Monday, November 17, 1997
For the Kuna culture, molas are both a work of art and a
historical narrative. Now, Fowler Museum brings their stories to
UCLA.By Terry Tang
Daily Bruin Contributor
Some cultures use pen and paper to record their histories.
Others pass down oral stories to their children. However, the Kuna
people ply needle and thread. In a world where women learn to sew
and men are taught to weave baskets, fabricated mola blouses serve
as the most vivid and reliable sources of Kuna heritage.
On display at UCLA’s Fowler Museum through April 5, "The Art of
Being Kuna: Layers of Meaning Among the Kuna of Panama," exhibits
more than 300 artifacts, relaying the woven tales of the Kuna
history.
Aside from characteristically colorful molas, or decorative
clothing appliqués, the exhibition also includes: jewelry,
basketry, a variety of flutes played for ritual ceremonies, and
nuchugana  wooden figures which are treated as spiritual
helpers by the Kuna.
Living on small islands that stand offshore from the Atlantic
coast of Panama, the Kuna revolve their daily life around a
philosophy that the tangible world depends on the spiritual
well-being of Earth.
"What we’re trying to do in this exhibition is to assist
visitors in understanding how the Kuna perceive the world and then
how they record the world in their art," says Betsy Quick, the
director of education at Fowler Museum. "One part of that is
through the molas that they wear which have changed remarkably over
the years."
A trademark of the Kuna people’s molas are layered panels of
cotton fabric with vivid images intricately stitched onto them. The
appliqués are then sewn onto Kuna women’s blouses for everyday
wear. Usually characterized by layers of fabric, bright colors and
easy-to-see designs, mola patterns can appear complex and
geometric, showing more than one perspective of any object.
"The Kuna women often take designs from their grandmothers’
mugan, a nickname for old-fashioned molas. But every time, they
change it with the style of their era and create a contemporary
design. They may make lines thinner, use a different color
combination, but it is still the same pattern," says Mari Lyn
Salvador, guest curator for the Kuna exhibit.
A unique form of visual art, the molas have also emerged as
concrete narratives recording changes amongst the Kuna within the
last century.
"I might look at an image and think, ‘Well, it looks like an
image of a tree.’ When, in fact, it is part of a very long,
involved chant that men sing. It may be a chant of the history of
the people, it may be a chant about the mythical beginnings of the
people, or it may be some sort of healing chant recited in a
healing ritual," Quick explains.
Although the Kuna retained a treaty with the Panama government
which grants the Kuna semi-autonomous rule, they do not remain
isolated from the rest of the world. In the 1920s, encounters
between the Kuna and other nations profoundly influenced their
artistic form. Soon, the molas reflected outside objects the Kuna
had seen, some of which reveal influences of popular contemporary
culture. Embroidered images stretch from a sledding Santa Claus to
the sword-brandishing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
"The Kuna are illustrating objects and events that come into
their lives. Planes come in with trade goods, as well as cruise
ships," Salvador says. "They do travel a lot by plane or boat, but
the Kuna are not isolated in terms of ideas. They’re very much
interested in outside culture, as well as their own."
An interest in culture launched Salvador’s quest for knowledge
about the Kuna people. An associate professor in anthropology at
the University of New Mexico and former peace corps volunteer,
Salvador’s research of Kuna heritage since 1966 with fellow
anthropologists was the basis for the exhibition. While living in
Panama, she helped establish a mola co-op where Kuna women could
market molas and non-traditional mola products.
"Many Kuna are working in Panama City and need to send money
back to families in (the village of) Kuna Yala. So, they make and
sell molas. The co-op is still flourishing today with 1,400
members. The women have a web site and a retail outlet. They can
support themselves through their artwork," Salvador explains.
In addition to the Fowler Museum’s own collection of Kuna
artwork, Salvador traveled to other museums in European countries,
documenting mola collections from the 1920s which could be used for
display. She was also able to collaborate with Kuna representatives
for the National Museum of the American Indian in New York on
visual interpretations of more current pieces which would
complement the Fowler Museum’s exhibition.
"I get to work with the Kuna on something that’s important to
them. Lots of people from the political congress, men and women in
the community. It’s wonderful to see how everyone has helped to
execute our dreams in a way that’s extraordinary," Salvador
says.
The Kuna exhibition does not depend on molas alone. In order for
visitors to gain a sense of the Kuna perspective, dry grass
thatches adorn the gallery ceilings and inflated photos of past and
present Kuna natives adorn the walls.
Also accompanying each section of the exhibition are TV
monitors, each airing different videos on an aspect of life in Kuna
Yala. Although some will incorporate voice-over explanations, most
of the videos will feature surround sound of what one might hear in
a Kuna village.
"The videos show you how objects are used in Kuna life. Also,
visitors can hear what the Kuna language sounds like. And the
photos provide a visual context. They give visitors a sense of what
the Kuna are seeing," Salvador says.
The Kuna exhibition took more than seven years to organize.
Locating objects, identifying the necessary scholars and developing
exhibits were just a few of the many tasks required in order to
attain a grant. After a very systematic process, the exhibit gained
financial support from the National Endowment of the Humanities.
Kuna collaborators also went to the Kuna Cultural Congress and the
Kuna General Congress to gather support.
With appliqués weaved as early as 1908 and up to 1997, the
molas provide the Kuna people with a historical context in their
own voice. Part of the uniqueness of Kuna interpretations is their
ability to find significance in objects and events they have only
heard of in passing, such as the launching of a rocket.
"I challenge anyone of us to create a picture of something that
we’ve never seen just from hearing someone talk about it," says
Quick. "Because of that, the inventiveness and creativity, and the
insight that they bring is something that we can learn from and
come to a greater appreciation of."
ART: "The Art of Being Kuna" is on display at Fowler Museum
until April 5. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for seniors and UCLA
faculty, and $1 with UCLA student ID. Admission is free on
Thursdays. Call 825-4361 for details.
UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History
The "Mola of Ninja Turtles" panel demonstrates other cultures’
influence on the Kuna.UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History
Wooden figures called nuchugana are central to Kuna healing and
well being.