The Roadrunner Who Will Not Slow Down Kuna Mola

The Roadrunner Who Will Not Slow Down Mola is a hand sewn textile by a Guna (Kuna) artisan in Panama. This roadrunner has the same hurried lean as its sister panel, with concentric rings around the eye and feathery fronds filling the lower corners. Its momentum is so strong that a still wall suddenly seems to be going somewhere. At 15 inches wide and 9 inches high, it is a long, low format for a slim frame over a desk. Hang it by your front door, where everyone is on their way somewhere.

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: 15"
Height: 9"
SKU: PM0485T