A Hermit Crab Holding Court Among Four Fish Panama Mola

A Hermit Crab Holding Court Among Four Fish Mola is a hand sewn textile by a Guna (Kuna) artisan in Panama. The hermit crab sits dead center in a shell split into quarters, two little eyes on stalks peeping over the rim and a fan of legs spread around it, with a fish swimming in each corner. Most people smile at those stalked eyes first and only then notice the company it keeps. At 17.5 inches wide and 11.5 inches high it has a wide, easy shape that suits a frame or a long cushion. Put it in your bathroom, a beach cottage, or a kid's room that loves the shore.

Molas are built by stacking several layers of colored cotton, then cutting down through one layer at a time so the colors underneath show through, and turning every raw edge under and stitching it closed by hand. The technique is called reverse appliqué, and a good panel is judged by how fine the stitches are and how many layers deep the cutting goes. This one came from Guna Yala, the San Blas islands off Panama's Caribbean coast, where the designs draw on the birds, fish, plants and geometric patterns of the islands and rainforest. It is ready to frame, mount, or sew into a pillow or a quilt panel, and no two are ever alike.

Founded in 1991, TraderBrock celebrates the handcraft of Latin America's indigenous peoples. Every piece comes from Guna, Wounaan and Emberá artisans we know by name, and all profits are reinvested in their communities for education, tools and the teaching of ancestral techniques. Buying from TraderBrock helps keep their culture and their traditions alive.

Width: 17.5"
Height: 11.5"
SKU: PM2119T