Panama’s crafts are a vibrant expression of its rich cultural diversity, combining indigenous traditions, African heritage and Spanish colonial influences. One of the most emblematic crafts is the mola, intricate and colorful textile applications made by the Guna (Kuna) women of the Guna Yala region. These vibrant panels, with geometric and nature-inspired designs, are often used to adorn clothing, but are also sold as stand-alone works of art. In the Emberá and Wounaan communities, artisans are experts at basket weaving, creating finely woven baskets and plates from natural fibers such as chunga palm, often decorated with eye-catching patterns. Panama is also known for its hand-woven painted hats, traditional straw hats made in the town of La Pintada, and carved wooden masks, which are often used in festivals and celebrations. These crafts not only preserve Panama’s rich indigenous traditions, but also play an essential role in supporting local artisans, connecting their heritage to the modern world.
The making of crafts by the women of the Wounaan and Emberá nations with plant fibers requires great knowledge of nature. This is done with the «chunga» (Astrocaryum standleyanum) and the «naguala» (Carludovica palmata). The women clean the buds of the chunga, brought by the men, a difficult task since (Read More)
The «kra» («chácara») is a hand-woven bag by the women of the indigenous peoples of the Ngäbe Bugle Comarca. It is made with natural fibers from the «kika» pita (Aechmea magdalenae) and «cabuya» and (Furcraea cabuya) plants and natural dyes for designs with geometric shapes, with meanings alluding to nature and (Read More)
The Gunadul women of Panama design the “molas” on different layers of fabrics with colorful and varied colors, through traditional cutting, appliqué and embroidery techniques, until achieving geometric figures and designs with symbolic meanings of the worldview. Many of these meanings are associated with the type of «mola» (Read More)
The techniques for making the work skirt are varied. Some artisans make the entire skirt and others specialize in different parts that they make separately: the artisan in the technique of cutting and assembling the skirt measures and cuts the strips of fabric for the shirt and skirt where all the appliqués are located and (Read More)
The «pintao» hat is made in a traditional way, with materials obtained from five plants, in the province of Coclé in Panama. The tender buds of the acorn (Carludovica palmata) are plucked, washed, cooked and dried in the open air, and then woven into braids or «crinejas». The thickness of the tear and the number of fibers determine (Read More)