1. San Blas Islands, Panama Kuna Indians

2. What is a Mola? Molas are works of art created by the women of the Central American Cuna (or Kuna) tribe, of the San Blas Islands in Panama. They are made using an appliqué process referred to as "reverse appliqué". Several layers of cloth varying in color are loosely stitched together. Fine-tipped scissors are used to cut the top layers. The cut edges are folded back and stitched to the layer below. Mola means "blouse" and were originally part of the woman's dress -- now they are sold around the world and are collected by many.

3. The San Blas Archipelago is a chain of tropical isles along the Atlantic coast of the Republic of Panama. Approximately 50 of over 365 of these islands that make up the chain are inhabited. Half of the islands are within sight and easy traveling distance of the mountains and jungle of the mainland. There is no fresh water supply on the San Blas islands leaving the Indians with the daily task of traveling up the rivers of Panama to collect water. The San Blas Reservation was declared an independent state in 1925 and was legally formed in 1938.

4. The KUNA INDIANS The Kuna Indians are a strongly-knit tribal society living on a chain of islands called San Blas Archipelago, on the Atlantic side of the Republic of Panama. Believed to be decedents of the Caribs, the Kuna Indians still live in much the same manner as their ancestors. The San Blas people have cleverly managed to retain their tribal identity and contentedly lead a moral balanced life, free from the complexities of modern, highly-organized societies. The Kuna have a matriarchal society in which the line of inheritance passes through the women. A young man, after marriage, must live in his mother-in-law's house and work for several years under apprenticeship to his father-in-law. Divorce is uncommon, although it requires no more than the husband to gather his clothes and move out of the house. The daughters of the Kuna people are prized because they will eventually bring additional manpower into the family. There is a traditional division of labor within the families. The husband gathers coconuts, cultivates the food, provides firewood, repairs the house, makes his and his son's clothes, weaves baskets and carves wooden utensils. The wife prepares the food, collects fresh water from the mainland rivers, unloads the boats, sews female garments, washes the clothes and cleans the house. The Kuna have a custom for every event and happening in their life and these customs are passed on to their children through dances and chants. These events are also documented in their Molas. The Kuna language (until recently, unwritten) is spoken throughout the community, however, Spanish is fast becoming the second language. Due to the United States influence since the building of the Panama Canal and with the influx of tourists frequenting the San Blas Archipelago, English is being spoken more and more by the Indians. The traditional dress of the women in the San Blas is spectacular. The gold nose rings, beaded arm and leg bands, head scarves, blue sarongs and the colorful "mola" blouses worn in combination are a work of art in itself. The Kuna men have adopted a clothing style more traditional to the men of the western world and appear drab beside the Kuna women.gold nose ringsbeaded arm and leg bandshead scarves"mola" blouses

5. Kuna Indians with Molas Kuna Art

11. Making A Paper Mola Procedure 1. Choose 4 colors of paper. Cut out a design as the top piece. Choose a traditional Kuna Indian design for a shape. 2. Leaving a thin border, cut out the second color around the first shape. Glue the top to the second layer. You can use paper clips to help hold the paper together when cutting the shapes. 3. Then cut the third shape by layering the two glued shapes on top of the third. Glue all cut pieces together, being sure to leave a thin border around each time you cut. Save the black for last, as that is the traditional top layer. 4. From the scraps of paper left, cut out and glue details for eyes, mouths, or other ornamental traditional designs. 5. Traditional Kuna Indian Designs and Shapes are for you to use and are found on the green counter. 6. You will need to sketch your idea first before working with the color paper and shapes.

12. VOCABULARY: Mola, pattern, space, symbolism, repetition, Kuna Indians, Panama, silhouette, motif, appliqué, contrast, overlapping, color families MATERIALS: construction paper, scissors, glue, visuals, pencils, paint markers, molas examples Expectations and Evaluation Create a mola pattern -- draw on white paper -- use as pattern to cut out construction paper. Glue to another sheet of construction paper (turn over so pencil lines do not show) and cut out larger all the way around (about 1/4 inch larger). Create repeated patterns on animal with small pieces of construction paper. Use three to four colors. Create additional images to accompany animal for negative space. Glue to background color. All larger shapes should be layered. Create a pattern filling the open/negative spaces repeating colors from the abstracted animal or design. These shapes can be dashes - ovals - dots - triangles.

13. EVALUATION: 1. Large animal or design on mola -- animal abstraction - use of design principles. 2. 3 to 4 colors to animal or design 3. Craftsmanship in cutting and gluing 4. Followed directions -- Classroom participation in discussions and during work period 5. Identify symbols of animals -- Written expression of animal symbolism. 6. Use of color families -- identify color plan. Any special meaning to colors to you? 7. Filled page with pattern -- use of shapes and color to fill negative space -- Unity