A Pelican Stretching One Long Wing Kuna Mola

A Pelican Stretching One Long Wing Mola is a hand sewn textile by a Guna (Kuna) artisan in Panama. A pelican fills most of the panel with its long bill lifted and one wing opened into a fan of slim slivers in red, pink, blue and gold. There is something about that big stretch that makes your own shoulders loosen. It is 16 inches wide and 13 inches high, a generous size that holds its own on a wall by itself. Give it pride of place in a beach house hallway or over a desk where you can see it all day.

Molas are built by stacking several layers of colored cotton, then cutting down through one layer at a time so the colors underneath show through, and turning every raw edge under and stitching it closed by hand. The technique is called reverse appliqué, and a good panel is judged by how fine the stitches are and how many layers deep the cutting goes. This one came from Guna Yala, the San Blas islands off Panama's Caribbean coast, where the designs draw on the birds, fish, plants and geometric patterns of the islands and rainforest. It is ready to frame, mount, or sew into a pillow or a quilt panel, and no two are ever alike.

Founded in 1991, TraderBrock celebrates the handcraft of Latin America's indigenous peoples. Every piece comes from Guna, Wounaan and Emberá artisans we know by name, and all profits are reinvested in their communities for education, tools and the teaching of ancestral techniques. Buying from TraderBrock helps keep their culture and their traditions alive.

Width: 16"
Height: 13"
SKU: PM0407T