Vintage Mola Textile, unframed
Graphic depiction of a chameleon, with curled prehensile tail, claws and the distinctive coloured bands of colour to the body
The Mola, or Molas, is a hand-made textile that forms part of the traditional women's clothing of the Kuna People of Panama. Mola textiles originate from a long tradition of body painting and it was only after colonisation by the Spanish that the Kuna began to transfer their traditional geometric designs onto fabric. It is not known for certain when this technique was first used, but it is assumed that the oldest molas are from the 19th Century. Designs have tended to depict abstractions of flowers, sea animals, birds or popular culture.