dinsdag 20 juni 2017

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)


5 opmerkingen:

  1. Wow! these are special, good score Els!

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  2. gorgeous. years ago i purchased a book on how to make a mola but never did try it. they are so beautiful.

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    Reacties
    1. Yes Deanna, tried it once (during textile teacher education) it is such a lot of work ! And never managed to make it as fine as these are !

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