged !

I feel very privileged

that I can call myself the owner

of this beautiful textile work of art !

An original MOLA

I am sooooo happy with it !

Mola's are made by the Kuna Indians

which live on small islands off the coast of Panama.

The women make two, with related images,

for the front and back of their blouse.

They get their inspiration from their own culture (like this one)

but also from any other image they come across and like.

Even political ones, floral or animal pictures,

but also geometrical patterns.

This mola is about the INNA ritual : a puberty ritual for girls

cutting their hair to the short way the grown women wear.

A three-day feast (where everyone wears a new mola-blouse) 

with lots of "chicha" made out of fermented cane suger

with lots of rum !

Here the chicha is brought for testing to the two "Kantules",

judges and masters of ceremonie, who sing about the history

of the  INNA feast

It's a kind of reverse appliqué with three layers of cotton

cutting out images of the top layer,

adding extra colours underneath

and stitched with the tiniest of stitches.

Smoking a pipe while preparing the chicha.

(you can compare the size with my fingers)

Such amazing tiny and precise stitches !!!

The back of it.

We not only purchased one

but also one for our daughter !

A man and woman gathering fruits in the jungle.

The figure in the middle is the spirit

that guards the tree.

Some details.

(No need to say daughter LOVES hers too)

A Dutch lady, Els Mommers, who lives on the small Caribbean island Saba,

has visited the Kuna Indians for almost 25 years

and buys the molas from them, so the women

can earn an honest living with their Craft.

(please check out her blog to see these wonderful works of art)