The Tropical Jungle Taxi Kuna Mola

The Tropical Jungle Taxi Mola is a hand sewn textile by a Guna (Kuna) artisan in Panama. A big patterned creature with one bright white eye carries a banded saddle over its back while a second long form rides along below it, which explains the playful taxi name. Working out who is giving whom a lift is half the fun, and you will spot something new each time. It is 13 inches wide and 10.5 inches high, one of the more compact panels and easy to tuck into a small frame. A child's room, a hallway or a cozy corner shelf would all suit it.

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: 13"
Height: 10.5"
SKU: PM0377T