Arts and Crafts

Typical Panamanian crafts originate in the traditions and cultures of the different indigenous tribes and include the colorful Mola, nut carvings, woven baskets, balsa and cocobolo wood carvings and pottery.
The Kuna women of Panama are known for their colorful and intricately sewn Mola blouses and cloths. The Mola panels of the blouses are hand sewn using several layers of colored fabric. The women of the Wounaan and Embera tribes make elegant baskets from the fibers of the Nahuala plant and Chunga palm which grow in the Darién rain forest of Panama. The Ngobe-Bugle are famous for their woven bags made from the fiber of the wild pineapple plant. The Indians use these bags for transporting everything from babies to market goods on the mountainous trails of their tribal homeland in western Panama.
Lately, the sale of native crafts to tourists has increased and helps to support the needs of the villages and native people.