Mola Designs. 45 Authentic Indian Designs From Panama

Mola is the Cuna Indian word for an intricate reverse-appliqué needlework technique unique to this unusual, isolated tribe inhabiting the San Blas islands off the Atlantic coast of Panama. Mola motifs and methods recall the body-painting practiced by the Cuna in past centuries; today Cuna women's blouses display the colorful patchwork designs rendered here in black and white from the original pieces. The 45 folk-style designs signify themes ancient and modern: pre-Christian crosses, mermaids, dancers, ritual demons, animals, birds, butterflies, fish and flowers, abstracts and repeating mazes, and one result of modern cultural synthesis-an image of Dr. Doolittle, rendered from a children's game. The introduction covering history, ethnography and craft includes photographs of the Cuna; captions identify the motifs and give Cuna names. Designers and needleworkers will find these copyright-free designs a rich source of inspiration and authentic folk motifs; colorists will enjoy bringing their own conceptions of color and tone to the illustrations.